TSN rated the wingers of all 32 NHL teams, and Sportsnet cannonballed back into the Mason McTavish chatter with more NHL trade rumors, but the story of the day was that another suitor had emerged to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins. As part of our report, we did the financial checkup and some diligence on the potential buyer, too.

I’m getting a few emails that some of you aren’t getting the PHN stories emailed to you–let me know if you find any other problems, or if you are one of those not getting the emails. Our tech team is working on everything. It seems a few things broke, and a few subscribers were deleted (and I may have reminded tech was a pretty darned important fix, posthaste).

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Subscribers are going to see some new things on the page–our Penguins video list will play. It’s not a pop-up ad, but it will be our video work, which includes ads. So, you’ll see more of me talking Penguins, sometimes solo, sometimes with Julianne Pelusi (a Pittsburgh native, former Buffalo TV sportscaster, and Pitt product), and locker room videos.

Also, we’ve already eclipsed our readership levels from last August, and we’re on pace for an incredible month … in August?! This new website is humming. Thanks!

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: We’ll start with the story that drove all of the buzz, and we did a little more homework on the potential new suitor, including net worth, too. The Hoffman family in Chicago would like to buy the Penguins.

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I’ll repeat–Fenway Sports Group has rebuffed all previous stories of an ownership change, including in a private email to employees obtained by PHN. They have stated they want a minority investor, and I believe the story unfolded the same way with Liverpool, too. I suppose I should put the rest in a column or blog story today.

And yes, Mr. Hoffman’s photo bears a striking resemblance to Bob Newhart. Perhaps his partners will be of the VC firm, Larry, Darryl, & Darryl.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Advanced stats are frustrating to me. Too often, you see people bending them to fit an argument without accepting the 3D reality of hockey. But the NHL’s EDGE stats are quite important, and even the players pay attention to those.

What do the Penguins’ EDGE stats show? Oh boy, buckle up for this one–The stats cut to the chase of why the Penguins were disappointing.

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Steelers Now: We’ve been through a couple of preseason games and gotten a better look at some hopefuls and expecteds, so the folks at Steelers Now redrew their projected Steelers 53-man roster.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now: Prospects who could help, the futures of Ben Cherrington and Don Kelly, and a lot more in the latest Pirates Q&A.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & NHN

Sportsnet: Mason McTavish remains unsigned, and camp begins in about a month. Trade? Big contract? Yeah, let’s go back to trade. And here are five teams that make the most sense.

TSN: Rating wingers from teams across the NHL. Unlike the goalie and defenseman ranks, in which I thought Travis Yost got the Penguins tier correct, I thought he downplayed the Penguins on this one.

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My conclusion is that I value Rickard Rakell more than others around the league. I think Rakell is slick and quite underrated.

Spector’s Hockey: Some of PHN’s work is featured in the latest Spector’s rumor mill, but there’s also more on McTavish, too.

Quick notes: Hudson Fasching signed a bargain deal with Columbus, and Josh Leivo, who we profiled as a potential NHL target last weekend, re-signed in the KHL.

NYI Hockey Now: Poor Russ Macias has been stuck on jury duty for a month. I’ve been teasing him about when the Islanders mailbag Part Two would drop. He finally let loose on several big issues facing the New York Islanders.

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Florida Hockey Now: It’s a road trip I know a lot of you really like–Florida! The Panthers released their theme nights and Panthers’ single-game tickets.

The post Dan’s Daily: More McTavish Trade Talk; Penguins Ownership Report appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now.

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