It’s a shocker in Toronto, where the Maple Leafs now own a commanding 2-0 series lead after beating the Florida Panthers again. The trial of the five 2018 Team Canada players accused of sexual assault turned tense as Carter Hart’s lawyer appeared to score a few points for the defense on cross-examination. We put another potential Penguins trade target on the board, as well as a few others who would fit the bill for general manager Kyle Dubas, and the St. Louis Blues might be willing to shake up their roster.

We had a pretty good live chat, and I’ve made it available via audio version on the PHN podcast page. We talked about the Penguins’ coaching search and potential trades. A fair number of you wanted to talk about signing RFAs, but I had to go into professorial mode to explain why a lot of the big names don’t make sense and why it’s almost a virtual certainty that the Penguins won’t go the big-name route.

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Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Minnesota Wild are iffy on Marco Rossi’s fit and future with them, and so it seems he is headed for the NHL trade market, and the Penguins should be very interested. We tossed a few more names on the Penguins trade board, too.

Steelers Now: The Steelers traded wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys and didn’t get a high pick in return. Alan Saunders writes that there was one reason and one only for the Steelers’ trade.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now: Oh, good Lord. There’s another viral video from PNC Park, and this time, an usher or employee at PNC took a fan to the woodshed, actually punching him and removing his belt to whip the fan twice. The fan was harassing a female employee, and then all hell broke loose. More fun at PNC Park.

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On the field, the Pirates stink like rotting fish. Really, really, stink. They can’t hit at any professional level and lost their seventh straight. Here’s the gory Pittsburgh Pirates recap.

NHL Rumors, News, & National Hockey Now

TSN: I thought Wednesday was the first time the defense made some headway in the sexual assault trial of the Team Canada Five. Carter Hart’s female lawyer pushed the story into the gray area and asked the core question in a very simple way. Based on Rick Westhead’s reporting, it seems the lawyer was effective.

The testimony on Monday remains damning and subsequent reports that Michael McLeod’s lawyer laughed at a couple of E.M.’s answers only served to hurt the defense, but now the jury has something to discuss. I could also envision some older jurors being more open to the defense’s direct insinuations on Wednesday.

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Sportsnet: The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a position we haven’t seen them in a long time. They are in a commanding spot in Round Two, leading 2-0. Florida bombarded them in the third period, but Toronto held the fort. Here’s why these Maple Leafs are the best Brad Marchand has ever seen.

NHL.com: Dallas beat Winnipeg in Game 1, 3-2. It was quite an entertaining game.

And the Utah Hockey Club is no longer. They are now … wait for it … the Utah Mammoth.

The Athletic ($): The NHL rumor mill. Jeremy Rutherford thinks Jordan Kyrou could be on the block this summer, as St. Louis seems a bit tepid on him because he hasn’t reached the peak of his talent.

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If Kyrou is on the market, expect 31 other teams to make a play for him. I can’t speak to the other 80 games per season, but every time I see Kyrou live, he’s impactful.

NYI Hockey Now: Updates. Who are the favorites for the New York Islanders gig?

The post Dan’s Daily: Florida Trouble; Trial Gets Tense; Penguins Trade List appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now.