Draft is tomorrow, so might as well start this.

Full schedules come out today. Openers were announced yesterday. The Stanley Cup champs open with the Bruins on Oct. 3, then travel to Pittsburgh for the Pens' opener on Oct. 4. Pens fans were up in arms that the NHL was going to 'screw' the Pens and send them to Washington to watch the Caps' banner go up. Now they're upset that the NHL 'missed a chance' to have the Pens in Washington for the banner game on national TV.

Barry Trotz - new head coach of the NY Islanders!

Flyers open in Vegas Oct. 4.

Maybe I'll be healthy enough and we can head out and visit DanO.

Don't tease me

I talked to Michelle tonight and it's a possibility!

But I'd have to miss some school and what if the Phillies make the playoffs? I can't miss that! (It won't happen)

I've got to be healthy enough, but I'm aiming for it.

Keeping my fingers crossed!

Flew to Dallas last October to see the Golden Knights' first-ever game — and win, and am planning to be there for the season 2 kickoff in Vegas this year. For All-Star weekend in Tampa, I wore my Blues jersey to the skills competition but wore VGK to the ASG itself...

Alan must be loving that Gary Bettman is getting loudly booed even during an award presentation for the Humboldt Broncos.

Caps make a great trade sending Grubauer and Orpik to the Avalanche for their 2nd round pick (47th). Means they will resign Carlson.

Actually, I got accused of being a Gary Bettman burner account for complaining about it! I thought he handled it well, though, but it was kinda disappointing that the fans were booing during the end of the presentation.

Rumors swirling about the Pens and Jeff Skinner - gonna take a second move to make that happen, I'd think.

Looks like Carlson back with the Caps........8 years, $8 mil AAV.

Orpik will probably come back for minimum too since the Avs released him and he cleared waivers.

Other news
Ilya Kovalchuk - 3 years 6.25 AAV - Los Angeles Kings.

Calgary/Crolina trade - Dougie Hamilton, Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland and the rights to Adam Fox to Carolina for Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm.

Reports that Jeff Skinner - Pens or otherwise - won't be moved until John Taveras signs.

That would be great to get Orpik back, he's meant so much to the team as a leader.
There are also rumors that the Caps were interested in Skinner, maybe trading Burakovsky.

I would say no to both, but some fans are disappointed in his injury history.

Also, next year is going to very different w/o Trotz, and most likely Mitch Korn and Lane Lambert who will most likely follow Trotz to LI...

Pens re-sign Bryan Rust - 4 years, $3.5m AAV
Hopefully less of a risky contract than Sheary. Usually good in the playoffs.

I'm not sure who they're going to dump to get Cap space to retool the team.

There was the Kessel trade rumor talk for awhile, but they no longer seem intent to move him.

The've been linked to talking to Anthony DuClair and Jack Johnson. I don't love the idea of the latter.

Arghhh I can't believe Barry Trotz left The Caps?! And went to The Islanders no less?

Wow!

Penguins trade Sheary and Hunwick to the Sabers for a 4th round pick. Sabers take all of the salary.

Pens now have an additional $5.25 cap space.

2018 Hall of Fame class......................

Martin Brodeur. Willie O'Ree, Martin St. Louis, Alexander Yakushev, Jayna Hefford, and.................
Gary Bettman

The latter probably won't go over too well. Aside from the usual reasons, the potential of a work stoppage next year.

Pens also rumored to maybe bring Chris Kunitz back.

Pens rumored to have agreed to terms with CBJ D Jack Johnson. Five years, around $15-16M. The term strikes me as too long.

Terrible deal. He's on the decline, and became a healthy scratch in favor of Cole. Too much money for someone who will be part of the 3rd pair. He's supposedly best friends with 87, and that was a factor.

Riley Sheahan is back for this year at $2.1 m. as well.

Just confirmed - John Tavares is leaving the Islanders.

7 years 11 mil AVV with Toronto

I've seen alot of nasty JT comments from Islanders fans of Twitter of betrayal..........including some burning their Taveras jerseys. I can't blame Taveras.......while there,9 years of mostly bad ownership, bad front office, and the arena situation. And he goes home.

It's a good thing DanO is now a Vegas fan.

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Unfortunately, the Jack Johnson deal went through. There were better affordable contracts the Pens couldv'e done instead (Grabner 3x3.25 AVV Coyotes), if not for this. Pens can't really make many more moves.

.....and no sooner I say that, Matt Cullen is returning to the Pens for 1 year.

Another questionable move. Cullen wasn't good last year and will be 42. They now have 5 centers..........not sure if it means Brassard might be on the trade block to fill other holes.