Oct 21, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) moves the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins center Blake Lizotte (46) during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images The headlines have heft Thursday though for far different reasons.

After some public incredulity, the Detroit Red Wings are finally moving forward with their GM search by hiring a search firm. The summer of rumors in Columbus got a good debunking though it doesn’t sound like any reporters got the Zach Werenski story wrong.

Minnesota is trying to sign Quinn Hughes but the specter of the New Jersey Devils is growing. And we had a little fun doing a few Penguins redrafting.

I am a bit giddy today despite the circumstances. Greetings from an unexpected road trip where my sopping wet clothes are hanging a shower rod after I took a little ride north in a successful search for a deep breath and cheap beer.

I even planned out a route to avoid the rain

but the best laid plans of mice and motorcycles failed as I lingered a little too long in a dive bar that was real beaut. And by a beaut, I mean the very attractive female bartender decided to spend more time talking to me not because I’m awesome but because I was one of two people in the place with my own teeth and who didn’t ride a rascal scooter to the bar.

I was treading in a different world as three separate people rolled in riding scooters. It was all pretty epic.

And I lingered because any beer was $3. I turned for home but a hellacious storm shifted a few miles and pounded me.

It was dry on the radar but I rode through flooding roads to hide in Oil City for a couple of hours and then I was left with two choices: head through the teeth of the storm to get home or retreat. So, I made the best of the situation and indulged my inner child by spending the night in a caboose in Titusville.

And I’ll get breakfast at the little diner that charges $6 for eggs, bacon, and coffee. I guess the moral of the story is there is no moral

but I slept in a caboose. Do something or make plans for your inner child and put it in the comments.

Also, this afternoon I have an interview set up with one of the Penguins top prospects. Stay tuned.

Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Drafting has not been a strength of the Penguins over the last decade, at least not until Wes Clark arrived. So, we redrafted the Penguins top picks since 2019.

Steelers Now: Alan Saunders has been basically living in Latrobe. It looks like a wide receiver is emerging.

Here are the daily Steelers camp takeaways. NHL Rumors, News, & NHN Bring Me the Sports: Bill Guerin remains in contact with Quinn Hughes and the sides are talking but it’s a big undertaking signing a player to a gargantuan contract and they’re not there yet.

NHLtraderumors: Beat writer Aaron Portzline made a podcast appearance and spilled the tea on the wild Columbus Bkue Jackets summer. Were people in the Zach Werenski camp saying one thing to others about trades and contracts and telling the team another?

New Jersey Hockey Now: There is a growing bit of drama around the Hughes contract talks. As James Nichols writes, the longer this goes, the better

and better it gets for the future of the New Jersey Devils. TSN: Uh, what took so long?!

After a few weeks of being adrift, the Detroit Red Wings have hired a search firm to find their next GM. Has any search firm ever hit a home run and found the best person that was somehow hiding in the shadows?

Detroit Hockey Now: So, what caused Steve Yzerman to fail so spectacularly in Detroit despite such a pedigree? Bob Duff asks a pointed question—did the game pass by Yzerman?

NHL.com: And I thought a few of you would enjoy this. The Toronto Maple Leafs signed a bottom-six center whom they hope can help turn things around.

His name? Teddy Blueger.