Jan 22, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby (87) chases Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) up the ice during the first period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images Oh, here we go again. The offseason is about to become a silly season as NHL trade rumors are beginning again around Connor McDavid.
The veracity of such chatter is in the eye of the behold, as they’ve come from former players. Connor Bedard held his press conference after signing his new five-year, $75 million deal, and he did a little campaigning for Patrick Kane to come back to Chicago. And PHN attempted something nearly impossible–to put a real timeline on the Pittsburgh Penguins rebuild.
The headlines on the fake rumor accounts and pages–yes, I have to check them so I know what everyone sees–were wild over the last couple of days. My least fav is a guy on one of the aggregated rumors pages who feels that if he writes the phrase, “according to multiple reports,” he’s free to exaggerate the daylights out of everything, including an abhorrent headline, “Penguins in Advanced Talks for Shane Wright.” Yeah, ummm, no one has reported anything close to that.
Fortunately, I think many of you are catching on to a few of the big X accounts of anonymous “insiders” who “hear” things that are either plainly stated by others, or they’ve just made it up. Just remember, if they don’t cover a team or have a job in the business, it’s a 99.9% chance it’s fake. You’re not dumb; you know the difference between professionals and the fakes.
Yes, the fakes are more fun, but… Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh Hockey Now: I’ve got a master plan of stories this week, and it’s leading to a particular destination, but I won’t reveal all yet. There’s a big event Saturday, so we began with the foundation for everything–what is the realistic timeline with specifics for the Penguins rebuild?
Pittsburgh Baseball Now: Welcome to the fold, four college pitchers signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Steelers Now: Good for Aaron Rodgers. He’s had a bit of a tumultuous family life in his adulthood, and he posted some photos on social media of him patching things up.
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now Edmonton Journal: The great white north is getting a little red in the face with the trade rumors that have recently popped up surrounding the pillar of the blue and orange. Starting in Philadelphia on 97.5 the Fan and spreading to Montreal, there are some Connor McDavid trade rumors. Chicago Hockey Now: Bedard got paid.
He really didn’t mince words on his future–it will be in Chicago–but he’d also like to see a Blackhawks legend join the fold, too. He did a little campaigning to sign Patrick Kane. TSN: Hitting a little closer to home, Boone Jenner signed a whopper of a deal with the Washington Capitals on July 1, and now he’s getting pumped for a new challenge, even with a division rival.
There was a lot of criticism of the Capitals’ giving the 33-year-old Jenner a four-year deal, but I agreed with the Capitals on this one. He’s a leader, a warrior-type player, and a guy who can be the backbone of a team searching for more identity than just feeding a superstar his next goal. New Jersey Hockey Now: Anthony Mantha is a New Jersey Devils winger now, and on a two-year deal, hoping to sign a bigger payday in a year.
James Nichols did some digging on Mantha and talked to a few people who have covered Mantha to find out exactly what the Devils are getting. Here’s what the Devils can expect from Anthony Mantha. Philly Hockey Now: Nic Deslauriers had his day with the Stanley Cup, and he brought it to the shore in New Jersey.
Our Will James had a little fun and showed up. It was party time with the Stanley Cup.