The Daily Goal Horn

Pittsburgh recalls Avery Hayes as the Penguins shake off Olympic rust and dive back into Metropolitan melee. PensBurgh and Yahoo Sports confirm the move, with coaches slotting him into a depth role that could spark secondary scoring. Sullivan's squad eyes this as a pivot point before deadline deals reshape their Cup window.

Blake Lizotte hits the rink Sunday, signaling his club's depth chart stabilizes after the Olympic whirlwind scattered lineups. Trainers confirm no lingering tweaks from the break that sidelined lesser legs. Coaches test combos now, with the trade wire humming for teams eyeing his pesky style.

Sidney Crosby rules the ice as Pittsburgh's ageless captain, hitting 90-plus points for the third straight year and locking in a two-year extension with a no-movement clause that keeps trade whispers at bay. Yet his Olympic run crashes hard with a lower-body injury sidelining him for Canada's gold-medal clash against the U.S., leaving the Penguins star without that storybook international finish.

The Penguins waste no time post-roster freeze, recalling Avery Hayes from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the second time this season after his brief NHL taste before the Olympic break. This 23-year-old undrafted gem has torched the AHL with 19 goals in 36 games, including hat tricks that turned heads in front offices. Injuries to Rakell and Lizotte opened the door last time, and now Pittsburgh keeps him up amid their playoff push, leapfrogging higher picks like Koivunen on the depth chart.

Connor McDavid just etched his name in Olympic history as tournament MVP with a record 13 points for Canada, captaining the final games after Sidney Crosby's injury and leading alongside studs like Nathan MacKinnon and Macklin Celebrini. Crosby, the Penguins legend who's seen it all, steps up with a poignant take on McDavid's brilliance in that silver-medal heartbreak against a golden Team USA.

Brad Marchand returns from Olympic duty with analysts sounding alarms over a nagging injury that could derail his Bruins campaign. The pest-in-chief's toughness is legendary in Boston locker rooms, but whispers from medical circles suggest this one's different and potentially season-ending. Front offices around the league keep a close eye, knowing a sidelined Marchand shifts trade deadline calculus for a Cup contender.

Brad Marchand sat out two Team Canada games at the Olympics due to a nagging upper-body injury that he reaggravated from earlier in the season with the Panthers. Coach Jon Cooper confirmed it wasn't just about injecting youth like Seth Jarvis, as Marchand nursed the issue ahead of the quarterfinals where he returns in a supporting role alongside stars like McDavid and Crosby.

The pending free agent winger draws serious interest from contenders reloading for a Cup run, with three fits standing out in rumor mills. Skinner's scoring touch tempts GMs balancing cap sheets and playoff pushes this March. His next contract shapes lines and legacies, as teams position before the market floods.

Dan's Daily unpacks wild Olympic parties, national team heartbreaks, and rising un-trade rumors across the NHL. Pittsburgh Hockey Now eyes the Penguins' next round amid the chaos. With the freeze lifted, these stories hint at deadline fireworks reshaping the East.

Connor McDavid returns to the Oilers as the Olympic MVP with a record 13 points, ready to chase his sixth Art Ross while Edmonton fights for Pacific supremacy just four points back. Sidney Crosby's lower-body injury kept him out of Canada's medal game, leaving his Penguins status murky as Pittsburgh pushes to snap a three-year playoff skid with their captain leading the team in scoring.

The Americans finally break through with gold in a tournament that's had Penguins fans glued to their screens amid the NHL grind. Whispers from the Pittsburgh locker room suggest this win lights a fire under the squad's Olympic hopefuls back home. Front offices across the league take note as national pride fuels the playoff push.

Sidney Crosby opens up on the gut-wrenching call to sit for Canada's gold-medal clash with Team USA after tweaking his lower body in the quarters. The Penguins captain, no stranger to putting team over self after three Cups and those iconic Olympic golds, skated right up to game time but knew he couldn't deliver at full throttle.

Sidney Crosby pushes through a nagging lower-body injury from the Czechia quarterfinals, skating hard in Saturday's optional practice and leaving everyone wondering if Canada's captain would suit up for the gold medal clash against the U.S. Coach Jon Cooper keeps it real, stressing Crosby won't risk the team or himself as optimism builds around his status.

Jack Hughes delivers the dagger in overtime against a stacked Canadian squad missing Sidney Crosby, channeling that 1980 Miracle vibe on the 46th anniversary. Connor Hellebuyck stands tall with 41 saves, stonewalling Canada's barrage while Matt Boldy and Cale Makar trade early strikes in a game that had NHL stars pouring everything into the cauldron.

Sidney Crosby's postgame grimace captures Canada's Olympic heartbreak against Team USA like no words could. The Penguins captain, sidelined and seething, watches his countrymen falter in a result that stings deeper than most. Back in Pittsburgh, this fuels the fire for Crosby's next NHL run.