Oct 26, 2020 3 min read

NHL veteran Daley retires, joins Pens

Trevor Daley’s steadying presence on the blue line helped the Pittsburgh Penguins win consecutive Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. The team hopes Daley can make the same impact in a different capacity as a hockey operations adviser.

The 37-year-old Daley announced his retirement after 16 seasons on Monday in conjunction with his decision to begin his post-playing career by returning to the Penguins.

The team said Daley will assist in player evaluations at both the NHL and minor league levels and help the coaching staff during games.

In addition to Daley’s hire, the Penguins announced Monday that they fired assistant general manager Jason Karmanos. Sam Ventura, the team’s director of hockey research, will assume Karmanos’ duties on an interim basis.

Daley scored 89 goals to go with 220 assists in 1,058 games with Dallas, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Chicago. The Penguins acquired him during the 2015-16 season and his arrival was part of a midseason makeover that propelled Pittsburgh to the franchise’s fourth Stanley Cup. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby handed Daley – who did not play during the Cup Final due to an ankle injury – the Cup shortly after the Penguins clinched so Daley could honor his mother Trudy, who was battling cancer at the time. She died nine days later.

Daley won another Cup with Pittsburgh the following year before finishing up his career with three seasons in Detroit.

“I feel comfortable with the city,” Daley said. “My kids love it there.”

Daley comes to a team in the midst of significant changes following a qualifying-round loss to Montreal in the playoffs. Forward Patric Hornqvist and goaltender Matt Murray – teammates alongside Daley on the Cup-winning teams – were traded during the offseason.

Season over for Browns’ Beckham

Odell Beckham Jr. had his second season with Cleveland end Monday after an MRI confirmed he sustained a torn left knee ligament in the opening minutes of the Browns’ 37-34 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Beckham’s injury is a devastating personal blow and a potentially major setback to the Browns, who are off to their best start since 1994 and eyeing their first postseason appearance in 18 years.

“Obviously, it’s a big loss,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. “He’s a huge part of what we do, so now we just have to huddle up and find some different ways and find some different people and put them in that role. … I’m sick for Odell.”

The three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver got hurt when his left leg buckled while he was trying to make a tackle after Baker Mayfield’s first pass was intercepted by Bengals cornerback Darius Phillips.