Dater’s Daily: Lehner fires back at critics, Eichel trade rumors persist

Happy Monday to all. A special shout out to all the dads out there. Hope yours was a good Father’s Day yesterday. Myself? I got a $25 gift card to Dunkin’, so I was a happy dad. Their new bacon-topped avocado toast has become my go-to food there now. Along with a large iced coffee pretty much every day.

Some hockey links, etc:

• Robin Lehner made his coach, Pete DeBoer, look good last night. Especially, to all the critics who ripped DeBoer for starting him. Lehner took many notes on the Twitter hate he received, and used it as motivation in the Golden Knights’ big victory in Game 4 against Montreal. He even used a little profanity in describing the critics (Vegas Hockey Now)
• I think Vegas wins the series now. Montreal blew a third-period lead, then gave up a quick goal in overtime. Say, does that sound familiar?
• My expert pick on tonight’s Game 5 between the Islanders and Tampa Bay (Bookies.com)
• The Jack Eichel trade rumors aren’t going away. We’ll have more later on “Off the Record”, with a GM saying what the asking price for the Sabres forward is. Meantime, Larry Brooks thinks the Chicago Blackhawks could be a destination (NY Post)
• Ottawa Sun: Mr. Bruce Garrioch dismissed talk that the Ottawa Senators could be in play for Eichel. Instead, Garrioch laid out the less expensive but very talented options available to the Senators on the NHL trade front. 
• The New York Islanders’ Matt Martin grew up across the river from Detroit, but he wasn’t a Wings fan. He was an Avs fan (Detroit Hockey Now)
• Pittsburgh Hockey Now: If the Penguins are in the market for a physical defender, Buffalo’s Rasmus Ristolainen might be a good fit.
• Philadelphia Hockey Now: The Flyers seem to be linked to every top defenseman on the market – Dougie Hamilton, Seth Jones and now there’s even speculation that Philly might again pursue Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the Arizona Coyotes.
• Wait, Nicklas Lidstrom never won the Lady Byng?!
• The Boston Bruins are also linked to a potential OEL deal (Boston Hockey Now)