North Shore Drive podcast - Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and more Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Post-Gazette Penguins insiders Matt Vensel and Andrew Destin give their thoughts on how the team's late-season hot streak and push for an improbably Stanley Cup playoffs berth should inform GM Kyle Dubas' decisions in the offseason. Should Alex Nedeljokovic be brought back as the starting goalie? Does that open the door for a trade of Tristan Jarry? Has Sidney Crosby proven he can still be the foundation of a Cup-contending team with his dominance down the stretch? Have players including Drew O'Connor and Jack St. Ivany established themselves as building blocks for the future? And what are the chances the Penguins get the help they need with Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals losses on Tuesday night? Our duo tackles those topics and more.
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On his weekly Chipped Ham and Football podcast, Post-Gazette Steelers insider Brian Batko welcomes Emory Hunt of Football Gameplan and CBS Sports to analyze best fits for the Steelers in the NFL draft. Why does Emory like Florida State's Keon Coleman as an off-the-radar choice at WR? How would Florida's Ricky Pearsall pair as the No. 2 to George Pickens? Could Iowa CB Cooper DeJean still make sense despite the needs along the offensive line? And where does Washington's Troy Fautanu belong in the tackle conversation for GM Omar Khan after he became one of the latest to visit the Steelers this week? Our duo tackles those topics and more.
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On his First 10 podcast, Post-Gazette sports columnist Jason Mackey weighs in on the Penguins' goalie situation after a 4-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Monday night. Specifically, what does Mike Sullivan's choice of Alex Nedeljkovic over Tristan Jarry mean for the future? Does the team view Nedeljkovic simply as a hot hand to help its Stanley Cup playoff push? Or has he made Jarry and his lucrative contract expendable come the offseason?

Then later, Jason gets into some Pirates and Pitt topics. Is it too soon to worry about SS Oneil Cruz and his slow start to the season at the plate? And what does it mean for the Panthers that Dayon Hayes has entered the transfer portal?
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On their weekly Pitt sports mailbag video, Post-Gazette insiders Christopher Carter and Abby Schnable answer reader questions. Among them: Can Florida State transfer Cam Corhen be a legit start for coach Jeff Capel's squad at center? Will Houston transfer Damian Dunn be the next addition via the portal? Which other prospects could follow?

And on the football side, how innovative did new coordinator Kade Bell's offense look in the Blue-Gold game Saturday at Acrisure Stadium? Did it live up to the hype or disappoint?
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On the Monday episode of the North Shore Drive, presented by Mike's Beer Bar, host Christopher Carter welcomes a trio of Post-Gazette insiders to talk all things Steelers, Penguins and Pirates. 

Steelers beat writer Ray Fittipaldo is first to stop by to analyze the final week of NFL draft visits by top prospects. Could Alabama's Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry plus Duke's Graham Barton be among those who stop in Pittsburgh this week? Do names including Clemson's Nate Wiggins and Georgia's Amarius Mims have an edge after meeting with the Steelers at their facility, the NFL combine and their respective pro days? And how could Michigan's J.J. McCarthy and Washington's Michael Penix Jr. be relevant to GM Omar Khan's draft plans, even if he has no plans to select them? 

Later, Noah Hiles stops by with insight on a busy weekend for the Pirates, which included strong pitching from names like Jared Jones, Mitch Keller and Bailey Falter, plus the 300th home run of Andrew McCutchen's storied career. And Matt Vensel previews a do-or-die game for the Penguins on Monday night against the Nashville Predators. 
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Post-Gazette Pirates insiders Andrew Destin and Noah Hiles react to the club's weekend series against the Philadelphia Phillies and look ahead to this week's series against the New York Mets. Was Jack Suwinski's home run off Zack Wheeler on Sunday a sign that he's breaking out of his season-opening funk? Is closer David Bednar figuring things out after blowing a handful of save opportunities to open 2024? Is the rotation showing its potential after strong starts by Bailey Falter, Mitch Keller and Jared Jones over the weekend? And how will the pitching staff deal with the loss of Marco Gonzales to an injury? Should GM Ben Cherington promote a prospect like Quinn Priester or Paul Skenes? Or are bullpen games the best option? Our duo tackles those topics and more.
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