First Call: Bold claim about Steelers view of Ben Roethlisberger; Alex Galchenyuk's debut with Wild

In Wednesday’s “First Call,” someone is calling for Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement. Alex Galchenyuk made his Minnesota Wild debut. A frightening NHL event. Michigan State may have its coach. “Monday Night Football” games may get flexed.

You might be a little early on this

Former NFL player-turned-NFL analyst Chris Canty plunged into the deep end of the hot-take pool.

On FS1, he said there are some in the Steelers organization that are “praying” that Ben Roethlisberger retires.

"There are people in the Steelers organization praying Big Ben retires. That would give them a few more options on how they're going to manage their salary cap. The 2-year, $68M contract extension they gave him last offseason looks like an awful deal right now." — @ChrisCanty99 pic.twitter.com/BmgpGkTTb7

— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) February 11, 2020

Canty doesn’t specify who those people are. Based on attempting to catch passes from Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges, my guess is that those people are not the wide receivers.

If what Canty is suggesting is that the Steelers privately think that Roethlisberger is washed up and that his elbow is shot — maybe.

But if that’s true, no one has put their name to that.

And the Steelers are in no position to draft his replacement without a first-round pick in 2020.

Or, if they were to cut him — as Bleacher Report suggested — Roethlisberger’s release would only save $8.5 million, which wouldn’t exactly open up enough free cap space to acquire his replacement on the open market via a trade or free agency.

Moving forward on the hope that Roethlisberger’s elbow is going to be OK is a risk. It’s also one that the Steelers are best positioned to take.

After spending 17 years in the quarterback desert, I don’t see the Steelers adopting the “let’s make a move one year too early, as opposed to one year too late” mentality with Roethlisberger.

Scary event

St. Louis Blues player Jay Bouwmeester passed out on the bench during a game against the Anaheim Ducks Tuesday night.

This is so scary. Jay Bouwmeester collapses on the Blues bench. Their game against the Ducks has now been postponed. pic.twitter.com/3313d5JQbu

— Hockey Central (@HockeyCentraI) February 12, 2020

The defenseman suffered what was described as a “cardiac episode.”

The team said in a statement late Tuesday night that the 36-year-old was conscious and alert. Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said Bouwmeester was moving his arms and legs as he was transported from the arena.

The Blues were supposed to fly to Las Vegas, where they are scheduled to play Thursday, but remained in Southern California overnight. The team is expected to provide an update on Bouwmeester’s condition Wednesday morning.

Via the AP, “St. Louis’ radio announcer Chris Kerber said during an interview with the team’s flagship station that a defibrillator was used.”

The game was postponed and will be made up at a later date.

Galchenyuk gone

As Jason Zucker was making his Penguins debut, Alex Galchenyuk was doing the same thing for the Minnesota Wild.

The winger had just one shot and no points. But the Wild beat Marc-Andre Fleury and the Vegas Golden Knights 4-0.

The former Penguin put a happy spin on his new address.

“I felt good today,” Galchenyuk said. “With the travel and all that it was a little rough. But it was nice to get a lot of ice time.”

“We need prove that we want it and tonight was a good effort.”

Hear more from Galchenyuk, Foligno and Stalock after tonight’s win over the Golden Knights!#mnwild pic.twitter.com/U2YL7W22aA

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) February 12, 2020

Galchenyuk got 12:26 on the ice. He hasn’t had that much time since Jan. 2. He only averaged about six minutes of play over his final five games as a Penguin.

Meanwhile goaltender Alex Stalock of the Wild said of losing Zucker, “Not only a locker room favorite guy, but a community, a city, and state favorite guy. Sent outta here. That sends a wave through a locker room.

“We need to prove that we want it. And tonight was a good effort.”

No more, Narduzzi

I said that I wouldn’t fully believe that Pat Narduzzi would stay at Pitt until Michigan State actually got a new head coach.

Well now I believe it. Because it appears the Spartans are hiring Mel Tucker. The former Colorado Buffaloes coach is reportedly leaving Boulder for East Lansing.

BREAKING: #CU coach Mel Tucker has agreed in principle to become the new head coach at #MichiganState, per sources. After Tucker turned down initial interest, MSU power brokers came back repeatedly to Tucker’s reps w/ an offer that was impossible to ignore https://t.co/qjOH0qKirQ

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 12, 2020

Part of the reason I was dubious of Narduzzi’s protests that he wouldn’t leave Oakland is that I never believe college head coaches about anything when it comes to job movement.

As recently as Saturday, Tucker claimed he was committed to the Buffs.

While I am flattered to be considered for the HC job @MSU_football, I am committed to @CUBuffsFootball for #TheBuild of our program, its great athletes, coaches & supporters. #UnfinishedBusiness #GoBuffs

We are #Relentless #Culture #TheBuild

— Mel Tucker (@Coach_mtucker) February 8, 2020

So much for commitment.

Football flex

The NFL may be considering the right to flex “Monday Night Football” games.

According to Sports Business Journal, “Before the holidays, league executives posed an open-ended question to teams: How much flexing could they handle? How much advance notice would teams need if broadcasters wanted to switch a Sunday afternoon game to ‘Monday Night Football’? What if every week of the season were opened to flexing?

“The NFL did not propose a specific plan.”

Any flex scheduling changes would not take effect until new media rights deals kick in, starting with the 2023 season.

Writers Ben Fischer and John Ourand also report that ESPN is telling the NFL that it would put “Monday Night Football” back on ABC if it ends up with the rights. The “MNF” deal ends after the 2021 season.

That’s one season before the league’s other media rights packages expire.