Back by popular demand, here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

David Aebischer may be with the Winnipeg Jets' AHL affiliate, but his mask is inspired by the big club, as well as Canadian history. From In Goal Magazine:

"It was very exciting to create this design, a tribute to the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Aces of WW2. The design has a lot of meanings and messages, so many details that some you cannot see on the photos, only when you see it live. I love to incorporate a lot of details and stories into the designs."

Preview: St. Louis Blues at Montreal Canadiens, 7:30 p.m. EST

Though Brian Elliott delivered a shutout performance in a win over Colorado on Saturday, Ken Hitchcock opted to go with Jaroslav Halak versus the Canadiens, and for good reason: this is St. Louis's first visit to Montreal since Halak was traded after leading the Habs to the Eastern Conference final. So he starts versus Carey Price. Goaltenders' duels can be a little on the slow side, but here's hoping we get one Tuesday night.

Preview: San Jose Sharks at Minnesota Wild, 7:30 p.m. EST

From the department of much less-anticipated homecomings: while Tuesday marks Brent Burns' first return to Minnesota since his offseason trade to San Jose, this is not an ideal time for the Wild to be playing host to the Sharks. San Jose has won five straight, while Minnesota has lost four straight, and only once in their last 12 games. It'll be Nicklas Backstrom versus Antti Niemi in goal.

Preview: Nashville Predators at Colorado Avalanche 9 p.m. EST

Though the first half featured zero dates with Colorado, the second half of Nashville's schedule opens with two of them. You wonder if they wouldn't have preferred to meet the Avalanche sooner, what with their four-game winning streak versus Colorado. They swept the 2010-11 season series, outscoring the Avs 22-11. Colorado would obviously prefer things to go differently this time around, especially since they leapfrog Nashville in the standings with a win.

Evening Reading

• The Toronto Star is standing by a story that has Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper is set to square off against Russia's Vladimir Putin in an exhibition hockey game commemorating the 40-year anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series. I want this to be true so bad, just so they can play three-bar after hours and, with Harper moments away from winning, Putin can slash his knee like Wolf "The Dentist" Stanson. [The Spec]

• In case it wasn't clear that the Bruins have crazy depth: Brad Marchand's suspension (or, as he calls it, his "suspensian") means Zach Hamill draws in. Claude Julien has yet to decide if he or one of his linemates, Chris Kelly or Rich Peverley, will play center. All three can play any forward position. [Hockey Journal]

• The 10 craziest all-time non hockey NHL injuries. [Sportsnet]

• Gary Bettman's statement on the passing of Ron Caron: "Ron always wanted the best for his players, the best for his teams, the best for the game. His passion for hockey was exceeded only by his passion for life. We send heartfelt condolences to all who were touched and inspired by his competitive spirit."

• Via Sean Leahy, here's footage of Stefan Liv, who died in the Lokomotiv crash, having his number retired.

Puck Buddy Comment of the Day: John sums up the real problem with James Neal's magically unbroken foot:

just dropped the guy....thanks for the accurate reporting yahoo.

Aw. That sucks.

Bold prediction: Martin Erat scores the overtime winner versus Colorado on a breakaway.

Follow Harrison Mooney on Twitter at @HarrisonMooney

There was an unlikely sight in the first period of the Winnipeg Jets' game at the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night: The Jets' Chris Thorburn, he of the 28 goals and 486 penalty minutes in 395 career games, attempting a penalty shot that was saved by Tuukka Rask.

The second period yielded an even more unlikely sight, bordering on the unconceivable. Shawn Thornton of the Boston Bruins was hooked on a breakaway by Tim Stapleton. On the subsequent penalty shot, Thornton — he of the 28 goals and 685 penalty minutes in 407 games — beat Ondrej Pavelec with a beauty of a move:

Do not adjust your monitors, that was Shawn Thornton with the terrific leg dangle and toe-drag move on the penalty shot goal.

Don't worry, he was back to being Shawn Thornton later in the period with his old teammate Mark Stuart.

Marian Gaborik is, arguably, the New York Rangers' deadliest offensive player. Giving him a penalty shot in overtime — which Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Adrian Aucoin did, slashing him on a breakaway on Tuesday night — would appear to be a handy way to effectively end the game.

Coyotes goalie Mike Smith, however, had other plans: Stopping Gaborik with his stick on a spectacular clutch save to extend the game. Check it:

"Are you kidding me?! What did he stop this puck with?!"

Uh, a cast iron skillet? Or a dead trout? No, wait, probably that large stick he uses to occasionally block shots. Yeah, that.

The Rangers would go on to win the game, 2-1, as Derek Stepan scored in the sixth round of the shootout and Henrik Lundqvist saved a Shane Doan attempt.

This is one of those saves in which half the hockey world will marvel at it and the other half will say, "Meh, all he had to do was elevate the puck." In fairness to Smith, it did appear he had his stick raised on the save, so it was a more difficult save than it looked.

Check out this Smith stop on a Nik Antropov penalty shot from earlier this season, and Sean Avery of the Rangers beating him on a penalty shot in 2010.

No. 1 Star: Saku Koivu, Anaheim Ducks

Koivu scored a minute in and with a minute left (with a game-winner somewhere in there as well, whatever) to record his second career hat trick in the Ducks' 5-2 win over the Dallas Stars. The first was nearly a decade ago. It came in November of 2002.

No. 2 Star: Viktor Stalberg, Chicago Blackhawks

At the midway point of this game, Todd Richards' first as the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the score was 1-1. But then both teams remembered who they were, and the Blackhawks took over. Viktor Stalberg scored thrice, including the empty-netter, as the Hawks cruised to a 5-2 win. It was the first hat trick of his NHL career.

No. 3 Star: Jonas Gustavsson, Toronto Maple Leafs

Gustavsson picked up the third shutout of his career, his second in the last 5 days, stopping all 32 shots he faced to blank the Buffalo Sabres in a 2-0 Leafs win. He's been lights out in 2012, with wins in all four games he's started. Nikolai Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski scored the goals, and David Steckel went an absurd 14-for-16 in the faceoff circle. This was the Monster's best save, by the way:

Honorable mention: Jaroslav Halak was perfect in his homecoming, registering a shutout in the St. Louis Blues' 2-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Of course, with only 19 shots on goal, the Habs clearly still have some warm feelings towards the guy, but Halak earned this shutout, making a big save off a Tomas Plekanec breakaway in the first and desperation glove save on Mathieu "Stan" Darche in the third... Sean Couturier scored the game-winning goal early in the third period as the Philadelphia Flyers got past the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1. Sergei Bobrovsky made 35 saves in the win, and Claude Giroux took 33 of the team's 69 faceoffs. No wonder you'd want him taking so many after he nearly scored off the first one of the game:

Derek Stepan scored the shootout winner in the New York Rangers' 2-1 win over the Phoenix Coyotes... Mikko Koivu's shootout winner helped the Minnesota Wild knock off the San Jose Sharks, 5-4. Matt Cullen scored in the game, the 1000th of his career. Cal Clutterbuck had a goal and an assist in the win, and Dan Boyle had 1 and 2 in the loss... Mason Raymond scored the shootout winner in the Vancouver Canucks' 5-4 win over Tampa Bay Lightning. Martin St. Louis picked up assists on two late, third-period goals to send the game into extra time, and Ryan Malone's game-tying goal with the net empty was shrewdly directed in with the skate:

... Nathan Horton scored twice and the Bruins posted three unanswered goals in the third period to knock off the Winnipeg Jets, 5-3... The Pittsburgh Penguins' woes continued as they fell to the Ottawa Senators, 5-1. Milan Michalek scored twice, Colin Greening added 3 assists, and Jason Spezza notched this slick tally:

... John Tavares had a goal and 2 assists and Matt Moulson had 2 goals and 1 assist in the New York Islanders' 5-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings... Ryan Ellis scored the game-winner and added an assist in the Nashville Predators topped the Colorado Avalanche, 4-1. Martin Erat also had 1 and 1... Jarome Iginla contributed 2 assists and the 501st goal of his career, and Curtis Glencross had a goal and 3 assists as the Calgary Flames routed the New Jersey Devils, 6-3...

Did you know? Patrick Marleau's assist on Dan Boyle's first-period goal was his 800th career point, and it came 8 years to the day he recorded his 300th. [@SharksStats]

Dishonorable mention: While the Wild and the Canucks won their respective games in shootouts, both led 4-2 in the third period before allowing their opponents to tie things up late... Speaking of third-period collapses, the Jets entered the third period versus the Bruins up 3-2. The lead lasted eight seconds... The Flames scored 6 goals on only 14 shots versus the Devils. I think it goes without saying that New Jersey goaltending is usually a little better.

Follow Harrison Mooney on Twitter at @HarrisonMooney

In that brutal game last Saturday, Dale Weise of the Vancouver Canucks fought Nathan Horton of the Boston Bruins. Later in the same period, Boston pugilist Shawn Thornton wanted to throw down with Weise, but the Canuck denied him the chance, later citing exhaustion and that Thornton isn't "really the type of guy I want to fight."

Tony Gallagher of The Province served as Weise's proxy on Comcast SportsNet New England's Sticks and Stones segment, arguing that it was "unethical" for Thornton to challenge a guy to his second fight in a period. Everything was going well … until Shawn Thornton himself responded to flustered scribe.

Eh, what's the difference between 40 and 20 pounds, really? That was like seeing a Republican strategist bash the Obama administration on CNN, and then the President suddenly walks on set with a dozen folders of declassified documents to refute him.

More interesting than Thornton schooling Gallagher on the nuances of fight making were Gallagher's comments when asked why everyone hates the Canucks.

"Here's what I don't understand. I don't understand how a team can be so hated … I understand they have a couple of vexing guys like Burrows and Lapierre. They're agitators, just about every team has a couple of them. But they have no toughness. Normally, teams that are hated have a horde of tough guys that just maraud and punch other teams into oblivion. How can you be hated when you have no toughness?"

This is, perhaps, the greatest window into the soul of the Vancouver Canucks we've seen in quite some time.

Yes, the Broad Street Bullies were hated — in the 1970s. Today, as Brian Burke famously put it, the rats are running the League. So when someone steps up to exterminate the rats, they're the heroes.

Hence, the Boston Bruins were celebrated for manhandling the Canucks last June.

But what Gallagher's really saying here: The Canucks aren't tough. They're weak. Hence, they're not the villains, they're the victims, in his eyes. And now we get right to the core of it.

When Alain Vigneault or Mike Gillis or any player decides to be the cowardly heel, it reinforces their reputation as a hated franchise. When they complain about something the other team did or something the NHL didn't do to remedy the matter, it reinforces that reputation.

The real delusion here is the part of Gallagher himself. The media is seen, at times, as a conduit for the community. So when Gallagher launches into a conspiratorial rant about the refs favoring the Bruins because of Colin Campbell and fear of losing their jobs; or the Phoenix Coyotes getting all the calls because the NHL owns them; or that the NHL threw a playoff series in the Chicago Blackhawks' favor because they wanted more games on VERSUS and were afraid of their ownership; or all of his other X-Files, it reflects poorly on the fan base and the team.

Tony Gallagher is the biggest promoter of the "woe is us"/Vancouver against the world/"It's a C-O-N-spiracy!" nonsense that makes their team and its fan base seem like tin-foil hat wearing crackpots.

It's a reputation that — wait for it — sorta kinda makes them a hated team.

Here's the Legion of Blog defending their guy:

- I thought it was kind of lame to ambush Tony like that with Shawn Thornton. I understand that many people love the idea of an athlete getting a chance to fire back at the media, but it still feels like this lacks professional courtesy. All this does is drag this rivalry into the mud a bit and make it seem even more like a school yard situation. Any time I find myself thinking "This reminds of something Damien Cox would do" I know it's not a good sign.

- Why doesn't Michael Felger at least debate and argue with Tony on this main point instead of just running to Shawn Thornton to jump in? Because of ratings most likely. And when a show values ratings above all else, I find it hard to take them seriously when they discuss the integrity of the game.

Same goes for their guest.

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On Tuesday, Minnesota Wild Coach Mike Yeo and New Jersey Devils Coach Pete DeBoer made two decisions with varying degrees of ballsy-ness; two decisions that, in the end, should earn these guys a lot of respect in the room and around the NHL.

Yeo made winger Devin Setoguchi a healthy scratch before the Wild were to host the San Jose Sharks on national television, citing violation of team rules. He scratched a capable offensive player at time when the Wild are near the bottom of the League in goal scoring and with Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Guillaume Latendresse out of the lineup.

While Setoguchi didn't hit the board in two previous games against the Sharks, there's always the potential for him to get rolling against his former team.

But the Gooch missed a team meeting for a rather regrettable reason, according to Michael Russo of the Star-Tribune:

Multiple sources tell me Setoguchi missed a team meeting this morning the night after going out with a bunch of his Shark buds.

I give Yeo credit for standing by his convictions. He's vowed to hold players accountable, and even though the Wild's had trouble scoring, even though the Wild's without top-6 forwards, even though the Wild needs to win games, even though Setoguchi's been good in his two games back from a knee injury with nine shots and an assist, Yeo sent Setoguchi and the team a message: Be a professional. Yeo said Setoguchi will start with a clean slate Wednesday.

As for DeBoer, he did what used to be the unthinkable for a Devils coach: He benched Martin Brodeur after giving up two goals in 7:32, in a Canadian city no less, leaving the legendary goalie puzzled after the game.

Brodeur surrendered goals to Jay Bouwmeester, on which he was screened, and Cory Sarich, on which he whiffed. He then was replaced by Johan Hedberg, who surrendered two more goals on the period and four in total during the 6-3 loss.

It's the fourth time Brodeur has been pulled this season, and the quickest hook. DeBoer replaced him after the first period vs. Ottawa on Dec. 8 and the Devils eventually rallied to win in a shootout.

From NJ.com:

"He makes his own decision on it," Brodeur said of DeBoer. "Definitely I'm not going to say I deserved it or whatever. He probably felt it worked once in Ottawa and he'd try to do it again. I don't know his thinking process on that one.

"Especially games like that you have to give me a chance to play. Seven minutes into the game, it's not over yet. Maybe he tried to spark the team or something. It just didn't work this time."

DeBoer's explanation was, indeed, that he tried to spark a team that would give up four goals in the first period.

"You have two choices," the coach said. "You let him work through that or we try to spark the team. I chose to try and spark the team. it didn't work."

No, it didn't, but it was worth the try, and it took some guts to pull Marty Brodeur that early. Because even if he's Marty Brodeur-in-name-only in 2012, he's still Marty Brodeur.

One interesting note about Brodeur, via Fire & Ice: "Brodeur has been pulled in two of the three starts he's made when there's been a time change (also pulled after giving up three goals on four shots in Minnesota) and allowed 11 total goals on 34 shots."

C'mmmmmon realignment! (Oh, who are we kidding? He's probably done after this season.)

Hockey Hugs is a feature that celebrates the best in hugging from around the NHL, because who doesn't love a good hug now and then?  Seen a particularly good hug photo lately? Send it to puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or tweet @HarrisonMooney.

As most of you know by now, Hockey Hugs is both the most touching Puck Daddy feature and the Puck Daddy feature that features the most touching.

If you can't wrap your head around that sentence, don't worry. Hockey Hugs isn't about what you wrap your head around; it's about what you wrap your arms around. Namely, the ones you love.

You see, Hockey Hugs doesn't just aim to appreciate hugs from afar, it aims to rouse desire -- the desire to appreciate hugs in a much closer proximity.

For instance, is it possible to look upon the unbridled, impassioned huggery taking place between Dmitrij Jaskin and Petr Mrazek, above, and not want in? Because that's just plain silly.

Heck, the other guy wants in. Look at him, just standing there with his arms outstretched, thinking he's about to get his turn. Sadly, judging from the body language, he isn't.

Speaking of hugging nobody, Troy Brouwer is the man. Sure, he's the only hockey player in this photo, but I'm sure the attractive blonde at the glass had nothing to do with his decision to celebrate a goal there. I'm calling this one a hug*.

Anyway. These are just today's honourable mentions. Coming up, five hockey hugs to put you in the mood for snuggles:

No. 5, St. Louis Blues

The first hug on our countdown comes to us from St. Louis, where David Perron is putting the reverse squeeze on Chris Stewart. They look like they're standing in the empty living room of the house they just bought.

"We are going to be so happy here. Let's go meet the neighbours."

No. 4, Philadelphia Flyers

Featuring Danny Briere and Braydon Coburn laughing their asses off in the corner. Maybe they're celebrating Briere's overtime winner. Or maybe they're mocking the Ottawa Senators in fake accents?

"Ha! You failed to win! We, on the other hand, did the opposite!"

"Ha ha ha! Indeed!"

No. 3, Ottawa Senators

Wherein Jason Spezza's hugs are as awkward as his laugh. Apparently, Spezza is the human version of that cat that always wants to be held up high. Like, everything's fine, and then all of a sudden the cat decides it wants to sit on your face for some reason.

"Hold still, fellas, I'm comin' up!

No. 2, San Jose Sharks

In this photo, Dan Boyles for Burns. Or maybe Brent Burns for Dan. I don't know. Those are awful puns. Anyway, I imagine the things they're saying to one another to be totally  say. and Brent Burns say totally normal stuff to each other.

"You're swell."

"I like you too, Boyle."

"Hey. Call me Smithers. Because I love you, Mr. Burns."

No. 1, Team Sweden

No stranger to being the big winner, the top spot in this installment goes to reigning World Junior champions Team Sweden, for this strange scene between Mika Zibanejad and Petter Granberg. Apparently, a hug in Sweden is when one guy drops onto a second guy from above without warning and attempts to drive his  face into the ground. Speaking of faces, I love the pure terror on Granberg's.

"Not the faaaaaaaaace!"

Were the Anaheim Ducks rumors just bluster? Will the Detroit Red Wings make a move for a top six forward? When it is panic time for the Buffalo Sabres?

Please join us beginning at NOON ET/9 a.m. PT today for our weekly chat that includes a revolving door of panelists like Lyle (Spector) Richardson of Spector's Hockey; David "Dave" Pagnotta of The Fourth Period Magazine; as well as your friendly neighborhood knuckleheads from Yahoo! Sports, Puck Daddy and Buzzing The Net.

You bring the funny; we bring the abrupt changes in tone and Hamburger Women. That's how it works:

On "Marek Vs. Wyshynski", we asked your opinions on the NHL All-Star Game; specifically, how you view the midseason classic's purpose.

Should it be a fantasy hockey league come to life? The NHL apparently believes so, having instituted the fantasy draft last season and continuing the gimmick this season.

Should that fantasy draft feature superstars no matter how they've played during the first half of the season? Should it be merit-based, honoring the best players from the previous 3-and-a-half months — a more traditional set-up for an all-star game?

The rest of the 2012 NHL All-Stars will be announced on Thursday: Along with the six players who were the "first selected" by Ottawa and Toronto NHL fans, there will be 36 more veterans and 12 rookies, who will participate in the Honda SuperSkills competition at All-Star Weekend. In total, each team will have 27 players.

How you feel about those selections will likely indicate how you view the all-star game. Here's how we view it: It is, at its core, a chance to see the NHL's best players compete in unusual events and on atypical line combinations — enemies playing with enemies and so forth. Star power is what makes the weekend entertaining.

But it should also have some reverence for the players who have excelled so far this season — an all-star weekend selection acting as a nod to their accomplishments.

It should also represent all 30 teams, through the ASG roster and the rookie selections.

With that, we've selected the rest of the players we believe should make the 2012 NHL All-Star Game in Ottawa.

Forwards (24)

Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators (First Vote)
Jason Spezza, Ottawa Senators (First Vote)
Milan Michalek, Ottawa Senators (First Vote)
Phil Kessel, Toronto Maple Leafs
Joffrey Lupul, Toronto Maple Leafs
Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers
Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks
Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks
Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning
Marian Hossa, Chicago Blackhawks
Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames
Loui Eriksson, Dallas Stars
Teemu Selanne, Anaheim Ducks
Thomas Vanek, Buffalo Sabres
Marian Gaborik, New York Rangers
John Tavares, New York Islanders
Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
Evander Kane, Winnipeg Jets
Dany Heatley, Minnesota Wild
Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

The voting in of three Senators meant squeezing out some worthy candidates: Zach Parise of the New Jersey Devils and Kris Versteeg of the Florida Panthers were on our list and had to be sacrificed.

Evander Kane is a good fit here for Winnipeg representation, as a young exciting star. We're suckers for old all-star war horses like Selanne, Iginla and Thornton. It's a good balance of stars, merit and representation of all teams.

The Ovechkin selection will be contentious. He's climbing up the goal-scoring standings now, which makes it a little easier. But Nicklas Backstrom has had the "all-star" season for the Capitals.

Bottom line: We want to see Alex Ovechkin compete during all-star weekend more than Backstrom. Such is the nature of the exhibition of hockey skills and outright star-[expletiving].

Defensemen (12)

Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators (First Vote)
Dion Phaneuf, Toronto Maple Leafs (First Vote)
Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins
Shea Weber, Nashville Predators
Brian Campbell, Florida Panthers
Keith Yandle, Phoenix Coyotes
Kevin Bieksa, Vancouver Canucks
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings
Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks
Dan Girardi, New York Rangers
Kevin Shattenkirk, St. Louis Blues
Dennis Seidenberg, Boston Bruins

An offensive list … in, like, scoring, not in taste.

There are some obvious choices here, but to explain the less obvious ones: Girardi is the epitome of the merit-based choice for an All-Star Game. An unsung hero for the Rangers, one of the best teams in the NHL, and a guy who deserves the rub. Plus, maybe his toddler will enter the hardest shot competition. As for Bieksa, it's either him or Edler who makes the pool from Vancouver. We're more entertained by Bieksa. Also, the thought of him and a few Bruins on the same team …

Goalies (6)

Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins (First Vote)
Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings
Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings
Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins.

Maybe you go Mike Smith over Fleury, but otherwise it's hard to argue with this group. Keep in mind that Price fulfills the Canadiens requirement of the scavenger hunt for us.

Rookies (12)

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers
Adam Henrique, New Jersey Devils
Craig Smith, Nashville Predators
Matt Read, Philadelphia Flyers
Cody Hodgson, Vancouver Canucks
Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche
Luke Adam, Buffalo Sabres
Ryan Johansen, Columbus Blue Jackets
Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers
Justin Faulk, Carolina Hurricanes
Carl Hagelin, New York Rangers
Adam Larsson, New Jersey Devils

Finally, the rookies, and admittedly there are a few choices made to fill our personal team requirements: Faulk and Johansen. It's a group we're interested to see compete in Ottawa, especially if RNH is healthy.

What say you? Who did we snub? What are your requirements for the All-Star Game?

It's a Wednesday edition of Marek vs. Wyshynski beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, and we're talking about the following and more:

Special Guest Stars: Impact wrestling star and celebrity puckhead Eric Young; and P.J. Stock of Sportsnet comes on to talk about his vasectomy.

• In which Marek and Wysh discuss perceptions in the NHL after an interesting 24 hours for the Habs, Wild, Devils and Islanders.

• The Shawn Thornton/Tony Gallagher fallout.

• NHL All-Star snubs.

• Puck Headlines and Talking Points

Question of the Day: Since we have a wrestler on the podcast, today's QoD - "Who is the NHL's biggest heel/babyface right now?"

Email your answers to puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or tweet them with the hashtag #MvsW to either @jeffmarek or @wyshynski.

Click here for the Sportsnet live stream or click the play button above! Click here to download podcasts from the show each day Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or Feedburner.

Here are your Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

• This is what Dale Weise missed out on.

• Have Steve Tambellini and Tom Renney earned contract extensions for their work in Edmonton? [Sportsnet]

• Claude Noel on Evander Kane's demotion from the Winnipeg Jets' top line versus the Boston Bruins: "For me, I wasn't happy with the way he started the game. Either you are going to play or you're not. Figure it out... I'm not going to wait for him to start, the game has started. I saw two or three shifts and I'd seen enough. It's like, what do you want to do here? If you want to be a key player on our team, if that's what you think you want to be, then get ready to play the game, like everybody else." Not a single word was minced that day. [Winnipeg Sun]

• The New York Rangers are set to honour officer Neal Auricchio, who was assaulted by Philadelphia Flyer fans following the Winter Classic. Great stuff. [NJ]

• Tim Campbell, on Boston's reaction to Brad Marchand's suspension: "They are in a bubble, plain and simple. If you had not seen Marchand's Saturday low-bridge check on Vancouver's Sami Salo and only listened and read about the incident here in Beantown, you would be thoroughly convinced that Marchand had done nothing wrong, that he was just trying to protect himself and that the Bruins are virtually the victims in this matter." [Winnipeg Free Press]

• A midget hockey player in Airdrie, Alberta was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery after being cut in the neck by a skate on Saturday. [Airdrie Echo]

• Speaking of assault, a linesman in Woodstock, New Brunswick has been accused of assaulting a teen hockey player after a game. [CBC]

• Karl Alzner on Jack Johnson Tebowing: "It's kind of a stupid celebration." GOD DISAGREES. [Windsor Star]

• No wonder Dustin Penner was so into his wife's pancakes. They're newlyweds. Here's the wedding video. [The Royal Half]

• Speaking of young and sexy people, Brad Richards and Olivia Munn broke up. [Canoe]

• Katie Baker on hockey nicknames: "There's a handful of guys in the NHL whose given names already seem hockeyfied, like T.J. Oshie, Clayton Stoner, and Ron Hainsey, which almost makes me suspicious — like these guys were actually born Oshkowitz, Gladstone, and Hainesworth but some overworked youth hockey clerk decided to just skip a step." [Grantland]

• An editorial on the language debate in Montreal: "Are we seriously talking about what language one man speaks to another man while shoving a puck into a net?" [Montreal Gazette]

• Lindy Ruff shoots down rumours that his contract for seven years, and admits that the team has asked Pat Kaleta to tone it down. [Buffalo News]

• Malcolm Subban, younger brother of P.K. Subban, is the top-ranked North American goalie eligible for next year's draft. [NHL]

• On the absurdity of the Vancouver/Boston media war. It's getting a bit out of hand. We're getting close to "catapulting a cow at our enemies" territory. [Sportsnet]

• In case it wasn't clear that Wayne Gretzky is something of an icon in Canada, here's an article about what a good kindergartner he was. [Cambridge Times]

• The New Jersey Devils are really enjoying playing for Peter DeBoer, who encourages D-men to jump into the rush. Patrik Elias: "When you do that, you're going to make some mistakes but it's more fun to play this way." [Montreal Gazette]

• And finally, poor Cory Schneider has been haunted by this gypsy ghost since birth. It's like if Insidious were a hockey movie. [@Canuck_Bunny]

Follow Harrison Mooney on Twitter at @HarrisonMooney

NHL players polls are always a good time. They're like the "Burn Book" from "Mean Girls", only with fewer devil's horns drawn on photographs and use of the word "fugly."

The latest one comes from the venerable Sports Illustrated, which crowned Loui Eriksson of the Dallas Stars as the most underrated player in the League. He was also given that honor in a CBC Sports poll one year ago, leaving one to wonder how long a player can be called underrated until he becomes "rated" in some way.

The next installment arrived on Wednesday, and it's the juicier side of that debate: Who is the NHL's most overrated player?

According to Sports Illustrated's poll of 161 NHL players, these guys are:

1. Dion Phaneuf, Toronto Maple Leafs D 20%
2. Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals LW 8%
3. Scott Gomez, Montreal Canadiens C 6%
4. Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks G 6%
5. Dany Heatley, Minnesota Wild LW 4%

Rounding out the list:

6. Ilya Kovalchuk, New Jersey Devils
7. Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning
8. Jay Bouwmeester, Calgary Flames
9. Ryan Kesler, Vancouver Canucks
10. Mike Komisarek, Toronto Maple Leafs
11. Chris Pronger, Philadelphia Flyers
12. Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames
13. Alexander Semin, Washington Capitals
14. Olli Jokinen, Calgary Flames
15. Ed Jovanovski, Florida Panthers

Who do you feel is the most overrated player in the NHL?

Let's begin with the obvious: The inclusion of Pronger and Iginla on this list is patently absurd from an outsider's perspective, but hey, the players play the game, right?

Back in March 2010, TSN published the findings from a poll of 50 players and their thoughts on the most overrated player:

One answer in particular will not please fans of the Vancouver Canucks; 6% of players thought Roberto Luongo was the most overrated player in the game (the highest percentage of any single player). He was followed by a four-way tie between Vincent Lecavalier, Dion Phaneuf, Jay Bouwmeester and Sean Avery, who all hit the mark of 4%.

So Phaneuf has been on the overrated list before. Why the rise to the top, besides a larger and different sample?

He's been chatted up more this season as a resurgent player and a Norris contender. No doubt the players who find him to be counterfeit are going to be more vocal about it to cut through the praise.

But he's not even the most overrated defenseman on the Leafs. The gentleman down at No. 10 is. Unless you feel Komisarek's stock has fallen to the point where he's no longer overrated by anyone except for those looking at his Cap Geek numbers.

In fact, the basis for the players' feelings would appear to be three things: Coverage by the Canadian hockey media, as eight of the 15 players compete north of the border; the size and duration of one's contract; and postseason success, with a couple of notable exceptions.

Who is the most overrated player in the NHL?

Luongo's name remains right there if you're focusing on postseason accomplishment. Although if that's a factor, and whether the player's output doesn't match the hype, the names Ovechkin (for now) and Kovalchuk (for the last two seasons) come to mind.

But Scott Gomez? Overrated in 2012? Are we still waiting this one out?

Here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals, 7:30 p.m. ET. Who would've thought that on Jan. 11, the Pens and Caps would be 8th and 10th, respectively, in the Eastern Conference standings. Currently, the Penguins are in the midst of a 5-game losing streak. They haven't lost six in a row since the 2005-06 season. Washington lost both of their games in California over the weekend, but enter tonight's tilt with Pittsburgh 11-0-2 against the Penguins in their last 13 meetings during the regular season. But chin up, Pens fans. Sidney Crosby is going to skate this week.

Preview: New Jersey Devils at Edmonton Oilers, 9 p.m. ET. It's been three games since the Oilers lost Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to a shoulder injury and all three have been losses. Back home after a 7-game road trip, the Oilers are without another young star in Jordan Eberle, who suffered a knee injury on Saturday night. For the Devils, Martin Brodeur was pulled Tuesday night in Calgary after allowing two goals in the opening 7:32 in a 6-3 loss to the Flames and he'll watch from the bench tonight as Johan Hedberg gets the call.

Evening Reading

• Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke on the results of Sports Illustrated's players' poll on the most overrated NHer, which featured Dion Phaneuf No. 1 and Mike Komisarek No. 10: "They can all go defecate in their chapeaus. I am thrilled to have both players on my team." I'm going to bet Burke's tie was undone as he delivered that fantastic line. [The Star]

• Right this way for your NHL Central Scouting midterm rankings. [NHL.com]

• Former Los Angeles Kings head coach Terry Murray didn't go all Barry Melrose on his former club in an interview today. [LA Kings Insider]

• Montreal Canadiens captain Brian Gionta will be out indefinitely after undergoing bicep surgery to repair a tear suffered last night against the St. Louis Blues. [Canadiens]

Puck Buddy Comment of the Day: "Michael" on Brad Richards' breakup with Olivia Munn:

If Olivia Munn now dates Sean Avery, is that "irony"?

Bold prediction: Both games end 3-2 and are decided in the shootout. Winners: Capitals and Devils.

Michigan Stadium is known for being the biggest college football venue in the land, playing to crowds of more than 110,000 every fall. But the 84-year-old stadium, affectionately referred to as The Big House, is also no stranger to outdoor hockey.

And that's got the NHL's ears perked up.

Multiple sources told Yahoo! Sports this week that the NHL is in advanced discussions with the University of Michigan about holding the 2013 Winter Classic in Ann Arbor.

One source, who spoke on a condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak on the matter, said Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon wasn't initially sold on the idea of the NHL hosting an outdoor game at Michigan Stadium. But over a matter of a couple of weeks, the source said "something happened to make it go from looking like it could happen to [a point where] it probably will."

In a statement issued last week, Brandon said the NHL had approached him about the Winter Classic but that "there are a lot of complex circumstances that need to be ironed out before anything moves forward." Brandon did not reply to e-mail messages Wednesday.

Athletic department spokesman Dave Ablauf said Wednesday that any confirmation  of an agreement at this point would be "premature." But reached by phone  Wednesday by Yahoo! Sports, Ablauf said, "We're listening."

According to Sports Business Daily this week, "An NHL exec said that the league will make an announcement on next year's [Winter Classic] 'by the Jan. 29 NHL All-Star Game and that next year's event will 'break records.'"

The two teams being discussed most for the league's annual outdoor are the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs. One Michigan source said obstacles remaining  include what the university's financial take would be, as well as the issue of obtaining a waiver to sell beer at the event.

Michigan Stadium's size alone would give the NHL its biggest bang for its buck.

The initial Winter Classic, played in Buffalo in 2008, drew an NHL-record  attendance of 71,217. Since then, three of the four outdoor games —  played in Chicago's Wrigley Field, Boston's Fenway Park and most  recently at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park — have averaged almost 42,000 fans.

Last year's event — pitting the Pittsburgh Penguins against the rival Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field, drew 68,111 — a far cry from what the fan bases from nearby Detroit and Toronto could draw in a venue like Michigan Stadium, which has a capacity of 109,901.

Should the Red Wings host next year's game, the alternative would be Comerica  Park in Detroit, which has a seating capacity of just more than 41,000 seats. This year, Michigan Stadium established a new attendance record, drawing 114,804 fans for a night football game against Notre Dame.

"There's definitely NHL interest (in the venue)," the source said. "It's something they would love to do."

NHL vice president of communications John Dellapina told AnnArbor.com last week: "We don't comment about potential sites for specific Winter Classics until contracts are signed."

In 2011, Michigan Stadium hosted The Big Chill At The Big House, pitting college hockey rivals Michigan and Michigan State in the first outdoor game of its kind in Ann Arbor. The Guinness Book of World Records was on  hand to officially calculate attendance, announcing a world record had  been set with an official attendance of 104,173 fans.

At the time, Brandon said he would not look to make hosting an outdoor hockey game a regular happening.

"That's not something you do every year," Brandon said last year. "You've got to make it special."

The college outdoor game at Michigan included a post-game choreographed  fireworks show and a pre-game flyover. Talk circulated during the event that if Michigan did host another outdoor game, the school would like to do it in conjunction with the NHL, pointing to a Red Wings-Maple Leafs match-up.

[ Nicholas J. Cotsonika: Fresh faces dominate NHL midseason awards ]

The source said if the Winter Classic would be played at Michigan Stadium, it would be the only event played. Last year, the Big Chill At The Big House was one of 26  games played, including college and high school games — as well as a public skate.

The source said rink construction would be an NHL operation, unlike a year ago when Toronto-based IceRinkEvents.com, which installs rinks for outdoor games  around the country. Production costs were estimated at $1 million as workers spent a week building an Olympic-sized rink that stretched between the stadium's 17-yard-lines. A large refrigeration system  located outside the stadium's tunnel maintained the proper temperature for the ice.

New York Rangers rookie and former Michigan star Carl Hagelin said in a video posted on MSG.com that playing in the recent Winter Classic wasn't much different than  playing in front of a world record crowd last year in Ann Arbor. Last year, Hagelin, who grew up in Sweden, said playing outdoors gave him the feeling he could skate forever.

"It's a bigger stage when you're playing in the NHL and being a rookie and all that, but at the same time, the Big House was such a great experience — it was just a blast," Hagelin said in a phone interview Wednesday. "Then this year getting the win against Philly, coming back like that — it was incredible."

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock told reporters in Detroit earlier this month that he believes the Winter Classic doesn't tire with players, many whom grew up playing outdoors as kids.

"I don't think it's going to get old at all," said Babcock, who coached in the 2009 Winter Classic in Chicago. "I think the players would like to have five of them a year. I think (the league is) doing a real good job  marketing it as well.

"It's great that it's in different venues and big-time stadiums."

If indications are true that Michigan Stadium is next in line to play host, it may not get bigger than it would in Ann Arbor's famed Big House.

Jeff Arnold can be reached at jeffarnold24@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jeff_arnold24. Additional reporting by Eric Adelson and Greg Wyshynski/Yahoo! Sports.

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No. 1 Star: Tomas Vokoun, Washington Capitals

Vokoun earned his 46th career shutout and second this season with a 30-save blanking of the Pittsburgh Penguins during a 1-0 win. It was the first time the Penguins have been shutout this season.

No. 2 Star: Zach Parise, New Jersey Devils

The Devils took advantage of a power play opportunity in overtime and Parise cashed in with his 15th of the season 1:08 in to give New Jersey a 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. The loss was Edmonton's 11th in 13 games. Parise now has eight points in his last five games.

No. 3 Star: Jason Chimera, Washington Capitals

Taking advantage of a Pittsburgh turnover, Chimera made the Pens pay and tallied the only goal of the game late in the first period. The goal was Chimera's 14th of the year and most since the 2007-08 season when he finished with 14.

Honorable mention: Jeff Halpern won 10 of 12 draws ... Washington blocked 21 Pittsburgh shots. Roman Hamrlik led the way with four ... The Capitals have won seven of eight at Verizon Center ... Ilya Kovalchuk had a goal and an assist for the Devils. He's now scored in his last four games ... Kovalchuk's shorthanded tally gave New Jersey their NHL-best 11th goal down a man ... Johan Hedberg made 22 saves for his fifth win in six starts.

Did you know? Pittsburgh has lost six in a row for the first time since Jan. 2006. (AP)

Dishonorable mention: Edmonton was credited with 22 giveaways ... Corey Potter was the man in the penalty box serving a tripping call when Parise put home the winner for New Jersey.

Poor Dustin Penner's been getting it from all sides since he threw out his back while bending over to help himself to a stack of delicious pancakes, and it's easy to see why. The Los Angeles Kings' winger hasn't exactly been lights out since the Kings acquired him last year, and his fitness has been an issue.

Thus, injuring oneself while eating pancakes, and showing no remorse by calling them delicious when disclosing the injury? Not awesome, except to those of us who make a living sharing hilarious, hockey-related things.

But Penner's had enough of the ridicule, and Wednesday evening, he took to MayorsManor to tell his side of the story. The result is a letter that couldn't be more adorable if it were addressed to Santa Claus.

Penner hits the most important topic first, the nutritional value of the infamously injurious pancakes:

Right off the bat, I'd like to clarify a few things.

For example, they were vegetarian pancakes. The injury happened as I was sitting down to eat, not mid-bite. And yes, I did finish them.

I don't think I've ever had carnivore pancakes, but it's good to know they weren't pigs in a blanket, at the very least.

Second, Sudden Onset Back Spams are no laughing matter, you animals.

In case you couldn't tell from the acronym, it is a condition to be wept over. Also, since Penner is clearly their most well- known sufferer, he'll be embracing his new role as the Moses of bad backs:

First and foremost, I think we can agree that having delicious pancakes that your wife made for breakfast, for a 1pm game, is not out of the norm. Secondly, "SOBS" (Sudden Onset Back Spasms) can occur at any moment, doing just about anything you can think of, and is a very serious issue.

Those who have experienced "SOBS," know it is no laughing matter. I'm a little hurt, to tell you the truth, that the plight of my people isn't being taken seriously.

Speaking of Penner's new found fame, it would be foolish if some breakfast chain didn't get on this.

So, I'm hoping to get an endorsement from IHOP or Denny's.

No Perkins? Perkins is where it's at.

And finally, to turn this ordeal into something positive, Penner will be partnering with MayorsManor on a charity initiative:

In an effort to end the entire experience on a high note, I'm partnering with MayorsManor to sponsor a 'Pancakes with Penner' breakfast. In the weeks to come we'll be setting up a special raffle. Fans will be able to purchase tickets for $1.00 for a chance to have a pancake breakfast with me. All the money raised will go to charity...while we enjoy some delicious pancakes!

That's just awesome. You certainly can't say the guy isn't a good sport about things. Kudos to Penner for diffusing the situation without pouring it on thick, and for writing a letter that was cute but not too syrupy.

Read the letter in its entirety at MayorsManor.

The last week has been a useful snapshot of the muddled fighting debate in the National Hockey League.

Progressive hockey veteran Jimmy Devellano of the Detroit Red Wings wants to abolish it; fellow progressive hockey veteran Brian Bruke of the Toronto Maple Leafs thinks it's essential to the rat-proofing of the NHL.

Columnist Howard Herman wants it banned for the sake of player safety; John Scott of the Chicago Blackhawks wants more fights and the instigator rule dropped, because "it's increased the amount of dirty hits and dirty plays. It's taken out the honor and respect for the guys."

Meanwhile, in the Washington Capitals' victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night, Matt Hendricks attempted to answer that timeless riddle of fighting's affect on a game's momentum: His fight win over Craig Adams was cited as a spark to his team in a frequently tedious 1-0 win. "When Hendy makes that good fight for us it just pumps the guys up," said Jason Chimera, who scored the game's lone goal after Hendricks' fight.

The debate rages about fighting in hockey, but here are the facts: It's down this season.

According to Kevin Allen of USA Today:

Last season there were 697 fighting majors in the first half, and this season there were 519. Twenty-one of the 30 teams have had fewer fighting majors than they had at the midpoint last season.

Last season 252 players had at least one fight at the halfway point, and this season there were 213 players.

So what's caused this decline in hockey pugilism?

First off, here are the current numbers from HockeyFights.com and their projections for the season:

You can see where the trends are headed. The current pace puts the number of fights, games with fights and games with more than one fight at their lowest levels since the second season after the lockout, when teams were loading up for speed rather than truculence thanks to the rule changes.

The decline this season can be attributed to a few factors:

The Changing Responsibilities of the Hockey Fighter

One of the great myths of the fighting debate has been that there are 5-minute-a-night goons populating every roster in the NHL. This was true a decade ago, but the role has changed: Now, even the heavyweights are being asked to do more than police the ice.

If you can't be more than a one-dimensional player in the NHL, then you're not going to be in the NHL. Greenwich Time and writer Michael Fornabaio offered an interesting look at former NHL pugilists toiling in the AHL — where fighting is also down — including the infamous Micheal Haley and Trevor Gillies of the New York Islanders:

Haley, an ECHL call-up when he joined the Sound Tigers in 2007, worked his way up to AHL regular, earned an NHL contract in 2009 and has had NHL stints the past two seasons. He plays on Bridgeport's power play and penalty kill.

Gillies, sent down by the New York Islanders in November, works constantly on his game, even as he has been out injured since the end of that month.

"I spent $4,000 this summer working on my skating," Gillies said. "Ask some defensemen around the league, if I'm coming in on the forecheck, if I can hit like a ton of bricks."

Haley played seven games for the Islanders this season. Gillies has played three. At the midpoint of the season, the Islanders had 17 fewer fights than they did in 2010-12.

Which brings us to …

The Lack of Dance Partners

One of the reasons Burke cited for Colton Orr's demotion was "no dance partners" on most nights. He was the Leafs' designated fighter; that label still applies to some players in the league, but for the most part the role has been altered or eliminated on many rosters.

The St. Louis Blues have 60 percent fewer fights this season than last, because they have 100 percent less Cam Janssen, for example.

From USA Today, Don Maloney of the Phoenix Coyotes:

Phoenix's popular heavyweight, Paul Bissonnette, had eight fights at last season's halfway point and one by Monday's midpoint. He did open the second half Tuesday night with a fight against the New York Rangers' Mike Rupp.  "He has still played hard," Maloney said. "But it's the lack of takers. Paul is not going out there and grab (Detroit Red Wings star) Pavel Datsyuk."

Although it would make for great Twitter fodder …

Less Time For Tempers To Flare

One interesting theory put forth by NHL Network analyst Craig Button: Faster faceoffs mean less time for players to agitate each other to the point of fighting. "There is not a lot of lingering around. There is less time for tempers to flare," he told USA Today.

Supplemental Discipline

While Brendan Shanahan's DVR is probably overloaded with illegal and illicit hits every night, there's no question that the players have a sense that the NHL is policing injurious acts this season. (Whether they agree with that approach or not is another question.)

The fact is that when you have a League full of guys questioning how to hit each other, it's going to decrease the number of flash-point moments in which a fight is going to occur. And when those big hits do happen, the players know that the perp will more than likely "get his" from the League anyway.

The flip side of this? That there are still so many rat-like plays that warrant suspensions, which speaks to John Scott's call for the instigator to be dropped.

Finally, The Brain Injury Thing

USA Today didn't mention the concussion epidemic and the deaths to two active NHL fighters last summer. The dire warnings about head injuries, the absences from the lineup for players with concussions … it all ties into a larger trend of player safety that, no question, has changed the way some players approach the game.

Has it affected fighting? The numbers are down at a time when player safety warnings are at an all-time high. Perhaps that's a coincidence, perhaps not.

What's the majority opinion on fighting? Will the second half of the season, filled with tight playoff races, bring up the averages? Is this season an anomaly or part of a larger trend?

Bottom line: If fights are down it's because players aren't fighting. Not because of some draconian, forced legislation from the NHL to ban it. Its place in the game should be determined organically and through the generations.

Perhaps we're seeing that natural selection now. Or, perhaps, we'll be talking about its dramatic rise again in two years.

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The New York Rangers' divisive pest Sean Avery continues to toil with the Connecticut Whale of the AHL, despite two NHL teams requesting his services via re-entry waivers according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post.

Ah, therein lies the problem: The Rangers would carry about $2 million in dead cap space for the rest of the season if Avery's claimed by another team. The Rangers currently have under $2 million in cap space, according to Cap Geek.

(Which is probably why you won't see Wade Redden anytime soon. OK, probably not the primary reason, but a reason nonetheless.)

So Rangers GM Glen Sather is attempting some creative maneuvering rather than having Avery on re-entry waivers. But we're really hoping this doesn't happen before he hits the pink ice.

From the NY Post:

Sources have told The Post general manager Glen Sather rejected that request, instead offering to trade Avery in a minor-league deal under which the Rangers would take back additional dollars but the responsibility for placing Avery on re-entry would then pass to the acquiring club that would then bear the burden of carrying dead salary-cap space upon a claim.

… Sather's willingness to acquire AHL players on one-way contracts who would then be assigned to the Whale creates the possibility of a cash-poor club with ample salary-cap space making such an exchange with the Rangers, knowing that Avery would be claimed on re-entry.

In other words: Trading salary cap space, in a roundabout way.

From Adam Herman of Blueline Station, who hipped us to the story:

However, if there is one team in the NHL who is unburdened by a 2 million dollar player sitting in the minors it's the Rangers, and a team that is looking to make a controversial and risky move like adding Sean Avery is probably a bit desperate. I don't foresee Sather giving in and sacrificing cap room just to do another team (and Sean Avery) a favor. I do think a minor league trade is plausible and it would be the best scenario for all parties involved.

Whatever happens here … please don't free Avery from the shackles of the Whale until after this Saturday, Mr. Sather. Why? Read Kim P. explains:

This Saturday is the Norfolk Admirals Pink In the Rink... well the lucky opponent for this game is the Connecticut Whale... aka the sufferer's of Sean Avery and Tort's relationship.

Now you asked the world if they were ready for Claude Lemieux skating on pink ice... now is the time to ask the world,

"Are we ready for Sean Avery on Pink Ice???"

To make it even better, over the last couple seasons, the players, Admirals and the opponents, have really gotten into the pink thing.  Most if not all have taped their sticks with pink tape and tape up their socks with Pink tape... I think a few spray painted their sticks pink too. So maybe I should rephrase that question to:

"Is the world ready for Sean Avery on Pink Ice w/a pink stick and pink taped socks"

It's quite a sight.

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"I can't accept that we will display a losing attitude as we're doing this year. We prepare for our games like losers. We play like losers. So it's no wonder why we lose."

Gasp! Swoon! Michael Cammalleri of the Montreal Canadiens had the audacity to call a 12th place team — one that's fired its coach and was most recently seen bowing to conquering hero Jaroslav Halak on home ice — a bunch of losers. No one calls the 24-time Stanley Cup champions losers while wearing Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge!

(Or maybe he didn't. The La Presse version had the quote above; Arpon Basu of NHL.com claims "Cammalleri never called Habs organization or teammates 'losers.' Strongly suggested they are playing with 'losing mentality.' Big difference." But let's not make this into another language debate.)

Cammalleri also had the audacity to suggest that his reduced ice time under interim coach Randy Cunneyworth might be related to his lack of success on the ice.

Since the coach's promotion on Dec. 17, Cammalleri has five points (three goals) in nine games. His ice time dipped below 17 minutes in six of those games; in his previous 28 games, Cammalleri played less than 17 minutes six times (not including an early game against Winnipeg during which he was injured).

With Jacques Martin gone, with criticism of an interim coach ineffective, with finger-point at GM Pierre Gauthier well-established and with Scott Gomez … well, what's the point? It's time for a new scapegoat.

Mike Cammalleri makes $6 million against the cap through 2014, isn't producing and has a big mouth. So Habs fans and media are now asking for his departure from Montreal, despite having been their best non-goalie playoff performer in the previous two postseasons.

François Gagnon of La Presse — who had the disputed "losers" quote — believes that Cammalleri's words and attitude mean he wants out of Montreal, and envisions a team like the San Jose Sharks as a potential suitor for the "overpaid" forward. (Rough Translation)

The Canadiens blogosphere, meanwhile, has soured on Cammy.

From JT at The H Does NOT Stand for Habs:

If Cammalleri is seriously unhappy and showing few signs of breaking out of a season-long slump, it might be best for the team to move him if possible, just to release a player who never fit well into Jacques Martin's system, heavy on defensive responsibility. It would also signal the rebuild and give Cammalleri a chance to succeed elsewhere. If the team plans to start again with youth, it doesn't need an unhappy, underperforming veteran influencing the young players. Moving him could free up quite a bit of cap space as a bonus.

If Cammalleri isn't really done with Montreal and his words came from frustration, well, he might still have to go. The team that's stuck with the Gomez contract can't keep another one like it. Cammalleri, if he doesn't come up with a major turnaround soon, is at risk of becoming another albatross. He wants more ice time to prove himself. Cunneyworth and he need to sit down and discuss the issue, and the coach should probably take a flyer on giving the player more ice, with the caveat that if his interest level and own-zone play don't pick up...a lot...then he loses that privilege in favour of players who work harder.

From Ted Bird at Montreal Hockey Talk:

As Gazette hockey writer Dave Stubbs rightly points out, if those comments came from Carey Price or Erik Cole, fans and media alike would embrace the player's passion.  Whether or not he deserves it, Cammalleri has a cultivated a reputation as a diva and a whiner.  Combine that with being paid six million dollars for 9 goals and 22 points in 37 games, and no amount of brutal honesty is going to generate a sympathetic response.

It's another ugly chapter in an ugly season, and it further hamstrings the Canadiens as potential sellers at the trade deadline, when not a lot of teams will be clamoring for an overpaid underachiever with an attitude.

Dennis Kane writes:

If Cammalleri isn't happy and would prefer to move on, that's fine. Maybe the dressing room would be a happier place. And maybe the guy replacing him would put up better numbers.

Mike Gomez at The Hockey House:

You can take what you want from all of this. Cammalleri could very well be out of the Hab's uniform soon and it might be in Montreal's best interest to do just that. Not everything that Michael Cammalleri said was entirely wrong, but if he feels that they are playing like losers out there, he probably should have said that he was going to take initiative and step up.

It's one thing to complain about what is happening, it's another to recognize it and do something about it. Cammalleri also said that he was not disappointed when he heard the boos but that he more so probably expected it. Well, in my opinion, if you expected it then you know you are not performing to Montreal's standards. Wake up and make a positive impact out there Cammy, all eyes are on you.

Finally, The Rookie over at Hab It Her Way (great name) tries to find some middle ground:

When a player uses the word "losing" in an interview and it's the end of the world. Fans are suddenly upset because Mike Cammalleri said the team doesn't have a winning mentality. As if he were criticizing his team, and not stating a fact. Instead of using this statement to reflect on the state of their team, most fans are flying off the handle, probably getting ready to burn their Cammalleri T-shirts or something.

We, as fans, already know that this team isn't playing well. Cammalleri, as a member of the team, obviously knows, even better than we do. And maybe he has a better idea than we do of why the team isn't winning. Fans: you can't actively wish for a team to fail, and then whine when a player admits that his team isn't doing well.

Cammalleri's frankness is expected. He's one of the best interviews in the NHL, and if he doesn't have a future in broadcasting then broadcasting probably doesn't have a future.

Cammalleri's frustration is expected. This isn't some ham-and-egger whining about a demotion from the third or the fourth line. This is a guy who has stepped up offensively when others have disappeared in the postseason, a player who worked his ass off to overcome physical limitations to succeed in the NHL.

If he wants out, fine; he wouldn't be the first to trade in his Habs sweater. But if he's being crucified for candor, it's an injustice.

Montreal is a losing team. Cammalleri has the will to win. Why ignore that truth or jettison that will?

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J.J. Abrams is the creator of many cool things: "Lost", "Alias", the resurgent "Star Trek" and "Mission: Impossible" franchises, our junior year college crush on Keri Russell. Now, he's helped create an iPhone app called Action Movie FX that "gives users the ability to insert special effects into any video they take with Apple's smartphone," according to the LA Times.

As is our nature, puckheads can quickly utilize any new technology for maximum hockey enjoyment. So now the most banal NHL video can be turned into something that would make Michael Bay climax.

Wanna blow up Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals? There's an app for that.

A tornado at a San Jose Sharks game? There's an app for that.

And if the tornado doesn't get'em, well …

These clips via 'dmikob' on YouTube.

If you attend a hockey game, have this FX app and create a cool video, send it on over to puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com. Because it's entirely possible we're going to become addicted these of they proliferate.

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