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The 2012 NHL All-Star Game rosters have been finalized for the Jan. 29 game in Ottawa, and it's the expected mix of reaching for the stars (Alex Ovechkin and Patrick Kane in decidedly non-all-star seasons for both), honoring the season's best (Brian Elliott gets the nod for the Blues) and controversial choices (as expected, Carey Price is the Montreal rep as one of the six goalies despite his numbers).

Oh, and no Nicklas Lidstrom. Wonder if that's an "old guy asks out" situation ...

Here are the rosters; full surprises and snubs analysis forthcoming. Now, who should the captains be?

Forwards (24)

Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators (First Vote)
Jason Spezza, Ottawa Senators (First Vote)
Milan Michalek, Ottawa Senators (First Vote)
Corey Perry, Anaheim Ducks
Tyler Seguin, Boston Bruins
Jason Pominville, Buffalo Sabres
Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames
Marian Hossa, Chicago Blackhawks
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
Mikko Koivu, Minnesota Wild
John Tavares, New York Islanders
Marian Gaborik, New York Rangers
Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks
Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning
Phil Kessel, Toronto Maple Leafs
Joffrey Lupul, Toronto Maple Leafs
Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks
Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Defensemen (12)

Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators (First Vote)
Dion Phaneuf, Toronto Maple Leafs (First Vote)
Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins
Brian Campbell, Florida Panthers
Ryan Suter, Nashville Predators
Shea Weber, Nashville Predators
Dan Girardi, New York Rangers
Kimmo Timonen, Philadelphia Flyers
Keith Yandle, Phoenix Coyotes
Alex Edler, Vancouver Canucks
Dennis Wideman, Washington Capitals
Dustin Byfuglien, Winnipeg Jets

Goaltenders (6)

Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins (First Vote)
Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings
Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings
Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
Brian Elliott, St. Louis Blues

Rookies (12)

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

• • •

Now, about those captains …

One of them will be Daniel Alfredsson, said everyone. The game's in Ottawa Eric Staal was a captain in Raleigh, and this just seems like a nice quaint tradition.

So who will captain the other team?

Had Teemu Selanne made the roster, he would have been the perfect foil in a battle of the wily veterans. Alas, he did not; so he's out unless he's an injury replacement. Nicklas Lidstrom was a captain last year, so he's out even if he was an injury replacement.

Two ideas:

1. Team Alfredsson vs. Team Jason Spezza, as Ottawa fan loyalties are divided between their veteran captain and Giggles. Or, alternatively, Team Alfredsson vs. Team Karlsson, in a generational throwdown.

2. Team Alfredsson vs. Team Phil Kessel.

Search your feelings … you know this to be true.

It's the Battle of Ontario. It's a Swede against an American. The last pick of the 2011 NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft becomes a captain in the 2012 edition.

With that, the world waits to see if Kessel whips out his smartphone camera to film Ovechkin's plummet to the bottom four …

It's a Thursday 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: Michael Russo of the Star Tribune hops on to talk about the Minnesota Wild, Devin Setoguchi fraternizing with the enemy and other stuff.

• In which Marek and Wysh discuss the 2012 NHL All-Star Game rosters and all the snubs that ever snubbed.

• The most overrated underrated and underrated overrated players in the NHL.

• The decline of fighting.

• Puck Headlines and Talking Points

Question of the Day: Two of them, actually: "Who is the most overrated player in the NHL?" and "Who is your biggest All-Star Game surprise and snub?"

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.

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Clik here to view.The annual rite of bitching about who did or did not make the NHL's All-Star Game is always fun when the same people, not long after, move on to their complaining about how meaningless the game is and/or how it should be abolished from the league's schedule.

As we're slowly learning today, now that the 2012 rosters have been announced, some guys like Nicklas Lidstrom and Teemu Selanne, quietly asked to not be selected so they can spend the weekend resting up for the second half of the season.

Then there's the injury caveat. As the Edmonton Oilers announced, they were told that if Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins were healthy, they would have been included. With two weeks to go until the All-Star Fantasy Draft, the injury replacement announcements will begin, as well, which means "snubs" today are all-stars tomorrow.

So instead of complaining about who was left off the roster to only find out later that player asked to avoid a weekend in Ottawa, let's take a look at some of the surprise inclusions.

• Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks - The kid gets the nod over vets Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton. Again, might be a case of Marleau and Thornton quietly asking to stay home for the weekend.

• Jason Pominville, Buffalo Sabres - He's Buffalo's leading scorer and the mayor of the imaginary city announcer Rick Jeanneret believes exists. A case could be made for Thomas Vanek's inclusion if you're going for the "superstar vs. merit" angle, but then we'd have a "snub" somewhere else.

• Dan Girardi, New York Rangers - You don't often see blueliners make All-Star teams based on their defensive merit, but it's good to see Girardi honored for his accomplishments. Despite his offensive output (three goals, 15 points), Girardi leads all players in time on-ice (27:18) and is fourth in blocked shots (104).

• Dustin Byfuglien, Winnipeg Jets - The declined invitation from Lidstrom opened the door for another defenseman to slide in and Byfuglien got the call over the likes of Jason Garrison. Or, if we're going by team representation, Byfuglien gets the nod over Evander Kane as the lone Jets all-star.

• Dennis Wideman, Washington Capitals - You figured Alex Ovechkin would be there. Maybe Nicklas Backstrom (he's not). If any defenseman from Washington was going to be named an all-star, it'd be Mike Green, but his injury issues opened the door for Wideman, who has eight goals on the year, to make his way to Ottawa.

• Brian Elliott, St. Louis Blues - He might have started the least amount of games among the goaltenders chosen, but when you consider of Elliott's 20 starts he's won 15 of them, and his save-percentage is a ridiculous .940, and his goal-against average is 1.62, and he has five shutouts, and ... well, you get the point. Elliott's been a great story during the first half of the season and been a focal point in the Blues' turnaround. Now he returns to Ottawa -- where things fell off a cliff fast -- as an all-star.

• Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens - Well, someone had to go from the Habs, right? Price isn't the Price from last season, and while someone like a Marc-Andre Fleury or Roberto Luongo might be more deserving, Canadiens fans will pay attention to the game for at least one period now.

Who's your biggest surprise inclusion on the roster? Anyone you're disappointed won't be there?

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy

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.

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• Jersey Fouls on the 'morrow. Here's a Pittsburgh Penguins one from eBay. Seeing as how Clark W. Griswold is a proud member of Blackhawks Nation, this sweater should be condemned to use as Randy Quaid's snot rag. [s/t reader Bryce Etzler]

• Penguins GM Ray Shero on Sidney Crosby joining the team on its road trip: "Sid is a hockey player and he wants to play hockey. He wanted to join our team because we're in a tough stretch. He badly wants to play and be out there. But he's not cleared to play. We want to be very careful. Once he's cleared to play, he'll be the most excited guy on the ice." [Penguins]

• Michael Cammalleri clears the air on that whole "read between the lines" trade request thing: "I love Montreal. I just built a house in Montreal. I love playing in Montreal. I think I've had somewhat of a love affair with this city. I know things can change pretty quick — but not for me. I really enjoy it here, my family loves it. I really enjoy what it means to play for the Montreal Canadiens." [Canadiens]

• As all of Toronto rises up to burn copies of Sports Illustrated for declaring Dion Phaneuf as the most overrated player in its players' poll, Mike Komisarek sighs deeply and makes self-deprecating jokes. [Puck Sage]

• Or perhaps Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets is the most overrated player in hockey. [Pegasus News]

• Here's the freaky thing about the St. Louis Blues: They could actually be better than they are right now. [St. Louis Game Time]

• "Sources told WFAN.com on Thursday that the Islanders are in discussions to host a preseason game next season at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the future home of the NBA's New Jersey Nets." [WFAN]

• Yes, what a shame that Buffalo Sabres forward Pat Kaleta might have to stop running people. Boo, NHL rules. Boo. [Buffalo News]

• Peter Mueller finally returns for the Colorado Avalanche tonight after missing 41 games. [All Things Avs]

• Stat nerds weep onto their graphing calculators as Peter Laviolette dismisses both CORSI and Fenwick. [Broad Street Hockey]

• Kudos to The Pensblog for reporting on a fan altercation involving a pregnant woman at a Pittsburgh Penguins game, and then staying with it until they received an email from allegedly from the woman. Startling stuff, including the fact this wasn't "Pens fans vs. opposing fans" apparently. [The Pensblog]

• Bourne on how better minor league play has helped reduce fighting. [Backhand Shelf]

• The delightful Gare Joyce on the decline of the Montreal Canadiens' empire: "It's a brutal dichotomy: hockey decisions have to take into account cultural considerations. This has led to the most mediocre Canadiens team in modern history. Unwieldy contracts to woebegone players, no young prospects in development, a fan base and media spewing ridicule and scorn at management: these are the facts of life for what used to be Les Glorieux. I don't suppose any particular culture would be proud to claim exclusive ownership of the Canadiens right now." [Sportsnet]

• Pretty incredible stat from last night's Caps/Penguins game. [Japers']

• Why was Evgeni Malkin the only Penguins all-star? [Pensburgh]

• Teemu Selanne explains his decision not to play in the NHL All-Star Game for the Anaheim Ducks. [Ducks Blog]

• Jeff Skinner won't play for the Carolina Hurricanes tonight but is nearly back from his concussion. [N&O]

• Erik Karlsson returns to face the New York Rangers. [QMI]

• Good news for the Rangers as Brandon Dubinsky's shoulder is "nothing serious." [NYDN]

• Just hand the Selke to Ilya Kovalchuk already. [In Lou We Trust]

• Darryl Sutter on Jonathan Quick as an all-star: "I think it was, to me, a formality. You look at his season. They take six goalies, and he's top five or top six in all four (statistical) categories, so the only way that he could get overlooked is just because he's out of loop a little." Is he saying that Los Angeles is "out of the loop" as an NHL market? [LA Kings Insider]

• Marian Hossa on the differences for him playing with Dave Bolland as a center. [Between The Circles]

• Adam Proteau on Columbus Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson: "Howson works for a Blue Jackets team losing tens of millions of dollars, which may be one of the only reasons he's still Columbus' GM. As is the case for Pierre Gauthier and the increasingly out-of-the-playoff race Canadiens, Howson's superior may simply be waiting for the season to play out before jettisoning him and giving someone else the reins. But who knows? He (or Gauthier) may be convincing enough to get himself one more season despite a frustrated fan base." [THN]

• Looking at the five Americans on the Central Scouting list of 30 North American draft prospects. [United States of Hockey]

• In preparation for the San Jose Sharks' visit, five awful things Megalodon learned about Winnipeg from Wikipedia. [BoC]

• Finally, in a world that looks down upon his antics and demonizes his edgy style (Boston excluded), Brad Marchand can take solace in the fact that he has one passionate supporter: Wally The Pug.

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Clik here to view.It was affectionately referred to as "MulletGate."

When the Los Angeles Kings traded Ryan Smyth back to his home and native land last summer, the Edmonton Oilers sent back a seventh-round pick and center Colin Fraser on June 26.

The initial deal was for Gilbert Brule, but his concussion prevented the Kings from buying out his contract as planned. Fraser was moved into the deal; the Kings soon discovered that a foot injury suffered at the end of the 2010-11 season would need surgery, preventing Fraser from starting the season with the Kings.

The Kings filed a grievance with the NHL, with GM Dean Lombardi claiming he would "would have rather invested my money in Bernie Madoff than invest in Edmonton's word." When the Oilers asked for patience on his injury rehab, Lombardi said:

"So this is called the red herring method. What you do is say, 'OK, the doctors disagree,' but they don't disagree on the fundamental premise, that this guy is not fit to play. When you want to get the jury off-track, throw out an ancillary issue and turn it into a major issue, and they forget about the real issue. You learn that in the first year of law school. Nice try."

It was all very public and very snippy. MulletGate ended with the Oilers compensating the Kings with "a small amount of cash" to cover Fraser's medical costs, prior to a hearing with Gary Bettman.

With the Kings headed to Edmonton on Sunday, Mark Spector of The Team 1260 had Lombardi on his program today and captured a rare moment: A public, on the record apology from the Los Angeles general manager to Oilers GM Steve Tambellini and the NHL for making the whole affair so public.

From Team 1260:

SPECTOR: Whatever became of the whole Colin Fraser injury dispute? Have you and the Oilers mended fences?

LOMBARDI: "Yeah, I think we were able to work that out. That's something that I have to apologize for. I was certainly frustrated. Having to lose a player like Ryan Smyth and then getting into a bind in trying to replace him and then, you know, there was a little gray area as far as what we got back.

"The bottom line is that I never should have said what I said publicly. It was the wrong thing to do. I apologize to Edmonton as well as to the National Hockey League [because] that wasn't the way to handle it. Once we sat down we were able to come to some resolution. The bottom line is that I was wrong in the way that I handled that. And we move on."

What, no barn fight?

Fraser has played 28 games and is a minus-2 with two points, typically playing under 10 minutes a night. Ryan Smyth has played 42 games for the Oil, scoring 15 goals and 17 assists. He still, to this day, has a party in the back.

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It should go without saying that the NHL All-Star Game's voting system is broken, but since it's the point on which this entire blog post is based, I'll say it again: the NHL All-Star game voting system is broken.

That said, it's not broken insomuch as the guys who get voted in aren't always deserving to be there. I don't care about that. It's the job of the league, not the fans, to select the deserving players.

Plus, it's a democratic system, so it's bound to reward stupidity and invite subversion.

Rather, it's broken because, now that NHL's gone to the draft format, the fan votes hardly mean anything. They used to vote for starters. Now they're just voting in six guys. It's boring. Yes, the nearly 24 million votes for this year's game were over 9 million more than last year, but that's what happens when the game is held in Ottawa, not Raleigh. Fact is, far too many fans abstain from the process because there's nothing about it that interests them.

This is a fixable problem.

Here's what I suggest: as long as we're going with this new draft format, which I quite like, rather than simply voting in six guys, let the fans vote for the two team captains.

To clarify: I'm not suggesting that the fans vote once the NHL names the All-Stars. Let them name the two captains, then let the league select the pool from which they'll draft their two teams.

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Clik here to view.There's so much we could do with this. Sure, we run the risk of seeing Crosby vs. Ovechkin every damn year, but there are many more interesting combinations. How about Daniel vs. Henrik Sedin? Tim Thomas vs. Roberto Luongo? Ilya Bryzgalov vs. BizNasty?

That last one is silly, since neither guy is even remotely deserving of an All-Star nod, but as I said, I don't care about merit when it comes to fan voting, and it would be a far more marketable draft than, say, Jarome Iginla vs. Daniel Alfredsson. If I wanted poise and dignity at the podium, I'd watch the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

It's an exhibition Game. Bring the fun guys.

The great thing about embracing the silliness of the event is that the subversive fan campaigns like Vote For Rory and Project Mayhem could be part of the festivities rather than in opposition to them. Heck, players can run their own campaigns on Twitter. That would rock.

And best of all, the voting system will once again be fun and involving for everybody, rather than just fans in the city hosting the game.

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

The Top 10 tough guy goals in the NHL. May Day! May Day! May Day!

Preview: Vancouver Canucks at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m. In which the St. Louis Blues can tie the reigning Western Conference champions in points at the top of the conference with a victory. Roberto Luongo faces All-Star Brian Elliott. Lou in St. Loo: 5-7-0 with a 3.05 GAA lifetime. Meanwhile, Hitch is more than scratching the itch.

Preview: Montreal Canadiens at Boston Bruins, 7 p.m. The last time these teams met in Boston, Milan Lucic was serving a suspension. He's a little pumped: "We know they're a desperate hockey club right now. They're a team that plays well against us whether it's in Montreal or Boston so we're going to expect their best and we need to bring our best as well.''

Preview: San Jose Sharks at Winnipeg Jets, 8:30 p.m. Check out this awesome story from Illegal Curve about how Jets fans welcomed a pair of Sharks fans to their fair city — from airport pickup to accommodations.

Preview: Ottawa Senators at New York Rangers, 7 p.m. Wojtek Wolski is in for the injured Brandon Dubinsky. Erik Karlsson is back for the Senators as well. You hear those footsteps Norm Maciver?!

Preview: Colorado Avalanche at Nashville Predators, 8 p.m. Another start for JS Giguere. The second of a mini-series between the two teams, as Nashville captured Round 1. "You go into kind of like a mini playoff series expecting to be a little physical off the bat," forward Jordin Tootoo said to the Tennessean. "I thought we managed the game pretty well and we played a great road game. We got off to a great start and got them on their heels right off the bat."

Preview: Minnesota Wild at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m. While we didn't get the Dany Heatley in Ottawa fun for the All-Star Game, Marian Hossa is at least excited to return to his old stomping grounds as veteran star.

Check out previews and updated scores for all of today's games on the Y! Sports NHL scores and scheds page. For tonight's starting goalies, check out Left Wing Lock.

Evening Reading

• The Michael Cammalleri story takes an interesting turn, as "losers" might have been a translation error and the player declined to say what he told his Montreal Canadiens teammates about the controversy. [Gazette]

• Florida Panthers goalie Jose Theodore (knee) skated Thursday but is a "remote possibility" for Friday's game. [On Frozen Pond]

• Joffrey Lupul on Dion Phaneuf's "overrated" status: "If you watch the games, I mean, he's always mixing it up after the whistles and kind of irritating the opposition. So it's not really that surprising. I think when guys get asked that question, they're more so answering it on who they would least like to play against." [National Post]

• Mike Green goes on long-term injured reserve for the Capitals. [Capitals Insider]

• Claude Noel doesn't regret calling out Evander Kane because, after all, it's the media's fault "You guys are very good at provoking emotions, that's what you do," said Noel. "And when you get caught, you pay the price. It's something that I'll be ready for next time. I'll become a generic coach. I don't deal with dealing with players in the media, that's not my avenue for me. I would sooner deal with the players face-to-face." [QMI]

• Hobey Baker will be hitting the ground in Tampa this weekend. [Lightning]

Puck Daddy Reader Comment of the Day:

Haines3777 on Cammalleri:

"Cammalleri is the best Italo-Jewish hockey player in Canadian history. First off, don't blame for having a bit of a diva complex. It's a given for males with an Italian background. Secondly, he has been the best playoff performer in the NHL over the past two years. Name one player who is better? He is a well-liked and handsome guy who only wants Montreal to succeed. He is well-liked in the dressing room and respected in the league. Montreal would be crazy to give up on him now."

Bold Prediction: Patrick Kane celebrates his all-star berth by become Hat Trick Kane vs. the Wild.

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Clik here to view.Henrik Lundqvist played a huge part in the New York Rangers' 2012 NHL Winter Classic victory at Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia. He made 34 saves, frustrated the Philadelphia Flyers throughout the game and stopped a penalty shot by Danny Briere in the final moments to preserve the win.

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Clik here to view.Now, Lundqvist has played another key role for Garden of Dreams, a non-profit charity that has helped "thousands of special children and their families" — by selling the mask he wore during the outdoor game. From the Rangers:

The New York Rangers announced today that the $35,000 net proceeds from the sale of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist's game-worn Winter Classic mask will benefit the Garden of Dreams Foundation.

Lundqvist, the spokesperson for the Garden of Dreams, commissioned two masks for the nationally televised outdoor game, with the sole purpose of making the second mask available to raise funds for the Foundation.

The sale of the mask through Madison Square Garden's partnership with Steiner Sports for MSG-Steiner Collectibles, illustrates Lundqvist's commitment to helping fulfill the Foundation's mission to make dreams come true for children facing obstacles.

For comparison's sake, a luxury suite for the Winter Classic — 16 tickets and three parking passes — was going for around $43,000.

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In the grand tarnishing of the Montreal Canadiens that is the 2011-12 NHL season, the Michael Cammalleri Trade could go down as the most grotesque stain.

We've seen assistant coaches fired hours before games. We've seen the team promote a monolinguistic coach, suffer protests for that decision, and then apologize for that hiring. We've seen the status of Scott Gomez as an NHL player go unchanged.

But on Thursday night, the Canadiens and GM Pierre Gauthier created a calamity that will be mentioned alongside Saint Patrick's abrupt farewell for years to come.

One day after his candid comments about a "losing mentality" in the organization and his lack of ice time, Cammalleri was pulled from a game at the Boston Bruins, finishing his last shift at 19:37. He was sent back to the team's hotel; later, he was traded along with goalie Karri Ramo and a 5th pick in 2012 to the Calgary Flames — the team he left to sign a free-agent deal in Montreal — for forwards Rene Bourque, Patrick Holland and a 2nd pick in 2013.

Cammalleri left Calgary to sign a 5-year, $30-million free agent deal with Montreal in 2009.

Gauthier, who said Cammalleri didn't request the trade, claimed the trade adds size and players who score the "hard goals" — claiming Bourque will do the offensive dirty work that Cammalleri wouldn't. He also said the trade was in the works for a month, despite the timing of it to Cammalleri's comments.

Cammalleri is signed through 2014 with a $6 million cap hit. Bourque is signed through 2015 with a $3.33 million cap hit. Holland was a seventh round draft pick in 2010, and like Bourque is known as a player who "goes to the dirty areas of the ice." Evidently the side of Nicklas Backstrom's head was filthy.

At the very least, he's got a sense of humor about this:

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Somewhere, Louis Leblanc weeps.

This is an upgrade for Jay Feaster and the Flames. A significant one. During last year's Heritage Classic, you could tell the local fans still had respect and affection for Cammalleri. He's a considerable talent, a clutch player and should thrive away from the carnival that the Canadiens have become. Oh, and for all the "get Jarome Iginla a linemate!" chatter, remember when he had 54 assists? Guess who played in his line?

As for the Habs ... Bourque could be an upgrade on Cammalleri if you believe Cammalleri would never recapture his game in Montreal. We don't. He's a gamer, a winner, and as we said this morning, the kind of player who should be the solution but not the problem.

He wasn't happy in Montreal. Perhaps the trade needed to be made. But for this package?

If there's a silver lining, it's that the Habs might be looking to transform the key slots on their roster into players of considerable size in a bruising division.

The bad news is that Pierre Gauthier could be the man to lead that transition. And he was quicker to trade a marquee player than he was to fire a dead-coach-walking.

NBC Philadelphia is reporting that police have issued an arrest warrant for the man who "threw the first punch" in that Jan. 2, post-Winter Classic assault on two New York Rangers fans outside of Geno's Steaks.

The network isn't releasing his name, but its sources say he has a "prior arrest record including drugs, robbery with a gun and aggravated assault." (So a real peach then.) Here's a refresher on the incident.

From NBCPhilaelphia.com:

Police say the assault left Iraqi War Veteran Neal Auricchio, a Woodbridge (N.J.) police officer, unconscious and needing four to five stitches under one of his eyes.

A witness who identified the suspect in a photo lineup earlier this week told police that he said, "Welcome to South Philly Mother F%#*er" after knocking out Auricchio, police sources said.

Auricchio was back in Philly a few days later to talk to police about the incident. A second Rangers fan, a friend of Auricchio's, was also involved in the fight, police sources said. Both victims gave a positive identification of the suspect police were still trying to track down Thursday night, police said.

It was only a matter of time until police caught up with the assailants. The fight was national news, and Philadelphia Flyers fans were vigilant in trying to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice, angry that they made Philly fans look terrible through their actions.

According to the Newark Star-Ledger, Auricchio "will undergo surgery to repair a bone beneath his eye that was damaged in the attack."

He, his family and the friend who was also injured in the attack have been invited by the Rangers to attend their game on Feb. 27 and meet the team. This comes after GM Glen Sather and Coach John Tortorella called Auricchio last week to offer support.

Defensemen PK Subban of the Montreal Canadiens and Steve Staios of the New York Islanders both laid out opponents with brutal hits on Thursday night. How brutal, and how illegal, is being debated by fans and, eventually, by Brendan Shanahan and the NHL Department of Player Safety.

Subban had the more blatant of the two hits, earning an elbowing minor after a high hit on David Krejci of the Boston Bruins:

(s/t Masshole)

Andrew Ference of the Bruins tried to fight Subban, who turtled. Said Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com: "P.K. Subban hit on David Krejci looked clean on the first replay I saw, but multiple viewings showed some forearm/elbow contact to Krejci's head."

Said Boston Coach Claude Julien after the game:

Julien didn't get a good view of Subban's hit, but was confident that Ference would not have jumped in if not warranted.

"I couldn't see [the hit] from where it was on the bench because it happened in front of theirs," Julien said. "It was called elbowing, so I don't know where he elbowed him, but if it was a dangerous elbow, then you'd hope, again, that -- I'm going to go back to what I said less than a week ago, we're going to police ourselves as far as protecting ourselves, and that's the way we've decided to handle it. Sometimes it comes with consequences, but at the end of the day, I think that everybody knows that if they're going to cross the line with us, they're going to have to face the music."

The Staios hit, on Max Talbot of the Philadelphia Flyers, is a little murkier.

The officials told Flyers Coach Peter Laviolette that it was a "clean, full-body check." Talbot told CSN Philly that he "felt it was a pretty dangerous hit." Travis Hughes of Broad Street Hockey wrote that "it's textbook Rule 48, and elbow right to the noggin."

Dominick from Lighthouse Hockey, an Islanders blog, opined:

They didn't overcall a Steve Staios hit on Maxime Talbot though. Initial hit looked good but may have had the dreaded elbow/head contact on the follow through. Talbot certainly was vulnerable. My replays weren't clear, the refs didn't call anything to begin with, so their conferencing afterward made me nervous. (And the league may yet review it, though Talbot didn't miss a shift and thus lacks the "evident injury on the play.")

That last point will be a key to anything coming down the pike on Staios from the League: If an injury manifests itself after the game.

As for Subban … well, leaping headshots are generally frowned upon. The Shanahammer swings for thee, sir.

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No. 1 Star: Craig Anderson, Ottawa Senators

The Senators goalie made 34 saves to shut out the New York Rangers at MSG, 3-0, his first blanking of the season. He was outstanding in a scoreless first period; after that, Jason Spezza's two goals and Milan Michalek's 23rd of the season provided the offense.

No. 2 Star: David Legwand, Nashville Predators

Legwand scored in the second period to spark a Predators' rally, and then won the game in overtime on a great individual effort. Nashville overcame Ryan O'Reilly and Gabriel Landeskog goals to win, 3-2. Check out Legwand's game-winner:

No. 3 Star: Loui Eriksson, Dallas Stars

The perennially underrated Eriksson scored twice in regulation, including the game-tying power-play goal in the third period, and then scored the shootout clincher in the Stars' 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Jack Johnson had a goal and two assists for the Kings.

Honorable mention: Blair Jones scored his first goal with the Calgary Flames in overtime to give them a 1-0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, converting his own rebound at 1:51 of the extra frame. Miikka Kiprusoff made 23 saves for the shutout win. … Sergei Bobrovsky was huMANgous big in making 33 saves and leading the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders. Scott Hartnell, Wayne Simmonds and Sean Couturier had the offense; John Tavares scored his 15th in the loss. It was the 26th win for the Flyers in their last 28 games against the Isles. … While the game was secondary to other stories last night for the Habs, the Montreal Canadiens dropped a 2-1 decision at the Boston Bruins on goals by Jordan Caron and Milan Lucic. Tim Thomas made 33 saves. … Jiri Tlusty had two goals and an assist, and Eric Staal had three helpers, as the Carolina Hurricanes rolled over the Tampa Bay Lightning, 5-2. Jay Harrison had a Gordie Howe Hat Trick. The Canes scored four in the first period. Tuomo Ruutu was a plus-4. … The Detroit Red Wings won a 4-round shootout against the Phoenix Coyotes, 3-2. Radim Vrbata scored goal No. 21, while Johan Franzen tied the game in the third. But it was this Henrik Zetterberg Forsberg-esque beauty that won the game (followed by a Jimmy Howard save):

Antti Niemi made 24 saves as Logan Couture and Brad Winchester provided the goals in the San Jose Sharks' 2-0 win at the Winnipeg Jets. … Daniel Sedin's power-play goal in overtime — after a David Backes boarding penalty on Alex Burrows in regulation — gave the Vancouver Canucks a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Burrows had two goals, as did Jason Arnott. … Dave Bolland had two goals and an assist in the Chicago Blackhawks' 5-2 win over the Minnesota Wild. Chicago got two goals 23 seconds apart from rookie Jimmy Hayes and Victor Stalberg in the second period.

Did you know? Marc Savard will purchase a luxury suite for each remaining Bruins home game for pediatric patients at Children's Hospital Boston, with a focus on children suffering from the effects of head trauma. Savard was expected to attend the game, but his flight was canceled due to the weather. (AP)

Fight of the Night: Even scrap here between Zenon Konopka and Brandon Prust:

Dishonorable mention: Mathieu Garon gave up three goals on eight shots before getting yanked in the first period. … Pavel Kubina and Vincent Lecavalier were both minus-3. … Josh Harding, under the weather, was pulled after giving up four goals on 21 shots. … Matt Cullen was a minus-3 for the Wild. … The Stars and Kings got physical late in the game with Anze Kopitar injured on a monster Brendan Morrow check, Mike Richards getting an instigator and misconduct conduct penalties for fighting with a face shield; and Drew Doughty getting a misconduct in overtime. … PK Subban and Steve Staios could be facing the Shanahammer.

When you've been riding the pine for a bit, sometimes you have to crank it up before you get out there for more stick-handling.

For example, this is how Philadelphia Flyers star Jaromir Jagr kept his head in the game on Thursday night against the New York Islanders:

Congratulations if you've got the moves like Jagr; please keep in mind they could get you arrested on public transportation …

Jags is overcoming a groin injury, so being loose on the bench is imperative. Being relaxed and satisfied? Bonus!

s/t The 700 Level

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Clik here to view.There's always been some calculation behind the release of Sidney Crosby concussion rehabilitation news.

It'll arrive when the heat's turned up too high from those asking about his future, or after a damning report from the media along the same lines. This week's news — that Sid would travel with the team and begin skating on Friday in Florida — arrived at a time when the injury-decimated Penguins have lost six straight and are currently out of a playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.

But what if there were other factors, beyond the standings, that necessitated this very public indication that he's on his way back?

Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wrote an incendiary column on the reaction to Crosby's injury rehabilitation, both from fans and from the Penguins locker room. The undeniable accusation: That Kovacevic's sources claim Pittsburgh players are losing patience with Crosby during these absences from the lineup, as other players battle through injuries.

From Kovacevic:

A few, certainly not all, of Crosby's teammates are of the mind that he's been symptom-free for a while, though they have no medical basis for that. Some think he should be playing. Some simply think he should be doing more to communicate, or at least be as visible as concussed defenseman Kris Letang.

Last week in Pittsburgh, according to three sources, a group of players held a 45-minute meeting to discuss a temporary captaincy. Another source disputed that any such meeting occurred. If it did, were those players kidding?

One of the great mysteries in the already-murky matter of Sidney Crosby's health has been the real reaction from players. Not the platitudes they give reporters or the PR lines they straddle when discussing it — what they say behind closed doors or at the bar or on their iPhones.

The players I've spoken to about this in the last year on background have said the same thing: That they've adjusted to life without Crosby. Whether his injury is a cynical rallying point or just the reality of their surroundings, it's almost become like the Montreal Canadiens and Andrei Markov: There's no candlelight vigil for a player you're never sure will be well enough to contribute. You just put your head down, forge ahead; if and when he comes back, adjust accordingly.

To that end, maybe a discussion about a temporary captaincy was a functional one, seeing as how there may not be someone wearing the 'C' for the majority of this season and, perhaps, subsequent ones.

But it'd be awfully Pollyanna to believe these veteran players — and there's no question that's who'd meet on this — wouldn't understand the optics and ramifications of taking the captaincy from an injured Sidney Crosby. To even broach the subject speaks to a pessimism and frustration that's jarring when you consider the perceived cohesion of this team.

The frightening thing about this for the Penguins is that the players aren't alone in their doubt during this second concussion rehab. As Pensburgh recently noted, something's happened in the Pittsburgh fan base wherein there's much more cynicism about Crosby's condition now than during the nearly 11 months he missed in 2011:

I'm appalled to see so many people allow their emotions to totally take over their logic. I understand this is an emotional time with the six-game losing streak and uncertainty of Crosby's status, but this is getting a little ridiculous. How can anyone honestly say Crosby is faking anything after seeing his comeback game on Nov. 21st? That rush when Crosby netted his first goal and the ensuing celebration is proof that Crosby was finally back where he belonged and all of the stress and pain he endured completely exploded in front of us. The moment was raw and perfect because the emotion from a usually emotionless Crosby was so real.

But now how many of those fans who once held the "SID" signs at that game, thanking God that we are so lucky to have the greatest player on the planet, have become the conspirators totally disregarding everything Crosby has been for this city and organization?

Is this what we've become as fans? Have we lost that much faith and patience in our captain?

The majority of the fans haven't. Perhaps the same goes for the players. But there's no question that the push/pull has intensified between those who believe the "Ferrari's" spending too long in the shop vs. those who can't fathom how armchair neurosurgeons could be so callous.

Crosby's due to speak to the media today. He'll likely have to address this, although whether he chooses to is another story. But the majority of his supporters likely echo the final lines of that Tribune piece:

For right now, this is someone going through the toughest time of his life. And the Kid could use an assist, a helping hand when he's down.

Stop kicking already. It's not what we Pittsburghers do to one of our own.

This is all really the last thing a struggling hockey club needs.

UPDATE: From today's morning skate, a pretty amazing scene via Sam Kasan:

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Clik here to view.Everybody wearing makeshift C's on their sweaters after the Tribune report.

In the third period of their shootout win at the Los Angeles Kings Thursday night, Brenden Morrow of the Dallas Stars blasted Anze Kopitar with a check near the end boards, sending him flying backwards and down on his stomach. If Brendan Shanahan diagrammed a hit that came within millimeters of illegality yet maximized devastation, it was this hit.

With Kopitar down, Mike Richards of the Kings stepped in immediately and fought Morrow, which is the kind of leadership from the former Flyers captain that makes Pierre McGuire swoon.

One little problem here for Richards and the Kings: His visor.

One big problem for Richards: The "joke" that is the NHL asking for player safety and then penalizing players for starting a fight with one.

As ye olde NHL rulebook states:

46.6 Face Protection - If a player penalized as an instigator of an altercation is wearing a face shield (including a goalkeeper), he shall be assessed an additional unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Should the player (including a goalkeeper) who instigates the fight be wearing a face shield, but removes it before instigating the altercation, the additional unsportsmanlike conduct penalty shall not apply.

In a refreshing change from the norm for on-ice officials, Richards was given an instigator for jumping Morrow after a hard hit. At 12:12 of the third period, the Kings forward was given five for fighting, two for unsportsmanlike conduct, two for instigating a fight with a visor on and a game misconduct.

After the game, Richards tweeted the following, making a rather salient point:

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Clik here to view.The battle lines in the visor debate are starkly drawn: The NHL and many general managers would like to see mandatory face shields for players but the players would like to keep the issues as one of personal preference.

Fighting is where this issue gets muddled: If the NHL wants to mandate visors but you are penalized for starting a fight while wearing one … well, isn't that a bit hypocritical?

The problem is that the most logical solution — flip your lid before you engage — isn't going to happen in the heat of the moment; like, say, when your leading scorer is kissing ice in the corner and the guy who hit him is standing in front of you.

Furthermore, removal of the helmet before a fight would seem to run completely counter to the NHL's current course of head protection in all cases, as J. OzVath noted back in 2009:

"Encouraging stars like Iginla to take off their helmet prior to a fight is the wrong message to send. It is old school honor code versus common sense safety and in that fight the winner should be clear cut."

(C'mon ... as if Iginla would ever get an instigator.)

There's another aspect to the visor/instigator dilemma, however: That it will eventually track back to the Brian Burke "rats running the League" mentality of well-protected pests jumping guys without a shield. Like what Matt Cooke used to be, before his Lady Byng campaign.

That wasn't what Richards was doing, though. Does he have a point about the visor/instigator rule in 2012?

Of course, there's another remedy for this debate: Dropping the instigator altogether.

Greg from Lemont is a Chicago Blackhawks fan who was honored with a chance to play "Shoot The Puck," an intermission hockey shot contest at United Center. He didn't fare well. His consolation prize? An interview with lovely Comcast SportsNet Chicago reporter Sarah Kustok.

Greg decided to take full advantage of this opportunity to do what others had only dreamed of doing: Telling Sarah Kustok "I love you" at center ice of a Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild game on Thursday night. Here's our hero in action:

For the video impaired, the Casanova of Chicago hockey was being congratulated by Kustok, a former basketball standout at DePaul, when he cut in with "I love you, Sarah" while putting his arm around her.

Kustok, smiling: "Oh my."

Greg: "You're so pretty and beautiful. I love you."

Kustok: "I don't even know what to say. I'm just going to say thank you. … I don't know what to say."

Later, she joked that they were skipping the dating phase of their relationship and going right to marriage. Let's face it: Any dude that would hit on you at center ice, on live cable television, is a keeper.

As The Big Lead noted, this is like an innocent, fan-centric version of the famous (OK, infamous) Joe Namath "I wanna kiss you" incident with Suzy Kolber of ESPN. It's pretty much one musical number away from Namath/Kolber as scripted by John Hughes.

Our only regret about this clip: That Greg from Lemont is wearing a Jonathan Toews jersey rather than a Patrick Kane jersey, given that the latter would be wholly more appropriate for brazen, shameless flirtation.

s/t reader Matt Baylor for the clip.

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Clik here to view.On Thursday night, it was reported that Philadelphia police had an arrest warrant out for a man they believed "threw the first punch" in the assault on two New York Rangers fans outside of Geno's Steaks on Jan. 2, the date of the NHL Winter Classic.

That man is Dennis Veteri, 32, of Glassboro, N.J., who turned himself in to police on Thursday and was arraigned at about 2 a.m. on Friday morning with bail set at $100,000.

He made bail; his preliminary hearing on the matter is Jan. 31.

Via MyFoxPhilly.com, here is the police press conference on the arrest:

Arrest Made In Rangers Fan Attack: MyFoxPHILLY.com

Veteri has previously been arrested for aggravated assault and drug possession. Police said based on the video of the incident (see it here), he started and was the aggressor in the fight. Veteri's been charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy, recklessly endangering another person and simple assault. Police are also looking out for other men that were involved in the fight.

The attack left Neal Auricchio, a Woodbridge, N.J., police officer, unconscious and needing stitches around his eye. The Newark Star-Ledger reported that Auricchio "will undergo surgery to repair a bone beneath his eye that was damaged in the attack."

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It's a (gettin' down on) Friday 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: Louis Jean of Sportsnet, who broke the Mike Cammalleri trade, talks about ... wait for it ... the Mike Cammalleri trade. Also, it's GAME SHOW FRIDAY, in which a lovely lady listener of MvsW faces questions about NHL rules.

• In which Marek and Wysh discuss what the hell the Montreal Canadiens are thinking.

• Sidney Crosby and the Penguins' sea of C's at practice.

• Toronto in the Winter Classic.

• Puck Headlines and Talking Points

Question of the Day: "Who's the next big name player to get traded?"

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.

So much for the idea that athletes don't read newspaper clippings about them or their team.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, in a response to a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review story Friday morning about a locker room divide regarding their captain, Sidney Crosby, stepped out onto the BankAtlantic Center ice for their morning all sporting C's on their jerseys:

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"Farfetched" and "not even really worth talking about" is how Crosby described reported issues in the team locker room after he skated on his own this morning; bringing up the point that had the Penguins been on a six-game winning streak instead of a losing one, would we even be hearing such rumors?

As far his teammates sporting C's this morning, it's a good sign, according to Crosby, for a team currently needing a turnaround.

From PittsburghPenguins.com, Crosby said:

"That was a nice gesture. I think especially at a time like this when things are tough and there's obviously some adversity with the injuries and with a few losses, we need to stick together. I think that was a good sign right there of sticking together.

"Whenever you have adversity I think there's always times when it's kind of in question or your team's in question, your character is in question. I don't think there's ever been a point (like that) with our group. So it's good to see everyone sticking together and I think we'll see the results out there on the ice."

The Penguins also spoke about the stunt, which was a reaction to a report that players had a meeting about a temporary captaincy in Crosby's absence. From Sam Kasan of the Penguins:

"When someone says we don't want Sid as our captain, it's pretty ridiculous," forward James Neal said. "He's an unbelievable player, unbelievable leader. He's going to be captain here for a lot of years. In the room there is no doubt that he is our leader and he is our guy. … It's a pretty stupid comment."

"It was just to have fun and loosen it up," defenseman Brooks Orpik said. "(Crosby's place on the team) has never been in question, not in this room. People can speculate. If we are on a six-game winning streak it probably doesn't come up. We can only control what goes on in here.

"Sid will be our captain until he's retired. I don't know where that came from, but we had a little fun with it today."

This show of solidarity is nice and all, but the reality is that Crosby's return date is still unknown, something he reiterated to the media this morning, and the Penguins' losing streak is their longest since Jan. 2006.

Currently ninth in the Eastern Conference, Pittsburgh has battled injuries throughout the lineup this season; then again, they did last year as well, and came within a point of an Atlantic Division title and a win from advancing to the second round of the playoffs.

In the room, the mentality has to be what it was almost a year ago when Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were the two big absences in the lineup. There won't be a coach firing (the idea of that is just ridiculous) and while GM Ray Shero is known for his second half trades, a roster shakeup isn't what's needed.

The "C"oming together of Penguins this morning might be the first step in changing the course on what's been a frustrating year so far for the organization and fanbase. If that's the case, then tonight's game against the Florida Panthers, after a spirited 1-0 loss to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night, is pivotal.

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy

Jersey Fouls is our ongoing exploration of the rules and etiquette for proper hockey jersey creation and exhibition. If you spot what you think may be a foul in your arena, email a photo to us at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com for inclusion in future installment.

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When Jersey Fouls blogfather Seth Rorabaugh first published the Bill of Rights in 2008, one of his primary pet peeves was the way hoodies covered the nameplates on jerseys:

"Granted, hockey is a sport which is primarily played during winter months so you need to dress accordingly, but if you have a Kevin Stevens jersey, show it off. Don't hide his name"

We thought of Seth when reader Heath Condiotte sent us the image above, which obviously isn't a Jersey Foul but a distant cousin: The Pants Foul.

In a sport that's all about the logo on the front and not the name on the back, how does one approach the logo on the ass? (Answer: Very cautiously, for fear of a restraining order.)

To the surprise of no one, these jeans are a spawn of Alyssa Milano's Touch series of officially licensed NHL products. The pitch:

"Want everyone to know what your favorite team is while out on the town? In these Pittsburgh Penguins denim jeans from Touch by Alyssa Milano, everyone will know."

" … provided they're walking behind you."

So … PASS or FAIL on the logo pants? Based on today's Pants Foul model, we're going to go ahead and wager a few of the gentlemen in the comments will be forgiving of a squashed Penguin.

(Coming Up: Cup snark in San Jose, Toronto; nickname fouls in Buffalo, Edmonton more Sidney Crosby snark from Washington; camouflage Ovie; and a Jedi-related Kings foul.)

And here … we … go.

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Clik here to view.OK, this dude is wearing a rather hilarious Mockery Jersey that targets the San Jose Sharks. He's always wearing an Anaheim Ducks hat. Our only hope is that he's gone all the way and defaced the sweater logo in some way to exemplify its satire.

Unless, of course, he's just a really, really self-loathing Sharks fan. Or, judging by the beard, a roadie for Band of Horses.

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While it's odd to find cynicism in Toronto about the Leafs, apparently it does exist. Don't worry, friend: Ownership by Rogers and Bell is a path to Stanley! (via Crystal)

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Your basic Editing Foul on a Henrik Lundqvist All-Star jersey. Bet is looks Qreat when they're wearing it in Gueens, NY. (Via Adam Heineman)

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Clik here to view.Nickname Jerseys … sigh.

We're still trying to figure out the legality of these creations. Our only strict law against them is use of a proper, validated nickname. Hence, RNH and/or "The Nuge" get a PASS on the right. (Image by 'teeps14'.)

Alas, our friend on the left has "Pomms" for Jason Pomminville of the Buffalo Sabres when the preferred nomenclature is "Pommer." Thus, FAIL.

Nice hat though.

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Clik here to view.Via Lauren, we saw this Philadelphia Flyers fan at the Winter Classic as well. While we agree with the sentiment, somewhere John LeClair weeps.

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While some members of the Puck Daddy staff may or may not own a Star Wars-themed bathroom, the Force is not with this Los Angeles Kings jersey, despite the fact that Jonathan Quick is a Jedi. (Via Dani Vandermade)

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Just a terrible J-Foul from the Ottawa Senators' game against the Pittsburgh Penguins recently.

We've seen who wears No. 11. He's not going to be falling over in a drunken stupor with Snooki down at Seaside Heights any time soon. (Via Douglas Peterson)

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Clik here to view.It's been a while since we saw some Sidney Crosby love from the Jersey Fouls capital of the East. Here's a spiffy new Washington Capitals Winter Classic sweater, via Joshua Neiswender.

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This Foul was from last night's Montreal Canadiens game at the Boston Bruins.

And here we thought Cammalleri left in a cab … (via Joe Parisi.)

And finally …

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This is just loads of FAIL. From Puck Buddy Ben:

Jersey foul from the caps-flames game last week. This turdburglar sitting in front of me had a cornucopia of fouls.:

1. The cammo jersey. I don't care if the caps sell them, its a foul.

2. The stupid hoodie.

3. Nickname instead of name.

4. The asshat misspelled "ovie" as "ovey." Come on, even bandwagon caps fans can get that right!

Love the blog. Devils suck.

Everything this guy said is true.

Who should captain the 2012 NHL All-Star teams, with roster now set (please say Kessel)?

Marek Vs. Wyshynski Radio: NHL All-Star snubs, overrated ‘underrated’ players, Russo on Wild

Who are the biggest 2012 NHL All-Star Game surprise inclusions?

Puck Headlines: Mike Cammalleri hearts Montreal; Teemu Selanne explains All-Star ‘snub’

Kings GM Dean Lombardi apologizes to Edmonton, NHL for MulletGate outrage

Fix the All-Star Game voting system; let the fans vote for the team captains

Puck Previews: 10 best NHL tough guy goals; Canucks vs. Blues for West’s best

Henrik Lundqvist raises $35,000 for charity by selling Rangers Winter Classic mask

Canadiens trade Michael Cammalleri and his big mouth to Calgary Flames

Report: Philly police issue arrest warrant for Winter Classic assault on Rangers fans

Will the Shanahammer swing for hits by PK Subban, Steve Staios? (Video)

Thursday’s Three Stars: Anderson blanks Rangers; OT heroics for Legwand, Eriksson

Watch Jaromir Jagr make adjustments on the fly (Video)

Are Penguins players losing patience with Sidney Crosby’s concussion rehab?

Kings’ Mike Richards: Visor fight rule hypocritical under NHL’s player safety campaign

Blackhawks fan tells CSN reporter Sarah Kustok he loves her, leaves her speechless (Video)

Police arrest South Jersey man for Winter Classic assault on New York Rangers fans

Marek Vs. Wyshynski Radio: Cammalleri trade; Sidney Crosby’s return; Game Show Friday!

Penguins respond to ‘ridiculous’ Sidney Crosby story by wearing captain’s ‘C’

Jersey Fouls: Getting to bottom of Penguins foul; Sabres, Oilers nickname follies; Ovechkin army