The NHL and NBC are going to announce that they've renewed their TV rights deal today, with Gary Bettman and Dick Ebersol scheduled for a news conference at 1 p.m. ET. (We're going to go ahead and assume it's not about Michael Scott's replacement on "The Office," although Leafs GM Brian Burke would be an inspired choice.)

A source with knowledge of the NBC/NHL relationship told us this morning that it's a 10-year deal. Yes, 10 years. And the Globe & Mail says it's $2 billion over that 10 years.

From NBC and the NHL:

According  to  the  agreement,  the  NBC Sports Group obtains digital rights  across all platforms and devices for the games it televises. In the regular  season,  NBC  will  continue  to broadcast a national "Game of the Week,"  along  with its coverage of the NHL Winter Classic and "Hockey Day in  America."  VERSUS also will telecast an exclusive national "Game of the Week,"  as well as NHL Premiere Games, NHL Faceoff, the NHL All-Star Game and  any  future  NHL  Heritage  Classic outdoor games in Canada.  NBC and VERSUS  remain the exclusive home of the Stanley Cup Final.  The NBC Sports Group's  commitment  includes building a new studio for NHL Network at its existing facility Stamford, Conn.

From Sports Business Journal (reg. req.):

Specific deal terms are not known, but the bidding had gone above $200M per year. Fox pulled out of the bidding last week, and Turner pulled out yesterday, saying it could not find a business model to support the money the NHL appears to be getting in this negotiation. The NHL never came back to ESPN with a final bid, sources said. ESPN's interest in picking up the package stayed until the end of the bidding process. But sources said it was too difficult for the NHL and ESPN to work around NBC and Versus' matching rights.

So, in essence, the NHL was a restricted free agent, and NBC could match the offer sheet. As SBJ reports, the current TV rights deal has VERSUS paying $77.5 million and NBC in a revenue-sharing contract with the NHL.

What do you think about the NHL sticking with NBC, and what's currently known as VERSUS? Happy? Sad? Indifferent?

Ask 10 hockey fans, get 10 different answers about whether they think the NHL's partnership with NBC and Comcast has been a successful one since the lockout.

You'll hear gripes about on-air talent, production quality, the redundancy of featured teams and, in the case of VERSUS, a years-long criticism of the cable network's programming and accessibility.

But you'll also hear how the Winter Classic, an NBC-driven creation, became the second most-important TV property for the NHL besides the Stanley Cup Finals; how the coverage has improved over time, and especially on VERSUS since the NBC/Comcast merger (the bar, admittedly, having been set low); and how, at the very least, that NBC and VERSUS gave hockey more attention than ESPN did at the end of its run.

The points of intrigue here, beyond the cost and the term: What does retaining the NHL do for NBC's makeover of VERSUS, which is expected to be rebranded as an NBC Sports network within the year?

Will it still be a disparate collection of cage-fighting, car races, outdoorsmen shows and strained reality TV; or will it be better positioned as a challenger to ESPN, with the NHL and college sports as its main draw?

Also, what about the Olympics in 2014? If NBC does Sochi, will the NHL go? If it's another network, does that influence the League to opt out instead of pumping up another networks ratings with its talent?

It's pretty incredible, thinking back to the lockout, how far the League has rebounded. We've gone from the NHL taking Comcast's money to go on something called OLN after ESPN low-balled them, to having ESPN in a bidding war to reacquire hockey, with the TV rights jacked up.

The Winter Classic, the Stanley Cup Finals and conference finals are all rating well. There are at least eight or nine marketable teams for U.S. TV, even if NBC only shows about four of them. The League's top stars are, by and large, under the age of 30, and branching out into popular culture.

It's a good time to be the NHL, and to be in business with the NHL.

Did the NHL need ESPN? Debatable. I think those in the League brass and on the Board of Governors that felt feeding the NHL into the ESPN publicity machine had a point: The Game is more marketable and the players are more marketable than in our last dance with the WWL. The casual fan is ready to embrace this sport, and ESPN can sell anything to its constituents if motivated to do so.

That said, they put poker over hockey near the end of our run. For that, they can't be forgiven.

As for NBC … look, the fans know what we want. And there are still problems with the coverage, especially on the cable side, playing to the casuals instead of the die-hards too often. All we ask is that they continue to listen to us, adapt and, occasionally, turn off Pierre's mic during game play.

Because, obviously, we're stuck with each other for quite a while.

GLENDALE, Ariz.— These days, the only people in Phoenix more miserable than the Coyotes — down 3-0 to the Detroit Red Wings in their first round playoff series — are the hockey fans.

The team is struggling, what seemed to be a marriage-made-in-heaven with potential owner Matthew Hulsizer is falling apart, and the hockey world seems to be rooting against them and for a return of the franchise to Winnipeg.

"We haven't missed a game in six years," said 17-year-old Abby Mischaud, gesturing to her family. "We don't know what we'd do if they left."

The Goldwater Institute, an Arizona policy think tank, continues to challenge the constitutionality of a proposed deal that would make an agreement between Hulsizer and the NHL feasible.

From the general tone around Jobing.com Arena, it sounds like season ticket holders in Arizona want the entire Goldwater Institute to bathe in kerosene and sprint into a nearby fire. They badly want the team to stay, and they resent Goldwater with that same passion.

As Game Three of their best-of-seven with Detroit slipped away last night, fan sentiment along Glendale's Vegas-esque Westgate Plaza slipped from chants and positive energy to outwardly displaying their bitterness towards the situation.

"Walk up and down Westgate before any Coyotes game" said season ticket holder Anthony Manna (who's already re-upped for the 2011-2012 season). "Every pub, bar, and restaurant in the Plaza is jammed. You don't think it would hurt the bottom lines and more importantly, the employment of people in this city if they lost 41 events at Jobing.com every year?"

Fans are left to grasp at straws — some with outlandish suggestions that members within the Goldwater Institute have personal reasons to want the franchise in Winnipeg; or, worse, a few have less-than-subtly implied that the group has been bribed by officials from Manitoba.

Coyotes players know they're forced to put that (dreaded) smiley face on things, but for now, Winnipeg is still a swear word in the locker room. Their focus is on the task at hand, as the clichés go, and they can't control anything beyond that.

The fans' last hope, it seemed, was that this team would provide the plot of feel-good Disney movie (or more accurately, the plot of "Major League") by putting together a solid playoff run and building support to keep the team in Arizona.

"The longer they play, the more time the city has to get something done. It's that simple," said Jeff Morgan, 31, who splits season tickets with his brother.

But the deal with Hulsizer seems to be at a standstill, which seems to be the birthplace of the theory that prolonging the season would be beneficial to the business side of things. The more games and series the Phoenix Coyotes win, the more money that comes to Glendale, which wouldn't hurt either.

In reality, it's a far-fetched dream.

As simple as it would be to understand and root for, the Coyotes' long-term future doesn't depend on their playoff success, as much as fans want that to be the case.

But they're still justifiably angry — the mockery from people who've never been to a game here, the struggles in Round 1 against the Detroit Red Wings, the lack of post-season success and the looming move have all made the place a buzzing beehive of something on the verge of hostility.

The general tone here seems to be "we got jobbed."

As fans and players of the Coyotes wake up in Arizona today with their team down 3-0, it's likely going to be a similar feeling of frustration.

There's no lack of want, there's no lack of try, but sometimes you just don't get the bounces.

The season — and the franchise — is slipping away, and Coyotes fans are rightly fed up.

When he's not trolling Los Angeles Kings fans, Mark Purdy is a columnist for the San Jose Mercury News, although Monday's piece on Staples Center showed he can have the best of both worlds.

In summary: Purdy believes Staples Center has no atmosphere, no character and poses no threat to a visiting team as a home-ice advantage to the Kings. "HP Pavilion can be a Metallica concert when the puck drops, Staples is more of a Kenny G experience," he wrote.

Does that make Jeff Friesen their Dave Mustaine?

From Purdy:

That triple tier of hey-look-at-us-and-our-Cristal-champagne-glasses was just perfect for a city of showoff glitterati. But by necessity, the design led to all upper-deck cheaper seats (and louder fans) being pushed higher into the rafters.

This might explain why, over the years, the Sharks have found Staples to be so friendly. Their record in the building is 18-10, plus three ties (under the old point system) and two shootout losses.

Might also have something to do with the arena opening in 1999 and the Kings missing the playoffs from 2002-2009. Other Purdy nuggets:

• "Of course, if you were watching Game 1 and Game 2 closely, then you noticed that the Kings were usually able to get defensemen Rob Scuderi and Willie Mitchell onto the ice against the Sharks' top line of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Devin Setoguchi."

Watching how closely, exactly? Scuderi and Mitchell aren't defensive partners. If Purdy's point was that having the last change in L.A. will help Terry Murray match either Doughty/Mitchell or Johnson/Scuderi with the Thornton line … well, that wasn't really a struggle in San Jose, considering Scuderi and Mitchell play on two different pairings.

• Also, he tells us that Douglas Murray isn't related to Terry. Thanks for that.

• Finally, he dogs the celebrity element at Kings home games: "The Los Angeles hockey fan 'celebrity' list tends to run along the less-ritzy lines of comedian Martin Short, actor Cuba Gooding Jr. and talk show host Craig Ferguson." Yeah, call us when these goddesses show up for a Sharks game.

This column has not gone over well with Kings or Sharks fans.

From Mr. Plank at Fear The Fin, a Sharks blog:

In essence, the building's atmosphere has zero importance on the games that will be played, a non-factor.

Which makes one wonder why an article (that spends its 768 words alluding to an element of the game that is admitted to be non-essential in the opening paragraphs) is being written at all.

Toss in a clarification that Douglas Murray is not related to Terry Murray (helpful), statistics that first "prove" the theory and then subsequently refute it (goals per game historically vs. this season-- insightful), one obligatory "Los Tiburones" toss-in (refreshing), a couple assorted quotes from Sharks players and coaches (authoritative), and you've got yourself a nice little meandering journey through the monotony of playoff coverage.

From Mayor's Manor, a Kings blog that's not taking any of Purdy's guff:

So, here's the deal Purdy, you want to ask 'How tough a place is Staples to play, really?' I have a suggestion for you, a personal invitation if you will...

You complained about the height of Staples and think it prevents the building from getting loud - well, leave your press box seat. Come sit next to me for one game.

Section 119, row 9.

You'll see why men of far greater importance than you -- players like Shane Doan, Brenden Morrow, Chris Chelios, Jeremy Roenick, Ray Whitney and a list infinitely longer than even the number of times the Sharks have choked in the playoffs -- have all called it one of the toughest buildings in the league.

You could have said Los Angeles is the Dodgers' town or even the Lakers' town and I would have let it go. But, Staples Center is the house that Gretzky built. The Kings fans who fill it are, by far, the most passionate group of sports fans in Southern California.

Purdy's is a troll-bait column, and a nonsensical one at that: What local writer lights a fire under the asses of the opposing fan base in a 1-1 series headed back Los Angeles?

With support like that, no wonder the San Jose Sharks have as many Stanley Cup Finals appearances as Metallica and Kenny G. Combined.

It's a Tuesday edition of Puck Daddy Radio, and we're chatting about the following and much more:

• Special Guest Star: Chris "Knuckles" Nilan talks Bruins vs. Habs, NHL violence and tales from the old school.

• San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture, New York Islanders right wing Michael Grabner and Carolina Hurricanes center Jeff Skinner are the three finalists for the 2010-11 Calder Trophy. Wysh reveals his top 5.

• The NHL's new TV deal with NBC and VERSUS, and what it means for the future of the League.

• Chris Kunitz's elbow, Steve Downie's charge and more suspension debate.

• Question of the day: Are you surprised at the number of suspension-level events this postseason?

• Puck Previews.

Email your thoughts to puckdaddyradio@thescore.com.

Puck Daddy Radio is on Monday through Friday, from 1-2 p.m. ET/10-11 a.m. PT on The Score Radio Sirius Channel 98. Featuring Wyshynski and Rob Pizzo, it's your show: Calls, tweets, special guests and a ton of hockey goodness every day.

The call in number is 1-888-942-7326 (1-888-9-HARDCORE). We'll also be reading emails to puckdaddyradio@thescore.com and tweets that you send to @wyshynski and @robpizzo.

We're all about interaction here; call in, email, tweet ... we'll discuss whatever you'd like. Listen here the podcast ... and here's the Chris Nilan interview in which he talks about Colin Campbell having "no balls":

The NHL's supplementary discipline process was at work once again this morning as the League announced (via Bob McKenzie Tweets) that Pittsburgh Penguins forward Chris Kunitz and Steve Downie of the Tampa Bay Lightning have been suspended one game each for separate hits in last night's Game 3 of their series.

First, the two hits that caused a spinning of the Wheel of Justice this morning:

Here's Downie:

Kunitz:

The Kunitz elbow to the back of Simon Gagne's head was an easy call. Instead of dishing out a body check, Kunitz said this morning he tried to get Gagne's shoulder, but landed the elbow on his head. Gagne was not injured on the play and that definitely played a part in why Kunitz will miss only Game 4 on Wednesday night.

If you'll remember back in September of 2007, Downie was given a 20-game ban for hit similar to what he laid on Ben Lovejoy last night. The difference here? Lovejoy was not stretchered off the ice like Dean McAmmond was during that preseason game four years ago.

Injury, or the lack of in these two incidents, plays such a large factor in these decisions as NHL VP of Hockey Ops Colin Campbell said during a conference call immediately after the Downie decision in 2007:

Q.  How big of a factor is injury as far as how much discipline does come out after that?

COLIN CAMPBELL:  Injury is important.  Last year Chris Pronger throws an elbow and doesn't make contact, he gets nothing.  Chris Pronger throws an elbow and makes contact with the head, it's a two minute penalty.  Because there's a two minute penalty for elbowing, if you elbow a player in the head, the shoulder, the arm, the rear end.  If he causes an injury that, player has to be accountable for the injury he causes.

So that certainly is a key factor, and we've made that point.  If you cause an injury, get ready, you could be susceptible to a suspension and a long suspension.

The Downie suspension is also a bit of a shocker after Raffi Torres was let off after his hit on Brent Seabrook Sunday night. Weren't we told that hits in the "ThunderDome" area behind the net are legal?

As we continue to see more and more dangerous hits, specifically with the head involved, it's pretty obvious the players aren't getting the message. Of course, why would they with such weak or no suspensions at all in certain cases? Lay a borderline hit on a guy and your punishment won't be severe as long as you're not a repeat offender.

Per the NHL CBA, the maximum player fine is a paltry $2,500, so the threat of lost wages won't scare players, especially in the playoffs considering final paychecks were received before the end of the regular season.

Will we see when the GMs meet again during the Stanley Cup final in June an emphasis on harsher penalties/discipline for these types of dangerous hits? Let's hope so because as we're seeing, they aren't going anyway any time soon.

UPDATE: Here are Campbell's comments on the two suspensions:

"Downie left his feet and launched himself at the head of his opponent and he came from a considerable distance, with speed and force, to deliver the check," said NHL Senior Executive Vice President Colin Campbell.

...

"Kunitz delivered an elbow directly to the head of his opponent," said Campbell.

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

• Honestly, why bring Pat's and/or Geno's into it, Buffalo Sabres fan with the culinary protest sign?

• Sergei Zubov is hanging up the skates after missing the entire KHL season with a hip ailment. [Defending Big D, and check out our interview with Zubi from last year]

• No Brent Seabrook tonight for the Chicago Blackhawks, as he suffers the effects from that Raffi Torres hit. Dave Bolland will return to the lineup, as will Bryan Bickell and Ryan Johnson. [CSN Chicago]

• This may come as a great shock to you, but the NHL may have mis-communicated some information in its ruling on Torres. [Pass It To Bulis]

• Dirk Hoag with a terrific look at how the new NBC/NHL deal affects the Nashville Predators' salary cap situation, which you can apply to your favorite team's cap. Highly recommended. [On The Forecheck]

• Mike Green of the Washington Capitals on whether the New York Rangers are targeting his head: "Whether it's high or just finishing their checks is irrelevant. They're coming so hard that, you know, it's hard to get out of the way. It is what it is. It's part of the game. I'm not complaining." No, you leave that stuff for your coach. [Capitals Insider]

• Jesse Spector stands up to Bruce Boudreau "running his mouth on Washington radio" about how the Garden isn't that loud. It doesn't have cow bells or air horns, but it has New Yawkers! [NYDN]

• John Tortorella on Boudreau working the refs: "We have confidence the officials won't be influenced by all the whining going on." [Washington Times]

• Dallas Stars ownership news from Mike Heika: "Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi has become the leading candidate to buy the Stars, according to two sources close to the sale of the team, and could become the stalking horse in what could eventually become an organized bankruptcy case that would allow the exchange of the ownership from a group of lenders led by Monarch Investments" [Dallas Morning News]

• According to Crossing Broad, this is Lindy Ruff's 22-year-old daughter wearing a Philadelphia Flyers hat that appears transported in from the late 1980s. It also appears she's partying with a Vulcan. [Crossing Broad]

• Maintenance day for Mike Richards. [Philly Sports Daily]

• Maintenance day for Mike Knuble. [CSN Wash]

• The Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning are playing Game 5 at noon on Saturday. Yuck. [Raw Charge]

• Jack Edwards' favorite Hab, Benoit Pouliot, will not be disciplined for his hit on Johnny Boychuck last night. [Bruins Blog]

• A complete look at Bryan Murray's trade history as Ottawa Senator GM. You know, that Andrej Meszaros trade was rather terrible. [Cory Clouston Fashion Review]

• Jewels From The Crown with a FJM'ing or MiSTing of the Mark Purdy column on Staples Center. "First of all, as a metaphor, that is incoherent. Second, does the writer not see that the Sharks are Lindsay Lohan in that sentence?" [JFTC]

• In response to the NHL not creating a "History Will Be Made" video for the Washington Capitals after Alex Semin's Game 1 winner but making one for Brandon Dubinsky's game-winner in Game 3, a Caps fan did that. [RMNB]

• Mikko Koivu joins the army. [MTV3]

• Rear Admiral on last night's anthem at Bell Centre: "The Bell Center had to remind the fans before the U.S. National Anthem that the following Canadiens they were about to name are all American so that when they go ahead and boo the song like the pack of A-holes they are, they're booing Canadiens. Pathetic or what? The worst part about this? Every WWE-attending Bruins fan will bring their beat up Old Glory to Saturday's game in some misguided form of patriotism (and forgetting that the Bs roster is loaded with Canadians and has just two Americans). If you feel the need to bring the stars-and-stripes to a NHL game, at least have the decency to display it right. Blue is always top left." [Barstool]

• Do not ever call Samantha a puck bunny. It sounds like she will punch you in the eye. [Above The Glass]

• This is kinda cool: Danny Syvret and Kris Versteeg's little brothers are teammates in the ECHL. [The Checking Line]

• Did the referees make the right call on the Brian Boucher mask toss last night at the Buffalo Sabres? "There's no doubt that Boucher deliberately removed his helmet, but was it to secure a stoppage in play, or was it to simply free his vision from bouncy head gear? If you take his word for it in his post-game comments, he truly didn't know what would happen as a result of the mask flip, and that the latter assessment is true." [Broad Street Hockey]

• Finally, via Houses Of The Hockey, a humorous video by the Rapid City Rush, snarking on their CHL foes the Fort Wayne Komets. Good lord, you have to use the buzzer from the Bruins Bear video, too?

Check out the rookie scoring leaders for the 2010-11 NHL regular season. Now check out the goalies. In a perfect world, the Calder Trophy should have been a 10-nominee deep pool like the Best Picture Academy Award, because the rookie class was that impressive. Instead, we're down to three finalists, as voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture, New York Islanders right wing Michael Grabner and Carolina Hurricanes center Jeff Skinner are the three finalists for the 2010-11 Calder Trophy, awarded "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition."

Also, the player who did not play "more than 25 NHL games in any single preceding season, nor in six or more games in each of any two preceding seasons." Which is important this season.

First, the snubs. Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks was (spoiler warning) No. 3 on our ballot, having led rookie goalies in wins (33), starts (55) and tied with Michal Neuvirth of the Washington Capitals with four shutouts.

Maybe Neuvirth and Sergei Bobrovsky of the Philadelphia Flyers stole some votes with their outstanding seasons. Maybe some writers felt Crawford was a product of the team in front of him. (Yet Jimmy Howard was second overall in last season's vote.)

So Crawford is, in our estimation, the chief snub here. The problem for players like Tyler Ennis (Buffalo Sabres, 49 points), Derek Stepan (New York Rangers, 45 points) and Jordan Eberle (Edmonton Oilers, 43 points) was that there were three quality forwards ahead of them on the scoring charts.

And now, those three are finalists for the Calder. Who wins?

Why Logan Couture Deserves the Calder

From the NHL:

Couture was a key contributor in all areas on a Sharks team that captured its fourth consecutive Pacific Division title. The 22-year-old center ranked second on San Jose in goals (32), game-winning goals (eight) and plus-minus (+18); placed third in shots (253) and face-offs (888); fourth in power-play goals (10) and sixth in points (56). He led all rookies in game-winning goals, power-play goals, shots and face-offs, finished second in goals and points and was fifth in plus-minus. The Sharks' first-round pick in the 2007 Entry Draft tallied seven of his game-winning goals on the road, the most ever by an NHL rookie.

Couture was all-around one of the best players on the San Jose Sharks this season, making an impact as a first-year player and saving their bacon on more than one occasion. His chemistry with Ryane Clowe gave the Sharks the secondary scoring option they needed as the big guns misfired; Clowe's 62 points in 75 games was a career best.

Now, will Couture's experience count against him? He played 25 regular-season games last year, which is the maximum to still be considered a rookie; he also played in 15 playoff games, scoring four goals. Does experience count against a Calder candidate? Perhaps. (Yet Jimmy Howard was second overall in last season's vote.)

Also, Couture didn't end up leading the NHL for rookie points or goals … and these other guys did.

Why Michael Grabner Deserves the Calder

From the NHL:

Grabner didn't start the season with the Islanders, but ended it as the club's goals leader with 34, a total that also led NHL rookies. Claimed on waivers from Florida on Oct. 5, Grabner surged near the top of the rookie scoring race with a run of 16 goals in 15 games from Jan. 15 to Feb. 15, a period also highlighted by a first-place finish in the Fastest Skater event at the 2011 NHL SuperSkills. His six-game goal streak from Feb. 1-15 matched the longest by any player this season. The 23-year-old Villach, Austria native led all rookies in shorthanded goals (six), ranked second in shots (228) and seventh in plus-minus (+13).

Grabner's is a redemption story, unable to latch on with the Vancouver Canucks, traded to the Florida Panthers, unceremoniously placed on waivers after training camp and snatched up by the Islanders. He was the hottest rookie in the league for the first two months of 2011, before trailing off a bit near the end. His plus/minus, for example, slipped from a gaudy plus-17.

He led all rookies in goals scored, and put up incredible numbers for what was, by far, the worst team represented in these finalists. Is 34 goals enough to win the Calder when he only has 18 helpers?

Why Jeff Skinner Deserves the Calder

From the NHL:

The Hurricanes reaped immediate dividends from their top pick in the 2010 Entry Draft as the 18-year-old Skinner, selected seventh overall last June, led all rookies in scoring as the League's youngest player. His performance over the first half of the season earned him a berth in the 2011 NHL All-Star Game, played in front of a hometown crowd in Raleigh. He went on to lead all rookies in points (63), rank second in assists (32) and third in goals (31). Skinner netted his 30th goal of the season Apr. 6 against Detroit, becoming the seventh-youngest player in NHL history to reach the milestone (18 years, 325 days).

There were questions if he'd stick in the NHL this season, and Skinner made himself indispensable. And then he made himself a sensation.

When the NHL's writers converged on Raleigh for the All-Star game, they experienced the Bieber-mania that surrounded Skinner locally. It left an impression. You combine that with leading the NHL in rookie points and closing strongly as the votes were being cast, and Skinner has to be considered the favorite here.

Who wins the Calder Trophy?

Skinner wins, especially because Couture didn't lead the league in either points or goals for rookies. But it'll be a razor-thin margin.

Our Ballot:

Jeff Skinner, Carolina Hurricanes
Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks
Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks
Michael Grabner, New York Islanders
Cam Fowler, Anaheim Ducks

We felt Crawford had the better full season, despite Grabner's fireworks in the second half. We also wanted to give some love to a stellar rookie crop of goalies (Crawford, Bobrovsky, Neuvirth) and defensemen.

Fowler's story, going from the Brady Quinn of the draft to winning a gig to being a primary contributor for the Ducks, just nudged him ahead of John Carlson of the Washington Capitals.

There's a bit of hockey karma in the fact that the Chicago Blackhawks must now look to the team they vanquished last postseason for inspiration.

But they're down 3-0, the Philadelphia Flyers proved that was a surmountable deficit last season against the Bruins and it's really all the Hawks have to cling to at this point.

"It goes to show you that it is possible," defenseman Chris Campoli told Sun Media.

"But you can't win all four games in one day."

Well, no, you can't, but the real issue is that the Blackhawks haven't shown they can win one game in one day during this series; a task that becomes tougher without Brent Seabrook on Tuesday night for Game 4. The scores have been close, but the performances haven't. As Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago summarized:

Ben Smith has outplayed Hossa. That might sum up the series in a nutshell.

Hossa isn't alone in mediocre play. It's been well-documented how far Keith has fallen since his Norris Trophy, and Brian Campbell continues to tease on both ends of the ice as well. Wide open looks and passing plays are just eluding him while he's still vulnerable in his own end. Campbell and Keith are a team-worst minus-4.

What has Vancouver done better than Chicago? A little bit of everything. Isn't that harder to fix than one specific weakness? Bad penalty-killing can be forgotten by taking fewer penalties but add a poor PK with an average power play, a less than physical performance, and mediocre play from your stars, and you see why the Hawks are down 3-0.

Hossa doesn't have a goal. Patrick Kane doesn't have a goal. Neither does Jonathan Toews, which brings us to Game 4 Tuesday night in Chicago.

Look what the Captain did last season in his first three playoff games: Zero goals, one assist, a minus-1.

He's currently at 0-2-2 and a minus-3.

What Toews did after his first three games in 2010? Seven goals, 21 assists and a Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

This isn't to say that the Blackhawks can get on that kind of roll again, or that Toews is a miracle worker. But he's the captain saying the right things while the rest of his teammates are staring into the abyss.

From the Vancouver Sun:

"They're a beatable team," Chicago's earnest young captain said Monday of the team that has the Blackhawks down 3-0 in their best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final playoff series. "They have got weaknesses just like any other team," Toews said. "I think it is up to us to expose them and we haven't done a good enough job of that. It's pretty simple."

And what might those weaknesses be? Well, Toews suggested the Canucks are guilty at times of playing too cute and leaving themselves vulnerable in their own end.

"They're skilled, they like to make plays, and sometimes that leaves you in vulnerable defensive positions," he said. "So like I said, it's up to us to be better."

Do the Blackhawks, humbled after a 3-0 Vancouver Canucks series lead, really believe they're the stronger team when they play "better"? Is there really a sense that one win becomes two wins becomes three wins becomes another mind-blowing playoff rally?

Even if they don't believe it, Toews might. And he's got 60 minutes (at least) to start converting the non-believers Tuesday night.

(As heard through the glass as Roberto Luongo skated to the bench, having given up six goals on 28 shots in the Vancouver Canucks' 7-2 Game 4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.)

"I'm gonna ask you a simple question and I want you to listen to me: Who's the big loser here tonight at the casino? Huh? Roberto, that's who. Roberto's the big loser. Roberto loses! Make me a bicycle, clown! Dorothy Mantooth was a saint!

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna make Gretzky's head bleed for super fan 99 over here. …"

Thanks, Vince. For the record: Fantastic, prideful win for the Blackhawks in Game 4. But we doubt any of the Chicago dailies will publish an accurate headline about it, which would be "Delaying The Inevitable." This is still Vancouver's series, no matter how putrid the effort was Tuesday night.

Photo by Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune. Stick-tap to Frankie Monahan for the image.

No. 1 Star: Dave Bolland, Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks got back into their series with the Vancouver Canucks in a big way with a 7-2 rout and now trail 3-1 with Game 5 on Thursday night. After missing 17 games due to a concussion, Bolland returned to the Chicago lineup and produced a four-point night (goal, three assists) to give him 15 points in his last 13 playoff games against the Canucks.

No. 2 Star: Devin Setoguchi, San Jose Sharks

Setoguchi's first of the playoffs ended an incredible Sharks comeback as they took a 2-1 series lead over the Los Angeles Kings with a 6-5 overtime win. San Jose spotted the Kings a 4-0 lead before the Sharks roared back with a five-goal second period to force overtime. In the extra frame, it was Setoguchi finishing things off 3:09 in:

No. 3 Star: Ryane Clowe, San Jose Sharks

Clowe contributed big time in the Sharks' comeback scoring two of San Jose's five second period goals 12 minutes apart in their second overtime win of the series.

Honorable mention: Dustin Brown led all players with nine hits ... Joe Thornton won 15 of his 22 draws ... Michael Frolik scored his first career playoff goal and assisted on two others while finishing a plus-4 ... Patrick Sharp had a pair of power play goals in the win ... Bryan Bickell opened the scoring 1:43 into the game with this beauty:

Did you know? "The Sharks became only the fourth team in NHL history to come back from a four-goal deficit to win a Stanley Cup playoff game." - Mercury News

Dishonorable mention: All six of San Jose's come-from-behind goals were on Jonathan Quick ... Dustin Penner was sitting in the box for roughing as Clowe scored the only power play goal in the game ... Michal Handzus was 1-for-14 in faceoffs ... Roberto Luongo, who had allowed five goals in the first three games, was in net for six of Chicago's seven tallies ... The Sedin twins finished a combined minus-7 ... Things got chippy in the third period of the Blackhawks-Canucks game. Six 10-minute misconducts were handed out and Kevin Bieksa dropped the mitts with Viktor Stalberg:

Conn Smythe Watch: 1. Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks; 2. Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings; 3.Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks; 4. Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens; 5. Michael Neuvirth,Washington Capitals; 6. Shea Weber, Nashville Predators; 7. Mike Fisher, Nashville Predators; 8.Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings; 9. Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals; 10. Ryane Clowe, San Jose Sharks

As Devils super fan David Puddy once declared, "Ya gotta support the team." Although we're not sure leaping over the glass to give the home team an extra body in a hockey brawl is what he had in mind.

Kids, don't try this … well, ever:

Cosby Sweaters found this clip on YouTube, but Daily Picks and Flicks did the due diligence to figure out the details. According to them, this is from the Region Centre Cup Junior Tournament in Podolsk, Russia, this month, where 20 British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) players competed. This was a game against the U-20 Russian National team.

From Picks and Flicks:

In the third period there was a brawl between teams along the glass, just inside the Russian blueline. Suddenly a drunk Russian fan jumped onto the ice and went after Jayson Reardon. Reardon wrestled the fan to the ice allowing the officials to escort him to the penalty box and then back into the stands for the authorities to deal with him.

The Canadian players were actually nicer to him than expected: The headlock, a few pokes with the stick. Meanwhile, a Russian player actually gets in between a Canadian player and this invader from the stands. Way to support the brotherhood there, comrade.

See, this is why Tie Domi needs to chaperone every Canadian junior team trip.

s/t to Picks and Flicks.

Whether or not the NFL has a 2011 season remains to be seen, as the players and owners continue to work towards a compromise after a lockout began on March 12.

But as that labor situation lingers on, the NFL released its 2011 schedule Tuesday night; and since it came hours after the NHL and NBC announced their new mega television pact, the serious debate can begin over the 2012 Winter Classic's location and participants.

As much as every NHL team wants to host or at least be involved in a Winter Classic, it's like what Kevin Allen of USA Today wrote earlier this year: Playing on Jan. 1 should be for an exclusive club, especially with NBC having a say in who's involved. Figure on the typical NBC Sunday "Game of the Week" rotation of the teams until others show they have the resume to make themselves a national draw in the ratings.

While the Minnesota Wild versus the Dallas Stars might bring out some nostalgia among diehard puckheads, NBC wouldn't go near that for risk of low ratings.

So with the new NFL schedule released, who's out and who's potentially in for the next Winter Classic?

We know that the NHL needs at least seven days to prepare the venue and build the rink. That immediately knocks out places such as the New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and Wysh's dream, Lambeau Field in Wisconsin, as those venues are hosting NFL games on Jan. 1.

Yankee Stadium, once again, is out because it will be in Year 2 of its four-year agreement to host the Pinstripe Bowl. You would think when New York hosts a Winter Classic either Yankee Stadium or potentially New Meadowlands would be the venue. CitiField in Queens doesn't have the marketability of a Yankee Stadium or the 80,000-plus seating capacity.

That leaves venues like "The Big House" and Spartan Stadium in Michigan, Beaver Stadium at Penn State and Soldier Field in Chicago among the favorites for the 2012 Winter Classic in our eyes. The college regular season ends in late-November, giving the NHL adequate time to prepare the stadium and get the rink set up, and the Chicago Bears play in Minnesota on Jan. 1, leaving the possibility of the Blackhawks being involved in another outdoor game.

And if there is no NFL season, thus no "Sunday Night Football" on NBC, could that mean another prime time Winter Classic? Otherwise, the game would more than likely move to Monday, Jan. 2 so as to not go up against the slate of NFL games. Are you ready for some "Monday Night Hockey"?

While there may not even be football in 2011, that decision would need to be made by the NFL and its players union by the time the NHL releases its 2011-12 schedule in late-June. If the 2011 NFL season is still up in the air at that point, the NHL can't bank on whether or not a possible venue would be available.

Admittedly, the Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers first-round series could have had a more compelling hook entering the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Capitals were a playoff disappointment last year, a reality TV star this year, and decided to turn their offensive stars into conservative, systematic drones for the sake of their coach's job playoff glory. The Rangers were a team that backed into the postseason and lost one of their key players (Ryan Callahan) to injury before the playoffs. The games promised to be tightly played, but without much sex appeal, despite the presence of Brooks Laich and Brandon Dubinsky's mustache.

Now? Game 4 has become an event, thanks to Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau, the Rangers and their supporters.

It began on Sunday, when Boudreau ripped Madison Square Garden for being antiquated and quieter than the Verizon Center. It continued on Monday when Boudreau started working the officials about what he felt was a "dirty" hit on Mike Green by Marc Staal. He also claimed Brandon Prust left his feet on an attempt to hit Green. Keep in mind Green missed 20 games — out until the playoffs — after suffering a concussion on a Derek Stepan hit on Feb. 25.

Thus began a rebuttal by the Rangers faithful that stretched from the bench to the NHL boardroom.

Rangers Coach John Tortorella was asked about Boudreau's contention that Green was being targeted, and said via Rangers Rants:

"Our mindset is we're just focusing on what we need to do, which is playing the right way and getting ready for Game 4," Tortorella said. "We have confidence in the league and confidence in the officials that they won't be influenced by all the whining going on.

"We're going to go about our business, that is the mindset," Tortorella said. "We're not getting into any convoluted thinking."

So, will the League be influenced? From Larry Brooks of the NY Post:

The Rangers coach, who said Boudreau was "whining," would be pleased to learn NHL VP Colin Campbell has his back on this one.

"All I can say is we watch all plays and hits to determine what is acceptable and what crosses the line," Campbell wrote in an e-mail to the Post's Mark Everson. "We don't need Mr. Boudreau's help."

(NHL VP and former New York Rangers coach, Colin Campbell. Man, this tin foil hat is itchy …)

So, suddenly, this series is less about the Capitals and Rangers heading into a Game 4 with the Rangers trailing by a game, than it is Boudreau vs. all of MSG. And blogger Steven Ovadia believes that's a bad signal coming from the coach to his players:

And the thing of it is, players know all of this. A team knows when a coach is trying to divert attention away from their play. So while Boudreau definitely accomplished his mission of getting reporters talking about what he said, one has to wonder about the psychological damage the move inflicted on his own team. Are the Capitals going to go into game four, on the road, against a physically tough team, thinking their coach is worried about their ability to win? Is it healthy for the Capitals to worry their coach is worried about the calls they are and are not getting?

When a team is down three games to none or one, it makes sense for the coach to try and change the media conversation, just to give a psychologically weakened team a little bit of breathing room. But I can't for the life of me think of why a number one seed that's beating the eight seed would act like it hasn't been the better team in the playoffs.

Can't agree with that one. He's working the refs. It's a time-honored tradition whether you're winning or losing a series. The first marginal roughing call that goes against the Rangers, where do you think the MSG cameras are pointing? (Hint: He had sauce on his face during "24/7".)

The Capitals have been the better team in the series, but the Rangers have hung tough and gave Henrik Lundqvist more support in Game 3 than they had in DC.

Rangers Rants Three Keys to the Game:

1. Build on momentum: The Rangers have an excellent chance to plant doubt in the Capitals' collective psyche. To do so, the Rangers must be even more physical and get more traffic to the net than they did in their Game 3 win.
2. Stay disciplined: The Rangers can't give the referees any reason to dole out make-up calls after Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau made it clear he was unhappy the Rangers had seven power-play chances and the Capitals just three in Game 3.
3. Contain Ovechkin: Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin scored his second goal of the series in Game 3 but it came on his only shot. The Rangers, particularly defensemen Marc Staal and Dan Girardi, must continue to take away his skating space.

The eyes are going to be on the refs and the Capitals coach tonight; at the end of Game 4, they could be on a 2-2 series, heading back to a land of sweaty palms in D.C.

In full disclosure, we didn't remember this award actually existed until the NHL announced that the General Manager of the Year Award's finalists would be revealed today. And then we couldn't remember if this was a serious piece of hardware or some ego-stroke dalliance like the Mark Messier Leadership Award.

No, it's a serious one, now in its second season: The League's 30 general managers and an anonymous panel of "panel of NHL executives, print and broadcast media" vote for GM of the Year, awarded to the man who didn't make a complete mess of his team through bad trades, poor cap management and general bumbling. So no, Bryan Murray isn't a finalist, why do you ask?

Mike Gillis of the Vancouver Canucks, David Poile of the Nashville Predators and Steve Yzerman of the Tampa Bay Lightning are the three finalists for the 2010-11 NHL General Manager of the Year Award.

So who wins?

Why Mike Gillis Deserves GM of the Year

From the NHL:

Gillis built the Canucks into the NHL's top team in the 2010-11 regular season as they captured the Presidents' Trophy with a franchise-record 117 points (54-19-9) and claimed the Northwest Division title for the third time in his three years in Vancouver. He strengthened the Canucks defensively over the off-season by adding blueliners Keith Ballard and Dan Hamhuis and shutdown center Manny Malhotra. Such was Vancouver's organizational depth that the club allowed the fewest goals in the NHL (185) despite suffering a rash of injuries throughout the season that sidelined each of their top five defensemen. Gillis further bolstered team depth at the trade deadline with the acquisition of forwards Chris Higgins and Maxim Lapierre.

It's actually been a great two-year run for Gillis, as he retained the Sedins and inked Roberto Luongo long-term in 2009. There's no question that his moves last summer helped elevate this team from very good to Cup contender, and their depth carried them through significant injuries — holding on to Kevin Bieksa was a smart move, for example.

Why David Poile Deserves GM of the Year

From the NHL:

Under Poile's direction the Predators (44-27-11) brought the Stanley Cup Playoffs to Music City for the sixth time in the past seven seasons, finishing fifth in the West after the most competitive Conference race in League history. Yet again, more than half of the lineup was drafted and developed by the organization, including the top four scoring defensemen, Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, Cody Franson and Kevin Klein. Goaltenders Pekka Rinne and Anders Lindback were selected with the 258th and 207th overall selections in their respective draft years. To this nucleus Poile added their leading scorer in 2010-11, Sergei Kostitsyn, in a trade last June and two-way center Mike Fisher at the trade deadline.

Poile deserves this award for the same reasons Barry Trotz should be a Jack Adams nominee annually: They seem to create something out of nothing, losing more talent every summer than they're bringing in. Yet Poile expertly manages the talent in the system, retains his assets and makes moves he needs to make at the deadline; and looking back on it, Fisher was a hell of a deadline move.

Not mentioned: Getting Patric Honrqvist inked last summer to a 3-year deal.

Why Steve Yzerman Deserves GM of the Year

From the NHL:

Yzerman was hired as Lightning general manager last May and presided over a club that made a 23-point improvement over 2009-10, posted the second-best record in franchise history (46-25-11) and earned a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2007. Among the rookie NHL GM's notable moves were hiring head coach Guy Boucher three weeks into his tenure and adding key veterans to his lineup at different stages. Defenseman Pavel Kubina was signed at the start of the free agency period last July, followed later in the month by forward Simon Gagne; goaltender Dwayne Roloson arrived via trade midway through the season and defenseman Eric Brewer was obtained at the trade deadline.

The Rookie of the Year, GM Edition.

The mere presence of Yzerman at the top changed the vibe around this franchise after Koules and Barrie ran it into the ground. The fact that he lured Boucher and added Roloson are moves as impressive as any his peers made this season. He's not been perfect -- Andrej Meszaros seems less a salary cap albatross than a quality defenseman in Philly -- but he's turned the franchise around.

Of course, we've yet to see what Steven Stamkos will make in his next contract … but maybe that's a consideration for the 2012 GM of the Year Award.

Who Wins GM of the Year?

It should be Gillis for creating a Presidents' Trophy-winning juggernaut. But Don Maloney won the inaugural edition of the award last season for the Phoenix Coyotes' surprising season, so we'll assume it'll go to Yzerman or Poile, whom we expect to win.

Two questions:

1. Any GMs snubbed here? Because Bob Murray of the Anaheim Ducks and George McPhee of the Washington Capitals would be near the top of that list for us.

2. Which GM should this award be named after? We'll go with former New York Islanders GM Bill Torrey. No trophy, just a sparkly bow tie with your name on it.

It's a Wednesday edition of Puck Daddy Radio, and we're chatting about the following and much more:

• Special Guest Star: Phil Bourque, radio analyst for the Pittsburgh Penguins, on suspensions, the Pens and Tampa Bay Lightning and playoff hockey.

• Mike Gillis of the Vancouver Canucks, David Poile of the Nashville Predators and Steve Yzerman of the Tampa Bay Lightning are the three finalists for the 2010-11 NHL General Manager of the Year Award, the National Hockey League announced today. Who was snubbed?

• Complete reviews of the Chicago Blackhawks' win and the San Jose Sharks' OT thriller.

• The NHL's "Minority Report" moment with Raffi Torres.

• Question of the day: Was last night's game a Sharks comeback or a King's collapse?

• Puck Previews.

Email your thoughts to puckdaddyradio@thescore.com.

Puck Daddy Radio is on Monday through Friday, from 1-2 p.m. ET/10-11 a.m. PT on The Score Radio Sirius Channel 98. Featuring Wyshynski and Rob Pizzo, it's your show: Calls, tweets, special guests and a ton of hockey goodness every day.

The call in number is 1-888-942-7326 (1-888-9-HARDCORE). We'll also be reading emails to puckdaddyradio@thescore.com and tweets that you send to @wyshynski and @robpizzo.

We're all about interaction here; call in, email, tweet ... we'll discuss whatever you'd like. Listen here the podcast:

Awards! Playoff drama! Suspensions! One big-ass TV contract! We're discussing it all and talking rumors in our weekly Puck Daddy chat.

Please join us beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT today for our weekly chat that includes a revolving door of panelists like Lyle "Spector" Richardson of Fox Sports; 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.

It could be a night of farewells in Glendale.

Goodbye, 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the Detroit Red Wings go for the sweep against the Phoenix Coyotes, who seem incapable of putting together a complete effort in their first-round series. The fact that Ilya Bryzgalov has been one Sergei Bobrovsky away from being the most disappointing goalie in the playoffs has been stunning.

But, on a grander scale: Goodbye, Phoenix Coyotes.

As Bourne wrote yesterday, the fans understand it's dire times. An end game. The moment in which this franchise remains in the desert or jets to Winnipeg.

Thoughts of a defiant, prolonged playoff run that were so vibrant in 2010 have been replaced by the reality that (a) they're outclassed by the Red Wings in this series, even without Henrik Zetterberg and (b) the future of the franchise in Glendale couldn't be gloomier. To wit: potential owner Matthew Hulsizer is expected to be absent for Game 4, as he was for Game 3.

(UPDATE: Hulsizer reversed course and did show up for Game 4.)

Gary Bettman was asked if this was the Coyotes' last home game on FAN 590 in Toronto today (via James Mirtle):

"It's not really a fair question," he said. "And the speculation that we've been holding some announcement waiting for them to stop playing is absolutely wrong. We're still focused on trying to make it work in Phoenix.

"And I hope we're successful. Obviously when the Goldwater Institute killed the deal, it was a huge setback. Nobody expected them to do that. We didn't think it was right that they did it, but the focus is still on making it work.

"Do we have an infinite amount of time? The answer's obviously not. But we haven't been holding an announcement waiting to see when the Coyotes are done playing, I assure you of that."

Bettman would also neither "confirm nor deny" that the League has had discussions on Winnipeg as a Plan B, and seemed to indicate that the NHL schedule for the 2011-12 season might serve as a drop-dead point for the Coyotes staying or going.

Are we about to see the last Phoenix Coyotes game ever played in Glendale?

The latest on the ownership drama, via the Winnipeg Free Press:

The City of Glendale has asked the Goldwater Institute for a meeting and has agreed to meet the think-tank's demand that any talks be held in a public forum.  Goldwater told the Free Press late Tuesday afternoon a meeting time had not been set but talks were ongoing and details could be finalized in time for a meeting to be held Thursday.

Meanwhile, David Shoalts of the Globe & Mail, never one to fight out of the Coyotes' corner, offered another glimmer of optimism that the NHL's TV deal with NBC could mean a prolonged effort to keep them there:

A survey of several current and former NHL governors — who would not speak on the record because commissioner Gary Bettman frowns on public discussions of league business — highlighted the league's need to keep the Phoenix market (the 12th-largest in the United States, according to Nielsen Media Research) in order to maximize a U.S. TV contract.

The governors surveyed did not know if the possibility of losing Phoenix as a market played a role in the price of the contract, but all were sure it played a role in the negotiations.  "It's not that they don't want to go back to Winnipeg, it's that they want to keep the Phoenix market," said one governor, who believes Winnipeg will be the next city to get an NHL franchise even if the Coyotes stay in Arizona. "All our broadcast partners want to keep that market."

So there's some hope, but not much.

The majority opinion around the NHL is that 'Winnipeg or bust' will be decided before the start of the Stanley Cup Finals. Many of the owners are done with this nonsense or propping up the franchise. Gary Bettman doesn't like to lose a fight, but serves at the pleasure of the Board of Governors. It's a fascinating internal dilemma.

Is Winnipeg a better market? That's been debated as well. Brad B. of Illegal Curve, in an open letter to Coyotes fans, downplayed the market concerns:

Also, don't let yourselves be lulled into a sense that no matter what happens, the Coyotes will ultimately stay in Glendale due to market concerns.  Some mainstream media members have said that hockey cannot work in Winnipeg, and thus your team would not be moved there, because nothing about the city has changed in the past 15 years.  I have never been to Winnipeg and I am not a financial expert but I do believe that these reporters commit a fallacy with their statement.  The city may or may not have changed but the fact is that the NHL itself has.  The salary cap and revenue sharing brought on by the new CBA now allow teams to exist in small markets.  This was not the case in the mid-1990's when a team in a large market with a big war chest could essentially buy a Cup run leaving small market teams without such resources in the cold.

Winnipeg can work and the NHL either already knows it or will find out if/when the test season ticket drive occurs.

Finally, Greg Esposito, a columnist ArizonaSports.com, makes a plea to the NHL ahead of Game 4 tonight: If the team is moving, let us know so we can say our goodbyes. From Greg Esposito:

If the NHL and commissioner Gary Bettman have already made the decision to give Winnipeg back their beloved Jets, the least they could do is let the fans in Phoenix know before Wednesday night. We've been through enough over the last few years that it's the very least they could do (the most being lowering the asking price for the team so Hulsizer can buy it without Glendale's help).

If this is the end, the fans and the team deserve one last night to share their appreciation of the past and their sadness for the future without each other. They deserve one last chance to make the White Out the best event in Valley sports. Even if it is just as a nice way to say one final goodbye at the end.

The Coyotes fans won't know the fate of their team before tonight because, frankly, the NHL doesn't know it yet either. They simply have to show up, white the arena out again, support their Desert Dogs and, as they have for the last two years, put their faith in a city and an owner and a League that NHL hockey will still be played in Glendale next season.

Or, at the very least, in a Game 6 this postseason.

• From reader John S., a brilliant Vince Vaughn punchline we hate ourselves for not using last night.

• Roberto Luongo on the Game 4 loss to the Blackhawks: "Obviously, we'll forget about this one and the good news is I don't have to sit on this for five months before we have to play 'em (again)." [Blackhawks]

• Potentially huge news for the Game 4 battle between the Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers: Mike Knuble, who plays on the team's top line with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, is out "at least tonight" because of a hand injury, according to Katie Carrera. Jason Chimera moves up to the No. 1 winger spot. That's a big, physical leader Henrik Lundqvist won't have to worry about. [Capitals Insider]

• Bruce Boudreau shuts down reporters for asking "non-hockey" questions today. [Rangers Rants]

• Steve Yzerman was nominated for an award he had no idea existed. [Lightning Strikes]

• Dallas Stars broadcaster Ralph Strangis with an interesting take on the NHL's new $2 billion TV contract: What's the use unless the League protects the health of its assets? [Stars]

• Travis Hughes is loving the new NHL/NBC deal for the fans and the Philadelphia Flyers. [Broad Street Hockey]

• Counterpoint: Why the new NHL TV deal is a dud. [Hockey Independent]

• Is Jonas Hiller's NHL career, gulp, over? [Stop Da Puck]

• Predators assistant coach Brent Peterson on the claim from Anaheim Ducks GM Bob Murray that the Preds are diving to draw penalties: "We use one rink to practice five-on-five. We go to another rink to practice the power play. Then we go to the pool to practice diving." [Tennessean]

• The Nashville Predators respond to Murray's diving accusations. Predators forward Jerred Smithson, who was accused of diving to draw a high-sticking call in Game 2: "I got no thought on it. It doesn't matter to me. If a stick comes up and clips me, then so be it. I didn't lay on the ice. They can say what they want. We're worried about our play in here. We'll just keep it at that." [Ducks Blog]

• A look at the mystical power of the playoff mustache. [truTV]

• Fantasy hockey-based comparison between John Carlson and PK Subban. Good reading. [Dobber]

• The best thing about this story isn't that Peter Forsberg is joining the front office of MODO. It's the first line: "Anyone expecting Peter Forsberg to still be contemplating a new comeback can let leave those thoughts to rest now." Believe. It. When. We. See. It. [NHL.com]

• An attempt to make heads or tails of the NHL's rule on headshots. [Jewels From The Crown]

• Required reading on the sale of the Dallas Stars, and why bankruptcy may not be a bad word in this case: "I know people get scared of bankruptcy, especially considering the Phoenix Coyotes  debacle, but this is much different. No public fighting over an arena, the NHL will never consider moving the team, there is not crazed fighting among the lenders, HSG and the bidders for the team and everyone involved wants to get this team sold as fast as possible." [Defending Big D]

• It's looking like Eric Tangradi will move up for Chris Kunitz in the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup tonight. [Rossi]

• If you haven't heard, former NHL player Vincent Damphousse was charged with six counts of assault for incidents involving his now-estranged wife. Well, now she's been charged with assault with a weapon and theft. Your feel-good story of the day! [QMI]

• Die By The Blade previews Game 4 between the Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers: "The biggest key to this game is to get the first goal. Thus far in the series, the team that has scored first has gone on to win the game. Usually in the playoffs, the team that scores first has the upper hand throughout the game and scoring first at home keeps the crowd in the game." [DBTB]

• The Chicago Blackhawks absolutely dominated the Vancouver Canucks last night. Feel better about life, Canucks fans, with the power of stats! [The Province]

• Life In Hockeywood licks wounds, offers an optimistic view of the Kings' loss to San Jose last night. [LIH]

• Down Goes Brown presents an official map of an NHL rink. [DGB]

• Mark Purdy, Staples Center Critic, on last night's atmosphere: "The Staples noise didn't equal the ear-stabbing sounds of playoff games in, say, Calgary or Chicago. It was more Anaheim-esque or Colorado-esque ... loud enough to give the first period some jump. Although as it turned out, the Sharks were quite capable of stumbling over themselves with or without the crowd's help." [Mercury News]

• Finally, this lasso celebration from Duncan Keith last night just isn't getting enough love:

Outside of a mutual loathing of Marian Hossa, there isn't much Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins fans can agree on. Unless, of course, you're talking about simmering resentment against the NHL for its oppression and/or mismanagement.

Two protest songs have hit the web recently displaying that angst. First up, the Winged Wheel presents "Let Them Fly," a take off of CAKE's cover of "I Will Survive," that tackles the NHL's crackdown on octopus tossing at the Joe:

Probably the best song about octopi we've heard that wasn't written by Ringo Starr. Well, we assume it wasn't written by Ringo Starr.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh Penguins fans have had enough with the farce of a joke of an embarrassment of a hypocrisy that is the NHL's supplemental discipline policy on head shots. So the fellas at The PensNation have released a protest song of their own: "You Give Hockey a Bad Name," a Bon Jovi parody that takes aim at Colin Campbell.

We don't have the tune in an embeddable format, so click here or on the image to hear it:

Check out the lyrics and download it here.

Who doesn't like a good protest song? Better question: Who doesn't love a good protest song based on the musical stylings of either CAKE or the mighty Jovi? Especially the latter?

After his first Stanley Cup Playoff game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, in which he registered one shot and was knocked into next week by Brooks Orpik, Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning vowed he'd have a "stronger" performance in Game 2.

In Game 2? One shot on goal, 2 penalty minutes, no points.

Stamkos finally hit the score sheet with a secondary assist in the Lightning's Game 3 loss to the Penguins, going down 2-1 in the series. In three games, a 45-goal, 46-assist player has been limited to that lone assist.

Tonight brings a critical Game 4 in Tampa Bay, and Stamkos is again saying it's time for him to make a difference. From CBC Sports:

Stamkos seems confident that he's on the cusp of a breakout.

"I've gotten better each and every game of this series," he said. "Confidence-wise, you feel more comfortable. You know things are going to start going your way. This is a big game for us, and obviously I want to contribute."

What's gone wrong for Stamkos in this series? We asked Penguins radio analyst Phil Bourque on today's Puck Daddy Radio, and he believed it's a combination of the Pittsburgh defense, Stamkos's inexperience — and an injury that may have been plaguing him for some time.

"You kinda get the feeling that he's a lot more banged up than we know about. He doesn't seem to have the jump and the pop in his skating," said Bourque. "He's been trying to get to that left side of the ice, as a right-handed shot, for that wicked one-timer, and the Penguins have been taking that away from him. [The Lightning have] been moving him to the right side on the power play and he's not as effective over there.

"Something's out of sorts with Steve Stamkos. He's a player really struggling to find his game right now."

The Lightning hope he finds it in Game 4.