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.
• Remember playing with those little green army men that came inside a giant plastic tub? If so, you're old. But more to the point, Chicago-based The New Toy is producing an NHL-themed variation of army men with "NHL Hockey Guys," which will feature the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Montreal Canadiens. Keep an eye on thenewtoy.com for the Spring 2011 release; "with production nearing completion, The New Toy says the NHL Hockey Guys should be available on April 15th, just in time for playoff season."
• Mike Brophy apparently doesn't believe goaltenders are eligible for the Calder. [Sportsnet]
• Best story of the day from Michael Russo on Eric Nystrom's return to Long Island, where his father was a star. [Star Tribune]
• Reason No. 11,421 why every player in the NHL wants to play for Pittsburgh Penguins Coach Dan Bylsma: "As a coach, I can talk every day until I'm blue in the face. ... But we kind of want the culture that this is their team and this is how we play. (They have) ownership in it. The guys in that room, at this point in time in the year, do more talking than I do." [CP]
• Trying to make sense of the Dallas Stars ownership rumors, with conflicting reports on Doug Miller having made a bid for the team. [Defending Big D]
• Custance on the top UFA goalies this summer, and outside of the top two it's pretty much by default. [Sporting News]
• From Darren Dreger of TSN: "The six remaining NHL arenas with seamless glass are scheduled for a makeover in the offseason. Sources tell The Dreger Report that Calgary, Montreal, Minnesota, Nashville, Colorado and Phoenix will have their end zone boards and glass retro-fitted to acrylic glass to comply with the rest of the league. Acrylic glass is flexible and helps absorb the energy of a bodycheck, while conversely, the traditional glass system provides no energy absorption." The hell took so long? [TSN]
• Adam Proteau's top 10 NHL deadline trades. Good list. [THN]
• "Charlie Sheen Hopes To Fulfill His Dream of Bringing the NHL Back To Winnipeg." Spoiler: It's a parody. [Distinct Kicking Motion]
• The greatest Hilary Duff/Mike Comrie/Pittsburgh Penguins fan story you'll read today. Maybe this month. Perhaps of 2011. [Get To Our Game]
• If you're wondering why the Chicago Blackhawks are steamrolling everyone these days, look no further than the line shuffle that has Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane on the same mega-line. [NHL.com]
• We're still several weeks away from eulogy territory here on Puck Daddy, but St. Louis Game Time has an obit about the 2010-11 St. Louis Blues already. [STLGT]
• Nice piece on Carey Price by Eric Engels that goes inside the numbers and explains the intangibles for the Montreal Canadiens keeper: As I stated before, the numbers only tell part of the story. The rest of it is about his revival from the abyss he was buried in for an entire calendar year preceding this season; a revival that's had the Canadiens sitting pretty in a playoff spot for the entire season. It's about a 23-year old man who was anything but at 22." [The Engels Angle]
• Departed Ottawa Senators center Chris Kelly, now with the Boston Bruins, on the deadline that Bryan Murray had: "I think he tried to put guys in good situations when he traded them, and help his team at the same time." [Ottawa Citizen]
• Please know this is a parody post about New York Rangers goalie (now back in the AHL) Cam Talbot. That out of the way, enjoy. [Blueshirt Banter]
• An Alex Ovechkin ad running in Germany for Reebok. Who does Cartoon Ovie resemble to you? Ashton Kutcher? [Alex Ovetjkin, via Japers Rink]
• Eric Fehr is working his way back to the Washington Capitals' lineup. [Capitals Insider]
• New York Islanders right wing Michael Grabner, who led all rookies in scoring with 16 points (10 goals, six assists) in 14 games, has been named the NHL Rookie of the Month for February.
• In which James Reimer attempts to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to the promised land. [QMI]
• Dustin Penner on his time with the Edmonton Oilers: "I learned a lot about myself and about the hockey world. It taught me a lot and made me better as a player and as a person. I think I'm better for it." [LA Times]
• Alfie wants to play again for Ottawa before the end of the season. [CP]
• Please check out this Tomorrow's Children's Fund event that's going to feature everyone from Gary Bettman to Brendan Shanahan to Pat LaFontaine. [ATCFKID]
• Finally, the best hit thrown in the Columbus Blue Jackets' game against the Vancouver Canucks last night: