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.
• It's hours before the 2011 NHL Draft, and already the awkward photo glory is oozing out. Nathan Bealieu and Jonathan Huberdeau on the left; Adam Larsson roughhousing with Gabriel Landeskog on the right.
• Previewing the top 10 picks in this year's draft. [Too Many Men on the Site]
• The sleeper picks for the NHL Draft. An essential post for Frans Tuohimaa completists. [HOTH]
• According to TSN's Gord Miller, details have been worked out on a trade that will send Ryan Smyth from Los Angeles to the Calgary Flames, with the Kings receiving a late round pick. But Calgary ownership still has to rubber stamp it. [TSN]
• Robyn Regehr to the Buffalo Sabres could be decided today as well. [Dave Davis]
• Former Atlanta Thrashers GM Rick Dudley joins the Toronto Maple Leafs, which is a great addition (and bit of recruiting) by Brian Burke. [Leafs]
• Eric Brewer agrees to a 4-year, $16 million deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Yzerman's a huge fan. [Lightning Strikes]
• Glendale is, like, totally ready to get a deal done with the Phoenix Coyotes' buyer in "the next few months. Said Matthew Hulsizer: "I'm still interesting in buying the Coyotes but the clock is striking midnight right now. … The council is considering something and we're really interested in keeping the team (in Glendale) forever." Said Quebec City: "Ready when you are." [AZCentral.com]
• Frank Seravalli on the Flyers and Steven Stamkos: "Personally, I don't see a way that the Flyers - or any team - would acquire his rights via a trade, unless the Stamkos camp flat out tells the Lightning that they have no interest in re-signing or that the numbers just won't work. A much stronger option, though, is for someone to try to sign Stamkos to an offer sheet." [Frequent Flyers]
• Chris Pronger on the Mike Richards and Jeff Carter trades, and the Philadelphia Flyers locker room: "I don't think there was necessarily a rift, I think we just needed more life in the locker room. It all has to do with your play on the ice. If you're playing well on the ice, there's never any questions as to who's doing what or is there a rift, does this guy like that guy, and all of the rest of the stuff that gets thrown out. If you play well on the ice, nobody wants to write about that because everything's going good." [NHL.com]
• Rudy Kelly with the Kings-centric analysis of the Mike Richards trade. [BoC]
• Rob Oliver's Blue Jackets-centric take on the Carter deal: "The trade was a no-brainer, which goes against the nature of the man who pulled the trigger. Howson is a thinker and planner. His rapid gait signals someone who walks with a purpose, always heading somewhere. Always aiming for ... the future. Well, CBJ fans are fed up with the future. They want now." [Dispatch]
• The Buffalo Sabres today announced they have signed a purchase agreement with the Rochester Americans hockey club. The AHL Board of Governors unanimously approved the transaction earlier today. The Sabres also announced their affiliation agreement with the Portland Pirates has ended.
• The Hartford Whalers are no more, but that doesn't stop Aaron Gordon from considering the team a part of his identity. [The Good Men Project]
• Tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs will finally get closure on the Phil Kessel trade. [Stanley Cup of Chowder]
• Mock-ups of what the New York Rangers might be wearing at the Winter Classic. [5-Hole]
• Intrigue from Ken Campbell: "Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock and former Thrashers coach Craig Ramsay, who has been told he won't be retained by Winnipeg, were huddled at a table Thursday morning at a Minneapolis restaurant in what looked very much like a job interview." [THN]
• The campaign to get Daryl "Razor" Reaugh on Twitter. Make it so. [Facebook]
• Finally, this Andrei Markov interview's first minute is amazing. First, because he looks like he should be fighting Jason Statham on some European rooftop with that shaved noggin. Also, because the French-language reporter asking him if he's "fragile" is priceless.