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.
• Montreal Canadiens defenseman PK Subban, former Habs brawler Georges Laraque and George Laraques' fanny pack are visiting Haiti to help raise money for Grace Children's Hospital, which was devastated in last year's earthquake. [CJAD]
• Hey, what's the holdup with the Steven Stamkos contract, Tampa Bay Lightning? [Sporting News, Bolts Report]
• Tomas Vokoun on his free-agency plight before signing with the Washington Capitals for $1.5 million: "The money side, it's not great, but I think the opportunity is unbelievable. Obviously it was disappointing day for me on July 1. For whatever reason I was in a bad spot, and Washington came in." [Washington Times]
• Battle of California approves of the Dany Heatley trade. [BoC]
• Sharks blogger Mr. Plank on the Heatley deal: "While I think Dany Heatley is a better player than Martin Havlat when taken as a complete whole, the idea of becoming a better defensive team up and down the lineup is an appealing one when the addition of Burns has made the Sharks a more formidable force in the offensive zone. That's something that Havlat provides and an area where Heatley lacked." [Fear The Fin]
• Wild blog Hockey Wilderness on the deal: "It's a move I like, no matter my opinion about Heatley's past. He's a productive player and an offensive threat any time he's on the ice." [HW]
• Ken Campbell on why the 2011 NHL Free Agent Frenzy spells doom for the next CBA negotiation: "One agent suggested to me recently that things are all ass-backward now in the NHL. Back in the day, it was the Detroits and New York Rangers of the world that were the driving force behind escalating salaries, but now it's actually the small-market teams that are forcing the cost of business up because they're being forced to pay run-of-the-mill players — yes, you, Tomas Kopecky — far more than they're worth just to get up to the cap floor." [THN]
• More CBA gloom from the Kelly McParland: "This league deserves to be held hostage. NHL owners have shown they're incapable of containing themselves, no matter how dumb the deals or ludicrous the amounts. If you're going to walk around with a sign on your pants that says 'Kick me, please,' you shouldn't be surprised if somebody does." [National Post]
• The Florida Panthers are hosting a July 4 bash at BankAtlantic Center featuring a concert with the Gin Blossoms. And here you thought Ed Jovanovski was the only mid-1990s relic they hired this summer. [On Frozen Pond]
• The Phoenix Coyotes have signed goalie Curtis McElhinney, as they continue to stockpile Tampa Bay goaltending castoffs. Paging Pat Jablonski …[Coyotes]
• AHL stalwart Brett Sterling signs with the St. Louis Blues. [NHL]
• Manitoba Moose assistant coach Keith McCambridge is expected to be named the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets' American Hockey League affiliate in St. John's, Newfoundland. [CJOB]
• Sounds like our buddy Jeff Marek will be joining Rogers Sportsnet. [TSMW]
• Bruce Dowbriggin's take on the Free Agent Frenzy coverage: "The distracted TSN crew in Mississauga trained its cameras on an Irish bar next door where a purported reporter Gino Reda (sporting green pants) popped in for a nip of the Guinness." [Globe & Mail]
• If you're interested, here's Brad Richards discussing why he chose the New York Rangers over his other suitors. FYI: This audio clip does offer more than Richards screaming "NINE YEARS AND $60 MILLION," laughing uncontrollably and shooting a gun in the air.
• With Jeff Carter and James Wisniewski, are the Columbus Blue Jackets actually any better? "Many hold the opinion that the Blue Jackets will become an elite team when Rick Nash is not the only superstar on the team. I tend to favor those who believe that. As Carter said himself on his conference call: teams have been keying on Nash for years and he needs someone to take that pressure off. Carter, a 35-goal threat in his own right, certainly supplies the additional threat teams will have to plan for." [Jackets Report, via The Cannon]
• Every time you wonder if the Flyers are better or worse after their trades, you remember that have Brayden Schenn and Sean Courturier in the hopper for the long run. [Philly.com]
• In which the Montreal Canadiens are urged to tender offer sheets to Karl Alzner and Troy Brouwer because the Washington Capitals have a cap crunch. [Eyes on the Prize]
• The Edmonton Oilers sign free-agent Teddy Peckman to a one-year deal, or at least that's what Don Cherry told us. [Copper and Blue, Edmonton Journal]
• Looking at the Edmonton Oilers depth chart. [Lowetide]
• The Buffalo Sabres sign Mike Weber to a new multi-year deal that's likely tens of millions of dollars less than that of Christian Ehrhoff. [Sabres]
• Every goal Ehrhoff scored with the Canucks. [PITB]
• Finally, can a scooter jump a stack of hockey sticks? We both know the answer.