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.
• In an effort to decrease the number of dangerous rebounds, the NHL has decided to strap mascots to every crossbar this season. Or this is just the Colorado Avalanche dog getting in on the well-worn planking meme. [Avs, via Eye on Hockey]
• Interesting update on Anaheim Ducks star Teemu Selanne, as he recently told a Finnish paper it was "fair for all parties" to wait on an announcement regarding his NHL future until September. Sounds like he's being very careful about his knee rehab. C'mon, Teemu: One more year. [Ducks Blog]
• Sean Avery, who was arrested last night for a physical altercation with LAPD, is fresh out of jail and out on bail, California dreamin' ($20,000 to be exact). Sept. 2 court date for a misdemeanor. [NYDN]
• Blueshirt Banter on the Avery arrest: "That's not to say that good players should get away with more than bad players would. But I do think that the Rangers will want to know as much as they can about Avery's future with the team before making any decisions. At the end of the day, this arrest is embarrassing for both Avery and the organization as a whole. How the organization will move forward is what remains to be seen." [BB]
• Why Derek Stepan and Kevin Shattenkirk "are both prime candidates to suffer a sophomore jinx season." [TPSH]
• After watching Keith Ballard descend into a season from hell after hip surgery, is there concern that Ryan Kesler will do the same after his surgery for the Vancouver Canucks? [The Province]
• Both Alex Kovalev and Nik Zherdev said they turned down NHL offers to play in the KHL. Zherdev was being courted by the Winnipeg Jets. [Sporting News]
• Meanwhile, Robbie Earl is the latest sure-fire bet for a spot on the KHL All-Star team. (Speaking of which: With Jagr gone, what does the other team to face Team Yashin become?) [Hockey Wilderness]
• Patrick Kane at the Jersey Shore can only be a good thing for this blog and, conversely, mankind. [NYR Blog, and via reader Jon S. here's the hockey camp that Kane and Dustin Byfuglien are scheduled to take part in]
• There are two keys to the Columbus Blue Jackets' season: Their power play and Steve Mason. Here's a good look at how much better the latter needs to be to power the Jackets to the postseason. [The Cannon]
• Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have signed forward Patrick O'Sullivan to a one-year, two-way contract. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Will this guy ever put it together in the NHL? [Coyotes]
• Totally random find from reader Andrew B.: The Alex Ovechkin vs. Brandon Dubinsky fight that was featured on HBO 24/7 was reference in a U.S. Court of Appeals (D.C. Circuit Court) ruling on a case between Kiewit Power Construction and the National Labor Relations Board.
• Wild Nation is doing some kind of "American Idol"-esque search for their next blogger, if you're interested and have an overwhelming desire to cover Brad Staubitz. [Wild Nation]
• Ryan Kennedy doesn't want to see the New York Islanders relocated: "Much like the Chicago Blackhawks five years ago, fans in New York have been bruised by a lot of gaffes in personnel. For the sake of expediency, I'll just drop the name Mike Milbury and move on. Wang shares the blame as well. But the man clearly loves the Islanders and Long Island." [THN]
• A lengthy look at why Shea Weber's future in Nashville is rather clouded: "What this all portends is a bidding war for Shea Weber's services this coming trade deadline. It may not matter what position the Predators are in at the end of February 2012 — be it first or last in the Western Conference. The long-term probability of Weber remaining in Nashville is doubtful from a number of angles. Dealing him for the best return possible may be their only option." [HOTH]
• Meanwhile, a look at the Weber-as-Scott-Stevens meme that David Poile can't ignore. [The Tennessean]
• Very cool news from Dreger: "I'm told Leafs forward Mathew Lombardi is making progress. May not be ready for start of season, but isn't far off." [@DarrenDreger]
• Dan Bylsma on the Pittsburgh Penguins: "I think we're a better team now than we were at the start of the last hockey season. That's a pretty exciting thing to think about." [Penguins]
• UPDATE: Had a kid fight here that resulted in an injury, and had second thoughts about posting it (as should the parent that uploaded it to YouTube). Instead, here's the preseason KHL nuttiness: