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.
• The San Jose Sharks honored Joe Thornton last night for his 1,000 games. With this. From Peter Santangeli: "Thornton's 1,000 game gift from his teammates was a 10,000-15000 year old Wooly Mammoth tusk. Reportedly worth 5 figures. Pretty cool. Beats the hell out of a silver stick (which he also got)." Shows what you know. That stick belonged to Moses. [Mercury News]
• So is James van Riemsdyk injured or in the doghouse, as was reported about his late-day scratch on Thursday? GM Paul Holmgren says it was strictly about his "lower body injury." [Broad Street Bull]
• Chris Pronger should return to the Flyers next week … with a visor? [CSN Philly]
• Martin Brodeur will be back between the pipes for the New Jersey Devils against the Winnipeg Jets this weekend, saying: "I've just got to play better. It might take a little longer. I don't know. I just want to work hard and try to make an impact and give my team a chance to win." [Fire & Ice]
• Was anyone really making a big deal about Cal Clutterbuck punching a linesman? Total accident, no? [Hockey Wilderness]
• No, seriously, there's no goalie controversy for the Minnesota Wi … four straight starts for Josh Harding? [Russo]
• Is this the end for Bryan McCabe? [Marek]
• Bitter hilarity from The Chief: The Detroit Red Wings are struggling, so he asks for help: "Help me Blues bloggers. Help me Denver fans. Because you know I'd do the same for you. How do I write about a team playing so badly?" [A2Y]
• Here are some of the Philadelphia Flyers great preparing for the Winter Classic alumni game. [Flyer Files]
• Mike Keenan will lead the New York Rangers alumni team behind the bench, as it's expected to have a very heavy 1994 champs representation. Did anyone tell him it's a one-day exhibition game and he won't be able to bag-skate them if they lose to the Flyers? [NYR Blog]
• Sean Avery will be back for the New York Rangers against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night. From Kristie Ackert of the Daily News: "When asked if he was excited about getting back before the crowd who chanted for him to be reinstated on the roster during the Opening Night at the Garden, Avery looked up and just said 'yup.'" [NYDN]
• It takes a village to replace Mike Green for the Washington Capitals. [Whyno]
• What did Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brett Connolly do with his first NHL paycheck? Range Rover, yo. [Tampabay.com]
• It's déjà vu all over again for the New York Islanders. [Gallof]
• Why Max Talbot is a perfect fit for the Philadelphia Flyers. [The Checking Line]
• Greg Brady of Fan 590 with a take on Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets, of the 'be careful what you wish for' variety: "Nash signed up for this. He could have had his freedom two summers ago. The interest would have been overwhelming. The contract would have been eclipsed Kovalchuk's by millions of dollars. If he didn't want the pressure of a massive market, why not Long Island — let John Tavares be your centre? Nashville, even? Play with Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, and Pekka Rinne? The options were endless. But Nash is stuck with this dead atmosphere, the looming (easy, people) presence of Ken Hitchcock, and the only meaningful hockey he likely plays in the next five years will be potentially in Sochi 2014 and at various World Championships. Rick Nash wanted this. He bought in. And as we've learned, even with our financial world's circumstances the last three years, there's very few free bailouts." [Fan 590]
• Hey Los Angeles Kings Coach Terry Murray, Dustin Brown said the team lacked effort in their 3-0 loss to the Oilers. "Did he? Well, we had a couple bad bounces out there." [LA Kings Insider]
• Kings fans not all that fond of Ryan Smyth now that he's an Oiler. [Jewels From The Crown]
• Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have assigned forward Andy Miele to the Portland Pirates, the Coyotes American Hockey League affiliate. [Coyotes]
• Saturday is "Try Hockey For Free Day" in the U.S. [NHL.com]
• Is Mark Letestu on the block for the Pittsburgh Penguins? [Pensburgh]
• The Calgary Flames are already rebuilding. It's not just a very good one so far. [Matchsticks and Gasoline]
• On Brendan Shanahan's decision not to suspend Wojtek Wolski for that Daniel Alfredsson head shot: "I don't buy it. Don't get me wrong, Wolski isn't a dirty player in any sense of the word. But look at the play: He sees Alfredsson coming, and instead of avoiding a potentially injurious incidental collision, he raises his elbow directly into contact with Alfredsson's head. Shanahan's decision implies that these plays are acceptable. They shouldn't be. They're not necessary in any way, and--at least in this instance--they result in serious injuries." [Silver Sevens]
• Congrats to our boy Down Goes Brown for his new Grantland gig. [Grantland]
• Finally, via the NHL, here are the top goals for the week. That Ryan Callahan tally was an A-plus effort.