Back by popular demand, here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.
Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET. For the first time since the Winter Classic last January, the Sidney Crosby / Alex Ovechkin hype is back. And like the Winter Classic, both teams enter tonight's game heading in two different directions. The Penguins have won three of four since Crosby's return last week, while the Capitals have won just twice in their last seven games, including Tuesday night against the St. Louis Blues that doubled as new head coach Dale Hunter's first game behind the bench.
Preview: Phoenix Coyotes at Winnipeg Jets, 8:30 p.m. ET. The Winnipeg Jets and the Atlanta Thrashers meet for the first time ever and Coyotes captain Shane Doan plays his first meaningful game in the 'Peg since his rookie season of 1995-96. Tonight also marks the season debut for Coyotes forward Kyle Turris who was in a contract standoff until last week. Today would have marked the deadline for Turris to ink a new deal with Phoenix otherwise he'd have to sit out the season. (UPDATE: Turris will not play tonight. Boo.)
Preview: Florida Panthers at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m. ET. The revitalized Panthers head to Southern California hoping to end a six-game slide against the Kings coming off their second-best performance in the month of November in franchise history. Containing Mike Richards should be top of Florida's list of keys to the game as the Kings centerman has scored nine goals in 10 games, including two shorthanded.
Evening reading
• According to Nick Kypreos, Ducks GM Bob Murray has told Bobby Ryan that he will not be traded. That sound you heard was Darryl Sutter and Dion Phaneuf laughing. [Sportsnet]
• After suffering a fractured vertebrae during the Stanley Cup Final, Vancouver Canucks forward Mason Raymond will finally return to the lineup tonight against the Nashville Predators. [Province] UPDATE: Raymond will not play tonight afterall.
• Yale's women's hockey team will be holding a "White out for Mandi" tomorrow night against Quinnipiac with funds raised going to the Mandi Schwartz Foundation. [Yale]
• Jonas Hiller's awesome Movember mask went to some lucky bidder at auction last night for a cool $16,875. Or $8,437.50 for each win he had in the month of November. [NHL Auctions]
• Braydon Schenn returns for the Flyers tomorrow night. [Inquirer]
Puck Buddy comment of the Day: "Darren" on David Krejci's new 3-year, $15.75 million deal:
"No discount but certainly market value for a guy who led the playoffs in scoring and is the top scoring Bruin over the last 3 seasons. Tied for team lead in points the last 2 seasons and 2nd only to Savard the season before. He's a notoriously slow starter and has been slumping along with his linemates to start the season.
I suspect he'll be right around that 60 point mark again and for a team that consistently rolls 4 lines, that's about right where you'd expect him to be."
Bold prediction: Florida's rough patch of luck in Los Angeles continues as Jonathan Quick posts a 2-0 shutout.