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.
• As Lambert pointed out this morning, the Nashville Predators' humongous fish-tossing tradition is a bit of show. If he was really a predator, he should have bitten that thing and spilled its innards on the ice. Now THAT'S a tradition we can get behind.
• Russian Machine Never Breaks and Daniel Tolensky offer Matt Cooke dirty hit timelines.
• Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Luke Schenn on Cooke: "You think he (Cooke) gets it, all the talk about hits to the head in our game, and he's been in the league what, 10 years or more? So it's not like he's a rookie or someone who's just getting into the game. … And he knows the speed of the game. I mean sometimes when you're going full speed and guys go in and something happens. But when it's deliberate like that, that's the kind of thing they're trying to get out of the game." [Toronto Star]
• Ruslan Fedotenko on Cooke: "I don't know what he was thinking. … Especially with the league having so much emphasis on the hit to the head. I don't know what he was trying to do there. And obviously, I think, he lost the game for their team, so he definitely hurt his own team. Like I said, I played with him, and I think he could be a nice guy, but in a game sometimes, and like I said, he can be really effective for your team, but once in a while, he'll just definitely do those kind of plays where everybody's like, 'What the heck was he thinking?'" [NY Daily News]
• San Jose Sharks center Joe Pavelski, Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ray Emery and Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban have been named the NHL's 'Three Stars' for the week ending Mar. 20. Pavelski led the League in scoring with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in four games. [NHL]
• Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau on Alex Ovechkin's week-long rest: "Would you guys quit it? He's sore, it's going to be maybe 7-10 days. That will be it." [Capitals Insider]
• Really cool story on Rick DiPietro's retro mask for the New York Islanders. [InGoal]
• Fantastic post by Buzzing the Net on the creation of OHL hockey hair. [BTN]
• Yale, North Dakota, Boston College and Miami are the top seeds at the four regional sites of the 2011 NCAA Tournament. [College Hockey Inc. and bracket analysis from CHN]
• Seismic news in NCAA hockey: The Big Ten reported that athletic directors at Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State and Wisconsin will recommend that hockey become an official conference sport beginning in the 2013-14 season. [AP and State College]
If you're interested, there's a NCAA hockey tournament contest here. Group name: "PuckDaddy" Password: "jerseyfoul." First: $100 Gift Card to shop.uscho.com, Pond Hockey DVD and Pond Hockey Book
• St. Louis Blues fans will get an up-close look at prospect Jaden Schwartz in the NCAA tournament. [Post-Dispatch]
• Henrik Zetterberg of the Detroit Red Wings wants Pittsburgh Penguins winger Matt Cooke gone for the season and the playoffs. "At least the season," Zetterberg said. "I don't think he should play any more this year. And then we just have to see what we're going to do after that." [Sporting News]
• Elliotte Friedman on the Matt Cooke situation: "No way Shero could ever go to another GM meeting arguing a no-tolerance head shot rule if he fought against a heavy suspension this time. He wouldn't be taken seriously. And Lemieux loses all moral ground about safety if he fights for this player at this time." [CBC Sports]
• A valentine to New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur: "It just doesn't matter because Martin Brodeur is simply the best. Better than all the rest. Better than anyone, anyone I've ever met. Think DiMaggio. Think Gretzky. Think John Wooden. Think stuff like that there." [Josh Q. Public]
• The Dallas Stars have recalled Brad Lukowich due to losses on their blueline, and Loui Eriksson could be back by Wednesday. [Dallas Stars Blog]
• Big news out of Glendale last night: Matthew Hulsizer guaranteed the team will "pay Glendale at least $100 million during its lease on the city's Jobing.com Arena through $75 million in team rent and fees." He also said they'll cover the $25 million in team losses the city promised the NHL. [Arizona Republic]
• Here's Patrick Sharp's knee injury against the Phoenix Coyotes on Sunday. News is expected on Tuesday about the severity, which will certainly impact their playoff chances. [Daily Herald]
• Daniel Sedin will miss the Vancouver Canucks' game against the Detroit Red Wings because he's expecting the birth of his child, who will obviously learn to love Daddy/Uncle and Uncle/Daddy. [Nucks Misconduct]
• Interesting column by Ken Campbell on the push/pull of Hockey Canada and USA Hockey, and how Tie Domi's son fits into it. [THN]
• "Whatever the answer, the Minnesota Wild's in meltdown mode now and it's sure looking like this team that's lost six in a row is about to have a very painful final 9 games." [Russo, via Kukla]
• The family of Rick Martin and the Buffalo Sabres today announced further details for the public memorial service to celebrate the life of Buffalo Sabres Hall of Famer and member of the famed French Connection, Rick Martin. The service will take place this Thursday, March 24 beginning at 11 a.m. at HSBC Arena. [Sabres]
• Wayne Gretzky will be there to celebrate Bryan Adams getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Oh, thinkin' about their younger years. They were young and wild and free. [BHCourier]
• Rich Hammond on Los Angeles Kings sweaters: "The current third jersey — the black jersey with the "LA" logo — is scheduled to become the full-time home jersey, while a newly created white version of that jersey would become the full-time road jersey. The current home jersey, the black-and-purple jersey with the crown logo, would become the third jersey." Ditch the black and purple, bring the gold as the third. [LA Kings Insider, via BoC]
• Finally, we're not sure if this is a bit at Dallas Stars games or not, but we do know that this kid likes to move it move it.