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.
"Wait, you're the Tony Granato? Like from the video game? No, seriously, this has nothing to do with the concussion, I just had no idea all this time. What was Vincent Damphousse like? Good guy?"
• Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller will hit the road with the team this weekend, but is officially day-to-day with an upper body injury. John Vogl writes: "It's highly unlikely he'll play against the Capitals on Saturday or at Carolina on Sunday. [Sabres Edge] UPDATE: The Sabres announced late today that Miller didn't travel.
• Per Rich Hammond, "there isn't expected to be any supplemental discipline given to Kyle Clifford for his hit last night on Vancouver's Christopher Tanev." [LA Kings Insider]
• Good piece by Dater on Barry Trotz, the Nashville Predators and expectations: "For all the feel-good, overachieving underdog-style press that Trotz and the team have gotten the last few years, the fact remains that they are 0-5 in playoff series under his watch. If coaches who won Cups can be fired after first-round exits, how does Trotz keep getting rehired?" [SI]
• It's been asked frequently why Zach Parise is coming back for the New Jersey Devils with the team nearly eliminated and the season nearly over. Said Parise: "Just for my own peace of mind I wanted to come back to play games. I'd rather have that first game this year than waiting until next season. Eleven months without playing a game is a long time and whether it's five games or two games, I'd rather play a couple before the summer started." [Fire & Ice]
• Eric Belanger of the Phoenix Coyotes said he'd rather play in Quebec than Winnipeg before adding: "There are good fans there, but Winnipeg is still Winnipeg. January and February, I doubt that my family would follow me out there for a holiday." In a somewhat related story, Eric Belanger will probably never be mayor of Winnipeg. [QMI]
• Reinsdorf? Seriously, NHL? Puppet time again? [Globe & Mail]
• Max Pacioretty is skating again for the Montreal Canadiens, who are waiting for Mark Recchi to clear him for non-contact drills. [AP]
• In case you missed it, because it was debunked in lightning speed, the "Pittsburgh Herald" April Fools Day hoax on Mario, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Matt Cooke. "Starkey: Pirates to go 9-153" wins headline of the week. [Herald]
• Speaking of April Fools: The Florida Panthers make the playoffs! [The Rat Trick]
• From Todd Gallagher's book "Andy Roddick Beat Me With a Frying Pan," the answer the burning question "Could a morbidly obese goalie shut out an NHL team?" [WSJ, via Ryan Gill
• Mike Green is no longer feeling concussion symptoms for the Washington Capitals, which is great news considering Dennis Wideman was hospitalized with that hematoma. [NHL.com]
• Erik Karlsson has been cut. [Ottawa Sun]
• Anaheim Ducks right wing Corey Perry, Vancouver Canucks left wing Daniel Sedin and Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne have been named the NHL 'Three Stars' for March. [NHL]
• After crapping the bed last night, is there still time for the Dallas Stars to make the playoffs? [Defending Big D]
• According to reader Matt Riegler, this Trevor Gillies dollar was found in the Nassau Coliseum parking lot about three weeks ago during his suspension, but it's just making its way into our inbox now. "Complete with those four yesteryear Cups the Isles always pine about, his apparent value of 'One Dollar' and the dual seal of approval: The Isles' logo overhead of the phrase 'In Gillies We Trust.' Clearly watermark of champions." (Please note that our crap detector is on high alert considering it's April 1, so grain of salt and all of that. Still, amusing, even if it's 'Shopped.)
• Speaking of paper, Darren Rovell looks at the future of ticket buying with the NCAA using digital ticketing for hoops. [CNBC]
• The New York Rangers cast their Hobbit Wizard Zuccarello into the fires of Mount Doom … OK, to the AHL again, actually. [Blueshirt Banter]
• Who are the smartest players in the NHL? [NHLPA]
• The Los Angeles Kings and mountain climbing … seems about right at the moment. [Pro Sports Blogging]
• Should Jeff Skinner win the Calder? [Canes Country]
• Veteran NHL referee Bill McCreary will officiate his final NHL regular season game tomorrow night, when the Washington Capitals host the Buffalo Sabres at Verizon Center, the National Hockey League announced today. God-willing the fans in D.C. do the right thing and serenade him with "McCreary Sucks!" just one last time.
• Please to be welcoming the San Jose Sharks and Worcester Sharks blog Finz and Stitches to the blogosphere. [Finz & Stitches]
• Finally, witness the aftermath of an historic moment in hockey history, as the puck gets stuck between the crossbar and a fake goalie: