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.
• Hey, remember Deron Quint? Played for the Phoenix Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks among others? He's with Traktor in the KHL now. And he looks like this.
• Not sure if Cory Schneider was a political science major, but boy does he know how to play the game in speaking about Roberto Luongo and the Vancouver Canucks' starting job. Schneider said Luongo's the starter, case closed. "I'm competitive. Trust me, I would love to play. I would love to play every single game I could. But Roberto has been one of the best and most consistent goalies the last decade. If it was a scenario that was grossly unfair or one that wasn't the right decision, then I'd probably be more upset. But what [Luongo] has done speaks for itself and I have a tonne of respect for him, I'm behind him 100 per cent and he deserves everything he gets." [Province]
• Meanwhile, why is there a goalie controversy? Schneider's better. [Fan Attic]
• Jeff Carter skated for the Los Angeles Kings, but would only indicate he'd be ready for the start of the playoffs. Even though his absence could potentially cost them that chance. Tough break. [LA Kings Insider]
• Jose Theodore isn't the only ex-Capital looking to take down Washington tonight. [Capitals Insider]
• Scott Harntell on the Buffalo Sabres: "You play games and it comes down to this is their Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to get in. They're gonna be hitting, they're gonna be skating, they're gonna be fighting." [CSN Philly]
• The Boston Bruins wide their collective brow as Johnny Boychuk has but a mild knee sprain. [Bruins Blog]
• Incredibly, Adam Proteau believes there's virtue and honor to being a Lady Byng winner: "If the Byng is such a terrible comment on the caliber of a player's game, why don't we create the anti-Byng award? We could present it to the thinnest-skinned NHLer, the mega-macho hothead who can be thrown completely off his game with a couple whacks across the ankles or a cross-check in the small of the back. That sounds like a player every Stanley Cup contender could use, doesn't it?" Actually, it sounds like Tim Thomas and/or Milan Lucic. How'd that work out? [THN]
• Bourne explains why Doc Emrick needs to be more of a prick. [Backhand Shelf]
• This Macleans piece on the CBC and NHL negotiations should be called "When Gary Bettman got all Gary Bettmany on the CBC and got on their nerves." [Macleans, via Allan Walsh]
• The 10 longest title droughts in the National Hockey League. No. 1 is ... a tie? [The Man In The Gray Flannel Suit]
• As the Toronto Maple Leafs talk about stopping Steven Stamkos short of 60, Joffrey Lupul assesses the season: "We're all going to take the same amount of blame and we deserve it. We had the team, we were in a good position, we didn't get the job done. You can't pinpoint one person. We all didn't get the job done and we have to live with that." [QMI]
• Meanwhile, Keith Aulie gets to play in Toronto for the first time since his trade to the Tampa Bay Lightning. [Lightning Strikes]
• Ben Bishop will have a new mask and talks about how stoked he is to be with the Ottawa Senators. [Sens]
• The many silver linings for the New York Islanders. [Gallof]
• It's fun that Jamie Benn is written about like he's the Krakken. [Defending Big D]
• Aw, this is cool: Calgary Flames prospect Akim Aliu was so excited to finally get his NHL callup that he could no longer operate a motor vehicle. "I had to pull over. I freaked out. I couldn't believe it. I thought it was a joke. I'm really excited." [Flames]
• Imagining what the Calgary Flames end-of-year speech would sound like. [Matchsticks and Gasoline]
• Tyler Cuma is set to make his debut with the Minnesota Wild, as yet another member of the Class of 2008 makes the show. [Hockey Wilderness]
• From Pet Shark on the Sharks: "I like to boil things down whenever possible and I think I have the key here: the Sharks really should win. Winning twice would be a nice bonus but a win shrinks the list of hazardous ifs considerably. If they do not win tonight, Saturday's game becomes a frantic scramble instead of a nice option." [Talking Stick]
• Finally, Erin Sharoni of SB Nation breaks down the playoff picture and tries to educate a casual fan on all things puck.