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 bad news for Jaden Smith? He's starring in an M. Night Shyamalan movie, who lost his fastball right after "Signs." The good news: Jyrki Lumme and Gino Odjick approve of his headwear. [Gawker, via reader Mark Miotto]
• Michael Leighton is sent through reentry waivers by the Philadelphia Flyers, with GM Paul Holmgren saying it was a "depth" move for the playoff roster. From CSN Philly: "Any team that claims Leighton would not be able to use him until next fall. They would also get him for half of his $1.55 million salary." [CSN Philly]
• Broad Street Hockey wonders if Leighton might be the choice to back up Sergei Bobrovsky in the playoffs … or if this is just an attempt at a salary dump at an opportune time. [BSH]
• Custance: "Told the Red Wings, who might need a back-up goalie for next season, aren't interested in claiming Leighton on re-entry waivers."[@CraigCustance]
• John Tortorella on the style of play the New York Rangers excel at, within the context of Ryan Callahan's injury blocking a shot: "We're going to keep blocking shots and playing the way we play," said Tortorella, whose team is fourth in the NHL in blocked shots. "I don't want to hear anything about it." [NY Post]
• Decoding the imagery on James Reimer's mask, from biblical passages to Jesus Christ to the Autobots. This sort of thing requires Tom Hanks and a bad haircut. [In Goal]
• Vinny Lecavalier will be in the lineup tonight for the Tampa Bay Lightning against the Buffalo Sabres after suffering that contusion on his eye. Wow. [Lightning Strikes]
• Darren Dreger, on who is on the coaching hot seat: "Likely casualties this year include Ottawa's Cory Clouston, Florida's Pete DeBoer and Minnesota's Todd Richards, while Colorado's Joe Sacco is considered to be vulnerable as well." Incredibly, it could be Bryan Murray hiring yet another coach in Ottawa. Dude is Teflon. [TSN]
• Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said Patrick Sharp is "progressing well" and that Dave Bolland is progressing a tad slower than that. Still think Sharp comes back for Wings home-and-home. [Chicago Tribune]
• The best Detroit Red Wings and "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" mash-up we've ever seen. OK, also the first. But it's really terrific, so do check it out. 'Tis merely a flesh wound, Bertuzzi! [Winging It]
• The Toronto Maple Leafs may or may not have restricted the access of the Toronto Star although we're really leaning towards "may not have." [Pension Plan Puppets]
• BD Gallof, a frequent sparring partner with Christopher Botta, with an very interesting piece about the Professional Hockey Writer's Association boycotts on NHL Awards voting and the Isles pulling Botta's credential: "The issue is not IF Botta deserved to be booted, but also in how it was done. How it was done was marred by bad communication, professionalism, and decision-making. There is even shades of character assassination perhaps employed here as well. It puts in question a team's thought process, problem addressing and mindset." [Hockey Independent]
• Translated interview with Marcus Johansson of the Washington Capitals, including whether he feels starstruck: "In the beginning I felt that way but I don't feel like that anymore. Not when you proved to yourself that you can play at this level and that you are just as good as many of the other players over here." [Japers Rink]
• How are Chris Higgins and Maxim Lapierre doing with the Vancouver Canucks? Meh. [Kurtenblog]
• Looking at the Los Angeles Kings' loss last night and what's scaring the fans about it. [Pro Sports Blogging]
• Another look at the Kings' playoff chances, and whether they might fall … nah, they couldn't miss … could they? [The Royal Half]
• "History Will Be Made" video to inspire all of those Boston Bruins fans despondent after last night. (via TuukkaTime40)
• Really, really interesting comments from Marty Brodeur on the New Jersey Devils' goaltending future, including whether he thinks about what will happen to the position when he retires: "At the end of the day, it's going to be me playing and not just playing the games, but me being here. With the future, it's not me. I've just got to wash my hands on that. I'm giving them a product. They can use it. They can decide not to use it. That's the way I feel. It's just because I care about the organization. I'd like somebody to come in and (make) an impact. It might have to be through free agency also. Who knows? It's been 18 years since we didn't have a young goalie here that got a chance to play." He also says he'll be back next season. [Fire & Ice]
• The Pittsburgh Penguins announce that their foundation will help "offer free baseline concussion testing and educational programs to youth hockey players in the Pittsburgh region." [Penguins]
• The American Hockey League announced today that Marc-Andre Gragnani of the Portland Pirates (and the Buffalo Sabres) has been named the winner of the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL's outstanding defenseman for the 2010-11 season, as voted by AHL coaches, players and members of the media in each of the league's 30 cities.
• Math: The arch nemesis of the Goldwater Institute. [ArizonaSports.com]
• If the Coyotes make a deep playoff run, does the team stay in Glendale? [Phoenix Business Journal]
• You know, it's nice to hear some NHL players praise Winnipeg as a hockey market, but speaking "on the condition of anonymity" about it doesn't exactly help the case. [QMI]
• NOT HOCKEY, SORTA: Great take by Dan Shanoff on Mark Cuban's comments about "the role of the media" as an extension of his marketing department. [Quickish]
• Finally, don't know about you, but this was us playing "NHL 93" or "Blades of Steel." Rock on kid; you've got a future.