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.
• Canada-based Boston Pizza will temporarily rechristen 26 of their 340 restaurants as "Montreal Pizza" while the Canadiens battle the Bruins in the first round of the playoffs, according to La Presse. Via Houses of the Hockey: "Depending on where you live, and your view of Canada's hockey obsession, this either instinctively makes your face hit your palm, or it's a genius marketing move." Countdown to Boston eateries going with Freedom Fries in 3 … 2… [HOTH]
• Chris Pronger is out of Game 1 for the Philadelphia Flyers with an injury. Nik Zherdev will be out of Game 1 for the Philadelphia Flyers for being Nik Zherdev. [Broad Street Hockey]
• Jerry Sullivan of the Buffalo News goes with the Flyers in seven. [Buffalo News]
• Justin Williams is expected back for the Los Angeles Kings, possibly by Thursday night's Game 1 against the San Jose Sharks. [LA Times]
• Via Helene Elliot, the Los Angeles Kings decide to send Brayden Schenn to the AHL rather than have him on in the Sharks' series: "Kings decision to send Brayden Schenn to AHL is based on their desire that he not feel pressure to replace Kopitar when he's different player." [@helenenothelen]
• Hideously cool jackets, "Looch Skywalker" and "Darth Quaider" … the Boston Bruins locker room is getting a little weird. [Big Bad Blog]
• The latest bit of Phoenix Coyotes/Winnipeg intrigue: There's a 50/50 chance of the team staying in Glendale next season, and the NHL "was considering buying some of the bonds to help keep the team in the desert. Whether other NHL owners would go along with further league financing of the Coyotes is another question." Good lord. [Phoenix Business Journal]
• The Winnipeg Free Press on the Coyotes mess: "The next move will be Bettman's and it will likely come in the next five to 10 days. He'll need Winnipeg's help again and it's quite possible that talks between the league and True North have begun anew." [Winnipeg Free Press]
• The oddest, saddest, most pathetic Phoenix-related story of the day -- columnist Dan Bickley's plea to Red Wings fans in Glendale: "If you must go to the games in Arizona, please wear white. We don't want outsiders thinking we can't sell out playoff games. After all we've been through - from bankruptcy hearings to relocation threats - the last thing we need is more national embarrassment. A sea of red at Jobing.com Arena would do just that." [AZ Central, via Rob Gilmore]
• No Tyler Seguin for Game 1 against the Habs. [ESPN Boston]
• Even if Tom Poti is healthy, it's not going to be easy for him to crack the Washington Capitals defense. Unless he hulks up, gains 100 pounds, and makes John Erskine expendable, God willing. [Capitals Insider]
• The Chief does not believe that Ilya Bryzgalov is the best player in the Phoenix Coyotes' series against the Detroit Red Wings. [Abel To Yzerman]
• Henrik Zetterberg skates for the Red Wings, 'day to day' for Game 2. [@CraigCustance]
• Just to put a fine point on the news that's trickled out this week: Mike Modano is done after this postseason. [ESPN Dallas]
• Jarome Iginla is up for the King Clancy Trophy. [Flames]
• When Kevin Klein Beat Up Corey Perry. [On The Forecheck]
• It could be Ray Emery time for the Anaheim Ducks in Game 2. [Ducks Blog]
• Oh, you knew this had to happen: The Brooks Orpik Free Candy Will Be Made video on the Steven Stamkos hit. [Stick-tap to Dominik]
• "St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and forward Chris Stewart will represent Team Canada at the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Men's Championship in Slovakia." [Blues]
• Adam Proteau's awards ballot for The Hockey News. [THN]
• Looking at the salary cap's impact on parity in the NHL playoffs. [Behind The Net]
• Mirtle's annual look at the NHL's top defensive defensemen finds Dan Hamhuis of the Vancouver Canucks atop the list, with Jason Garrison for the Florida Panthers placing second. You know … Jason Garrison. [Globe & Mail]
• Blog, Bloggity Blog Blog Blogs Dept. Please do check out Dan Levy's epic "If the Sports Blogosphere Was The Muppets" post, in which you find out whose hand is up your humble editor's ass. (Spoiler: Not Ovechkin's.) [Press Coverage]
• Finally, please recall Leahy's story on Zach Bennett, a remarkable young fan of the franchise that is now the Charlotte Checkers. From the Checkers:
The Charlotte Checkers announced today that thanks to donations, fan support and help from team partners and friends, a house has been purchased for Zach Bennett and his family, who will relocate to Charlotte from Albany, N.Y.
Zach is an 11-year-old boy who suffers from neurofibromatosis (NF1). As former season ticket holders of the Albany River Rats, the Bennett family has established close relationships with many current Checkers players and will now head south to the Queen City for better medical care and to be closer to the team.
Amazing story: