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.
• In honor of Shaquille O'Neal and his retirement, we present you with "When Shaq met Zdeno." Then one got on the other's shoulders and they touched the International Space Station ...
• Big bombshell from the Dallas Stars today, via Bob McKenzie of TSN: "With the ownership situation in Dallas not likely to be settled until later in summer, Dallas will not be making contract offer to Brad Richards." Joe Nieuwendyk is going to get slaughtered for not trading him, which is a joke. The team was in the playoff hunt until the final day of the season; and given the ownership situation, keeping him was Nieuwendyk's only shot at re-signing him. In other news, congrats to either the Leafs or the Rangers on your new No. 1 center. [TSN]
• Candidates for the Dallas Stars head coaching gig: Texas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan, former Stars coach Ken Hitchcock, Nashville Predators assistant coach Peter Horachek and Montreal Canadiens assistant Kirk Muller (per TSN). [Dallas Stars Blog]
• Elliotte Friedman believes that former Columbus Blue Jackets interim coach Claude Noel, current head man with the Manitoba Moose, is the front-runner to be the first head coach for the new team in Winnipeg. [CBC Sports]
• The Winnipeg owners have pulled off a clever move: They release the team name when the season ticket base reaches 13,000. [CBC Sports]
• Interesting piece from Winnipeg White Out: Why the new team won't be called the Manitoba Moose or Manitoba Jets. [WWO]
• Great take by Kent Wilson on the Tim Erixon fiasco for the Calgary Flames: "Yesterday the Calgary Flames traded what was roundly considered their number one prospect for a handful of magic beans (Roman Horak and two second round picks). Many Calgary fans are now left wondering how an organization so lacking in high-end youngsters could so suddenly lose such a valuable commodity." [HOTH]
• Nicklas Lidstrom says there's nothing new to report in whether or not he'll return to the Detroit Red Wings for a 20th season. Shhhh … no one tell him about Rafalski. [Malik]
• The St. Louis Blues have locked up Roman Polak for five years. According to Pierre LeBrun, the contract goes a little something like this: "$13.75 M; $2-$2.45 M RFA years and $3.1 M flat for 3 UFA years." [Blues]
• There are some ideas for realignment that are conservative. This is not one of those plans. Three words: Neutral Site Games. [Matt Barr]
• Some late-breaking news from Rob Rossi: "Penguins center Sidney Crosby has received clearance from team doctors to start off-season off-ice workouts — the first step toward his potential return to normal hockey activities." [Tribune-Review]
• Craig Hartsburg is expected to join the Calgary Flames as an assistant coach who will in no way be the obvious option to replace Brent Sutter upon his firing. [Matchsticks and Gasoline]
• Adam Proteau on Colin Campbell's resignation: "You needn't be a longtime observer of the NHL to know the rulebook isn't called to the letter. We all know that if you're a third- or fourth-liner and you throw an elbow at an opponent, you'll be judged by a much harsher standard than you would be if you're an elbow-throwing top talent such as Dany Heatley." [THN]
• As part of the Vancouver Canucks' "spot the fake" campaign, what a real and a fake fighting strap looks like. Always ask to see the strap, people. Always. [Canucks]
• Congrats to Terry Jones and Mickey Redmond for their Hall of Fame honors. [Slam]
• The Kurtenblog tries to figure out if Game 1 was awesome or lame. We vote 'lawesome.' [Kurtenblog]
• Because no story in the Stanley Cup Final can be over-covered, here is a history of hockey biting. [CBC Sports]
• Boston Bruins vs. Vancouver Canucks: "a handy, scientific, with-actual-numbers-and-everything breakdown of which team's fanbase is better." [Cupcheck]
• Giggy at the crossroads. [CP]
• Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have signed defenseman Justin Weller to an entry level contract. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. [Coyotes]
• The New Jersey Devils today signed defenseman Brandon Burlon to an entry-level contract. The announcement was made by Devils' President/CEO/General Manager Lou Lamoriello. As per club policy, no further terms were disclosed. [Devils]
• The Buffalo Sabres have announced the signing of defenseman Mark Pysyk, their 2010 first-round draft pick, to a three-year entry level deal. Guess what? No terms! [Sabres]
• Daniel and Henrik Sedin in "The Shining" equals nightmare fuel. [Wicked Good Sports Blog]
• Finally, please remember that Daniel comes before Henrik.