Here are your Morning 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.
Reminder: Big pre-deadline rumors chat at 1 p.m. EST.
• Outstanding story from Peter Schrager of Fox Sports about one of the most infamous (and imitated) traditions in hockey: The "Potvin Sucks!" chant that's echoed through Madison Square Garden for 30 years. It covers the origins of the chant in the New York Islanders/New York Rangers rivalry, and even includes a few rare words from Denis Potvin himself about the chant: "I don't think it has anything to do with me anymore." [Fox Sports]
• The New Jersey Devils have officially activated Martin Brodeur from IR, paving the way for his triumphant return from injury Thursday night at home in front of literally hundreds of ecstatic fans. The other side of the coin: Since he didn't have to clear waivers but Kevin Weekes would have, Scott Clemmensen's big "thank you" for being the team's goalie/savior is a demotion to the AHL. [Star Ledger and Fire & Ice]
• Could Keith Tkachuk help the Boston Bruins? Better question: How did we just post the last two items without a single fat joke? [Stanley Cup of Chowder]
• Is Vincent Lecavalier injured, and if so what does it mean for the Tampa Bay Lightning's playoff chances? [Lightning Strikes]
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• Can someone please send Steven Stamkos a teddy bear or a balloon or something? [Puck Update]
• In case you haven't heard, Yahoo! Sports and SB Nation -- home to some our favorite hockey blogs and bloggers -- have entered into a content-sharing partnership, which is bitchin' cool. SB Nation blog posts are going to be featured on NHL team pages, and we're really excited to rule the galaxy side-by-side see where this relationship is headed. If any SB Nation bloggers want to drop a line to say hey, we'd love to hear from ye.
• Puck Daddy took part in a roundtable on the Pittsburgh Penguins' approach to the trade deadline. Interesting stuff, as it appears most folks believe the U.S.S. Hal Gill is going to set sail. [The Confluence]
• On paper, Antero Niittymaki appears to be running away with the Philadelphia Flyers starting goalie job. So why hasn't he won it yet? [Philly.com]
• Great coverage from Chris Botta about the New York Islanders' Lighthouse project and some positive developments in the Town of Hempstead. [NYI Point Blank]
• If you were at a Metallica/Guns'N'Roses/Faith No More concert, would Sergei Fedorov be about the last person you'd expect to bump into? Besides, like, Tipper Gore? [Japers' Rink]
• "Bitz! Bitz! Bitz! We want Bitz! We want Bitz!" [Boston Globe]
• USA TODAY hockey writer Kevin Allen predicts that the Anaheim Ducks will hold onto Chris Pronger at the deadline, mainly because they could get more value during the summer but also because it was be pretty much stupid to trade him. [USA TODAY]
• It's always fun to discover new penalties in the NHL, like Corey Perry did last night in Buffalo when he used his stick to sweep Jean-Sebastien Giguere's stick back to the goalie. [Ducks Blog]
• Buffalo News columnist Bucky Gleason believes that the Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets should partner up on a Tim Connolly trade: "Connolly alongside Rick Nash would be frightening with the big winger manning the left side and the right-handed center wheeling and dealing the way he can when healthy." Unavoidable emphasis ours. [Buffalo News]
• Finally, the biggest jobber in the NHL, David Koci, dropped the gloves last night and made Steve MacIntyre of the Edmonton Oilers look really good. Seriously, this dude is like Iron Mike Sharpe on skates.
