Here are your Weekend 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.
• Montreal Canadiens forward Tom Kostopoulos received a major for boarding last night, on a hit that will put Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mike Van Ryn on the shelf for a month with multiple injuries. TSN reports that the NHL is going to look into the hit, and potential additional punishment. Take a look at the hit (video) and decide for yourself. Another nasty play by Andrei Kostitsyn on Luke Schenn had the Leafs angry after their 6-3 win. Violence aside, Toronto Star columnist Damien Cox said last night's tilt was "a game of blinding speed, terrific offensive imagination, heavy hitting and a tinge of bad blood."
• For some reason, Yahoo!'s box score has the Leafs winning 10-3 with five goals in the first period. [Yahoo! Sports]
• The two extremes of Larry Brooks in the NY Post: A sensible discussion of the New York Rangers' pursuit of a compensatory pick for the loss of Alexei Cherepanov, followed by a source-less rumor that the Leafs are trying to trade Jeff Finger. [NY Post]
• Jacques Lemaire laughs at the Vancouver media for not writing about the joy-killing Canucks' trap hockey. [Star Tribune]
• The Florida Panthers are "a mess" and Coach Peter DeBoer looks "more dejected by the day." Good thing we gave away those tickets yesterday ... [On Frozen Pond]
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• A must-read column from Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe, in defense of marketing violence and fighting in the NHL. "The Lords of the Boards have a decision to make here in the US, one that the economic recession may finally force them to face. They can keep perpetrating NHL Lite, which is nothing other than a tricked-out and expensive version of US college hockey, right down to pulling out the red line. It sells OK in some US cities, and it plods along on national TV, registering minuscule numbers on Versus and NBC, just as it did on ESPN." Preach on, brother! [Boston Globe]
• Marian Hossa discusses his departure from the Pittsburgh Penguins, as his former team comes to visit the Detroit Red Wings this week. "You can see the passion in that town. But on the other hand, when a person has a chance to make his own decision, I was looking for my own decision and I had to make a choice. There was nothing against the fans in Pittsburgh. Hopefully, they understand." (By the way: Live Blog on Tuesday night. Tell a friend.) [Post-Gazette, at bottom]
• The Washington Capitals are planning a video tribute to former goalie Olaf Kolzig when the Tampa Bay Lightning come to town on Monday. Coach Bruce Boudreau: "I hope if he's starting [the fans] give him the round of applause I think he deserves and the recognition he deserves." [Capitals Insider]
• The much-heralded John Tavares is now the No. 3 rated prospect for next year's draft, according to the chief scout for North American Central Scouting. [THN]
• Glenn Anderson and Igor Larionov, on the eve of their Hockey Hall of Fame inductions. Anderson's nickname was "Mork?" [Globe & Mail]
• Puck the Media celebrates Doc Emrick, who will also join the Hall of Fame this week. "There simply aren't many with the man's gift." For screaming "BIG DRIVE!" [Puck the Media]
• Bruce "Malkin to the Kings" Garrioch sees Kari Lehtonen, Ondrej Pavelec and Johan Hedberg sharing time with the Atlanta Thrashers, and assumes one will be traded. And yet the Devils aren't mentioned. Huh. [Ottawa Sun]
• Los Angeles Kings blogger Matt Murray takes offense to The Fourth Period's choice of a Kings model for its Ice Girls calendar. "The best they could come up with is a model who looks like she's better equipped standing in front of a hopped-up Mazda with a bad dye job and a lackluster rack?" Yowzer. [Life in Hockeywood]
• Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Mike Commodore is still answering questions about making it rain on himself. [Sun Media]
• We've been negligent in linking to the awesomely weird Bacon Yada on Pension Plan Puppets. Hockey tribute videos shall never be the same. [PPP]
• Covered in Oil, the blog involved in the infamous dust-up with the Edmonton Oilers, sees another blogger go on an indefinite hiatus. Sad times for one of the first stars of the Oilogosphere. [Covered in Oil]
• Finally, The Sidney Crosby Show had this video of Tyler Kennedy getting cream-pied after the Penguins' shootout win against the Islanders.
