Puck Headlines: Kane talks Wings hate; how Canes ruin playoffs

Here are your Evening 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.

• Just a word of thanks for a killer week here on Puck Daddy. Great conversations, participation and that dopey Bruins fan Photoshop fun. Please check out our finals previews and other goodies over the weekend. Again, as always, thanks for reading.

• Patrick Kane(notes) of the Chicago Blackhawks explains his hatred for Detroit sports team, including the Detroit Red Wings. It actually has something to do with Pat Verbeek. Hate comes naturally when you're dealing with a Little Ball of it. [Detroit News]

• Now, when you read a headline that says "The Carolina Hurricanes Are Ruining The 2009 Playoffs," you might think it's a snide attack on an unworthy team amongst the final four for the Stanley Cup. But in reality, columnist Dan Kelley's piece is a celebration of the defiant spirit of the Canes in ruining several storylines and bucking several trends on their way to the conference finals. So it's a bit of a switcheroo, you see. [Bleacher Report]

• The Forechecker with another dazzling bit of stats wizardry: Eric Staal(notes) of the Hurricanes and brother Jordan Staal(notes) of the Pittsburgh Penguins lead the NHL in the postseason for "penalties plus/minus" at a plus-6. The entire spreadsheet is revealing; Ryan Getzlaf(notes) of the Anaheim Ducks and Joni Pitkanen(notes) of the Canes are both at a minus-7. Good stuff. [On The Forecheck]

• Former Nashville Predators "local" owner William (Boots) Del Biaggio III faces six years in prison after pleading guilty for fraud. [CP]

• Speaking of unqualified NHL owners, here's how Gary Bettman's application process works. [Globe & Mail]

• Just when you think things have hit rock bottom for the Vancouver Canucks, here comes singer Michael Buble to say that he was "disgusted" with their semifinal loss and to dump on Roberto Luongo(notes): "They absolutely should trade him if his answer to staying with the Canuck is, well, whatever, I want to go to the team that has the best chance. I don't know if that is the guy you want to be your captain, that is for sure. I don't know that he should be the captain next year." If only he had crooned the previous statement ... [Vancouver Sun]

• The 10 reasons why Roberto Luongo should stay a Canuck. [Nucks Misconduct]

• Jim Balsillie announces that Labatt Breweries and Home Hardware are the first "anchor corporate partners" to support his bid to bring the Phoenix Coyotes to southern Ontario. The City of Glendale, meanwhile, has announced the Chico's Bail Bonds is sponsoring their effort to keep the team. [AP]

• Steven Stamkos(notes) said the confidence Tampa Bay Lightning Coach Rick Tocchet is showing in him will be a key for his sophomore season. More importantly, The Hockey News is doing some cool new video work and that's only a good thing for puckheads. [THN]

• Carolina Hurricanes Coach Paul Maurice seems to indicate that the Boston Bruins had it too easy during the regular season in comparison with the Canes' grind: "If you go and take a look back at the 1-goal games that we've been in, we were in those games from January on, maybe earlier than that.  That mentality, you get used to it, you get to live in it." [Sports Radio Interviews]

• Like many Bruins fans, Stanley Cup of Chowder is looking for another bandwagon to leap onto for the finals. [Chowder]

• Doug Weight(notes) talks about his decision to stay with the New York Islanders, and how life changes for the franchise with the No. 1 pick in the draft. [NHL]

• Minor League hockey returns to Lafayette, Louisiana. [KATC]

• A Q&A with Gordie Howe. Yes, please. [SI]

• Finally, YouTube sensation Jefflered posted this rather amazing music video about the Toronto Maple Leafs from an old VHS tape. From the East Coast to the West, the Leafs are the best. Get ready to hum this all weekend. And then vomit. Bye!