Puck Headlines: Player poll supports hit-to-head penalty

Here are your Morning Early Afternoon 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.

• TSN conducts a headshot penalty poll: "Of 33 NHL players who responded to the question, 'would you support a penalty for hits to the head,' 27 voted yes, five players voted no and one player said more research is required." What kind of penalty (major or minor or both)? Didn't say. Who are these players (undersized forwards, huge defensemen, goalies)? Didn't say. It's all about context in this debate, because different players have different motivations. If 27 of these players were small forwards who get knocked around like pinballs in the corners ... yeah, no wonder it turned out like this. [TSN]

• Some interesting Hockey Hall of Fame debates, including Dino Ciccarelli, Doug Gilmour and Chris Osgood of the Detroit Red Wings. Ciccarelli out and Mike Gartner in remains an offense to the Hockey Gods. [Snapshots]

• Uh, we'll just let the headline speak for itself: "Woman collapses at Blackhawks game, dies; mother died attending Hawks game in 1986." [Chicago Tribune]

• Bruce Boudreau says there's no goalie controversy with the Washington Capitals about as often as he starts Brent Johnson. [Capitals Insider]

Calgary Flames star Jarome Iginla is struggling, and Kent has a theory: "Iginla is getting 'Tanguay'd' by Keenan so far: so-so linemates, tough competition." Something to watch, for sure. [Five Hole Fanatics]

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• Former ESPN hockey and current NESN announcer Jack Edwards goes full-on WWE screamer during that Steve Ott fight against the Boston Bruins. "Ott takes a weakling's, coward's way out!" really isn't all that far removed from, "By god, that's KANE'S MUSIC!" [Puck The Media]

• Former Philadelphia Flyers forward Patrick Thoresen is enjoying his time playing for Swiss Nationalliga team HC Lugano. We're guessing this is due to the fact that no one on the other team has slap-shot a puck to the twig and berries again. Yet. [Meltzer]

• Barry Melrose reveals that New Jersey Devils fans adore him. "I had them eating out of my hand last year if you remember correctly. They love me. Probably a lot of them will have Melrose jerseys on tonight." [Fire & Ice]

• Seems as though Los Angeles Kings fans are fed up with "Rinkside View." [Inside the Kings]

• Better power-play conversion means more goals. More goals mean more lead changes. More lead changes mean entertaining hockey. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate and hate leads to suffering. Mike Chen has it all figured out, doesn't he? [Fox Sports]

• The David Frost trial is a reminder that there are some twisted individuals preying on young players. [Two for Elbowing]

• Peter Laviolette is now one win away from being the most successful U.S.-born coach of all time. [Red and Black Hockey]

• Trying to connect the Edmonton Oilers carrying three goalies to the Martin Brodeur injury. [CBC Sports]

Janne Niskala of the Tampa Bay Lightning cleared waivers and will be reassigned to a team in Finland. We don't want to say the Bolts are being run like a fantasy team, but this is ... what, their 47th player transaction on defense since July? [Lightning Strikes]

• Ukraine not weak, wants 2014 ice hockey championship tourney. [Magic Triangle]

• Finally, you just don't see all that many compilations of big Pee-Wee hockey checks. Especially ones that focus on a single player. Keep your head on a swivel around No. 14, boys.

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