Getty ImagesJordan Staal could be a No. 1 center in over a dozen NHL cities right now. Instead, he's like Bill Hader on SNL: Brilliantly talented, the glue that holds sketches together, but rarely in the spotlight save for Stefon on "Weekend Update" because Andy Samberg and Kristen Wiig get all the airtime.

(Evgeni Malkin in this case being Kristin Wiig; Sidney Crosby being Andy Samberg, as Lindsay Lohan informed us earlier in the season.)

Staal has one year left on his current deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and rumors are that he wants more responsibility (re: ice time, offensive chances) with the team. Rumors were also that he could join his brother Eric with the Carolina Hurricanes, or potentially be moved elsewhere this summer.

But Dave Molinari of the Post-Gazette spoke to GM Ray Shero, and he hopes to re-sign Staal and Sidney Crosby to extensions this summer:

Sidney Crosby and Jordan Staal have one year left on their contracts, and Evgeni Malkin has two. Negotiations with Crosby and Staal can't begin until July 1, so there's no way of knowing precisely what they'll be asking for, but Shero reiterated that his goal is to retain all three.

"I'd like to do that, if possible," he said. "We're looking at hopefully getting extensions with [Crosby and Staal]."

While it is conceivable that Staal, the team's No. 3 center, might want to play elsewhere so he can fill a more offense-oriented role, he apparently has not said anything of the sort to the Penguins. Asked if any of the top three centers had expressed a desire to move, Shero responded, "Absolutely not."

The key issue in bringing Staal back will be the money he's seeking.

Can the Coyotes rally? Are the Devils done? Did the Blue Jackets make the right coaching call? And who takes over the Capitals, Canadiens and Flames?

Please join us beginning at NOON ET/9 a.m. PT today for our weekly chat that includes a revolving door of panelists like Lyle (Spector) Richardson of Spector's Hockey and Katie Baker of Grantland; as well as your friendly neighborhood knuckleheads from Yahoo! Sports, Puck Daddy and Buzzing The Net.

You bring the funny; we bring the abrupt changes in tone and Hamburger Women. That's how it works:

Getty Images"The risk these players are willing to take game after game, shift after shift is worthy of adulation." — Larry Brooks, NY Post, May 7

"They're hot at blocking shots. We might be able to hurt a few guys [by] hitting one-timers in the foot and their head or something." — Marty Brodeur via Larry Brooks, May 16

Shot blocking in the NHL has its perils. Sure, the overly padded players of today can lay out their bodies with reckless abandon, turning aside point blasts from opponents and then quickly transitioning to offense. But there are less protected areas: Like the foot, as James van Riemsdyk will tell you; like the face, as Daniel Paille will tell you.

As Larry Brooks wrote last week, these brave New York Rangers that are throwing their bodies in front of pucks to the tune of 19 blocked shots per game are worthy of our adulation, but are also taking an inherent risk. Like, for example, an opponent blasting a puck off their noggin or feet as they're in a prone position.

That Brodeur wouldn't suggest this could happen … my goodness, clutch the pearls, NY Post! It's like the Queen of Hearts declared 'off with their heads!' From Brooks:

Even worse, there were Devils yesterday who actually seemed willing to debate whether this different kind of headhunting might be a legitimate tactic to discourage shot-blocking, though none would suggest it ever could be or ever would be adopted by New Jersey's team.

Still, the seed has been planted. When a pitcher who muses about brushing someone back nails a batter in the head, the presumption of innocence has been forfeited, the purpose having been advertised. What now would be the response from the Rangers, forget for the moment from the NHL, if a shot off a Devil's stick went awry, as in right into the face a Blueshirts defender?

First off, Brooks rightly points out that Marty's a bit of a hypocrite here. In 2003, Brodeur accused defenseman Pavel Kubina of the Tampa Bay Lightning of intentionally shooting at the head of Scott Stevens. Now, he appears to advocate for the same thing. Even in jest.

Let's not pretend that this doesn't happen already — that when a player has had his shot blocked four or five times in a game, he doesn't put a little extra mustard on the sixth attempt with an opponent sliding in front of him. Because he does.

But essentially what Brooks is arguing here is that onus is on the shooter, rather than the player hurling himself into the line of fire to deflect a speeding piece of frozen rubber, when it comes to player safety. So much for adulation for risk -- like other facets of player safety, apparently the players putting himself in harm's way must be protected at all costs.

Worry not about the Rangers. The Devils told the NY Post yesterday that they aren't planning to intentionally injure them with shots to the face.

Not a Real SI CoverThe National Hockey League has appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated — either the main mag or on a commemorative issue — 114 times, according to the SI Vault archive. Sometimes, it was a quick mention on a cover story dedicated to Tiger Woods another sports story. Other times, hockey was given the spotlight.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs have been featured around 35 times, including Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers on a striking cover from April 2012. While some weren't exactly iconic, they all had their charms.

Here are the 10 best Sports Illustrated Stanley Cup Playoff covers.

How many times has Dewayne Hankins been called "classless" during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs?

"Yes … oh, gosh, a million times," he said. "It's so funny what people throw around as classless. But it's all in good fun. You're stirring up your fan base."

Also funny: That those hockey fans on Twitter don't even know it's Dewayne Hankins who is drawing their ire. "They chirp us. We tweet back. And then they tell us how much they love us," he said. "They think it's the Kings talking to them."

Hankins (@DewayneHankins) is the director of digital media for the Los Angeles Kings. Along with digital media coordinator Pat Donahue (@patatack), they run the @LAKings Twitter feed that's become a sensation during the postseason. The Kings had around 70,000 followers when the playoffs began. Thanks to sarcastic, intentionally outrageous messages mixed with practical information about ticket sales and viewing parties, they're well over 110,000 followers after two rounds.

Along with the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Kings have reinvented the way an official feed can be utilized — not just for information, but to develop a unique voice that connects with the fan base, while playfully taunting others.

Like, for example, Vancouver Canucks fans, with the tweet that will live in infamy.

GettyAmong Elliotte Friedman's "30 Thoughts" this week on CBC Sports: That Todd McLellan, embattled coach of the San Jose Sharks, has already been told he'll return to coach the team in 2012-13:

Doug Wilson apparently told Todd McLellan three days after the season ended that the Sharks' bench boss was staying. Odd that there's been no announcement, but it sounds like there is a debate about assistant coaches.

McLellan would fight hard for his guys, but the discussion appears to be about adding someone who had a lengthy NHL career.

Last week, we mentioned Bryan Marchment as a possible contender. Mike Ricci might be another as both already work for the organization. Would McLellan, though, want to go "off the board" and recruit a former Red Wing?

Kevin Kurz of Sharks Insider confirms that it's "become a virtual certainty McLellan will return" to San Jose next season, and throws scout Dirk Graham's name into the hopper for a potential assistant coach.

From CSN Bay Area:

The Sharks are expected

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.

• All of this has happened before, and will happen again. (via reader Jon Ward)

• Dave Tippett on the keys to Game 2: "First and foremost, if you're not willing to jump in and win a few more one-on-one battles, then the tactical stuff you might as well throw out the window." [AZ Central]

• Alex Semin on Dale Hunter Hockey: "The whole year it was up-and-down, we win a game, we lose a game. By the time we got to playoffs, the team finally understood how to play the game he wanted, defense first, no mistakes, blocking shots, all five guys together. But during the regular season, intensity is not the same as in the playoffs. In postseason, every goal is worth its weight in gold." [Russian Machine]

• What on earth did Alex Ovechkin mean about jealousy in the Capitals' locker room? [Puck Drunk Love]

• Larry Robinson will not be heading to Montreal: "Devils assistant coach and 2000 Cup-winning head coach Larry Robinson vehemently ripped a report suggesting he is interested in joining the new Montreal regime, saying that comments attributed to an agent, whom he called a friend, were five years old and that there has been no such contact or interest." [NY Post]

• Raffi Torres will watch Gary Bettman deny his appeal on Thursday. [Sportsnet]

• Oh, it only the Coyotes had moved to Winnipeg; then it would be the Jets making this run in the Western Conference. [QMI]

• Elliotte Friedman, on Dale Hunter Hockey: "This is where I strongly disagree with statistical analysis, which mocked Hunter's system as being terrible for puck possession and, therefore, determined he was coaching a style that allowed opponents to control the game. This is one where numbers don't tell anything close to the real story. They played hard, they played together and I would've liked to see how things evolved over the offseason. If it's decided that the team must go in a different direction, there are going to be some very unhappy players. It's a delicate balance for McPhee." [CBC]

Getty ImagesMontreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin has a few things on his plate this summer.

He wants to re-up with PK Subban on a new deal. He has Carey Price headed to RFA status this summer, after making $5.5 million in his last deal. And, of course, he needs to hire a head coach.

Bob McKenzie of TSN whet the appetite on Monday night by reporting that the Habs are "in the process of touching base with potential head coach candidates including Michel Therrien, Guy Carbonneau, Marc Crawford, Bob Hartley, etc."

Michel Therrien (190 games as Habs coach, 2000-03) and Guy Carbonneau (230 games as Habs coach, 2006-09)? Canadiens fans like BK were lobbying for a complete break from the Gainey/Gauthier era:

What the Habs need is electroshock therapy. That's why they also need a coach who didn't work with the ancien regime. So forget Alain Vigneault, Michel Therrien, and Guy Carbonneau.

Yet two of the three could be candidates, and the third would be had the Vancouver Canucks cut him loose. Brian Stubits of Eye on Hockey thinks this is a symptom of the language requirements of the position:

If you want proof that the ability to speak French is paramount to be coach of the Habs, look no further than the inclusion of Therrien. He has already done the Montreal thing once and was canned after 2 1/2 seasons. He then last 3 1/2 seasons in Pittsburgh. Yes, he did lead them to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2008, but he was fired midseason the next year when the team was struggling and was replaced by Dan Bylsma, who guided the Penguins to the championship.

Carbonneau has earned an endorsement from Dave Stubbs of The Gazette, although a proposed reunion with Larry Robinson seems unlikely. The theory is that he's better prepared to handle the Montreal media circus than he was in the first go-round.

Bob Hartley's an understandable candidate — veteran coach, with a Cup ring, although one imagines the Calgary Flames will come calling. But what about Marc Crawford?