The IIHF world championships are a way for NHL players who have been eliminated from the playoffs to continue playing while representing their country. Like any international tournament, these players run the risk of suffering some kind of catastrophic injury in an exhibition game.

With that, watch Eric Staal of Team Canada in excruciating pain after a knee-on-knee collision with Vancouver Canucks defenseman Alex Edler of Team Sweden on Thursday in Helsinki:

You can also watch the clip on Vine.

After writhing on the ice for a few moments, the Carolina Hurricanes captain was helped to the back by his teammates.

This reverse angle from TSN’s coverage gives some clarity. There’s no effort to avoid the hit as Staal attempts to backhand the puck. But it may have just been a case where the two players were both in unfortunately positions. Edler's not known for his dirty play, for what it's worth. But from a certain angle, that sure didn't look like anything but an attempt to take out Staal.

High-school yearbook photos are, by design, super awkward. They capture the gawkiest phases of our lives, and offer a time capsule for whatever inane references or personal messages (K.I.T. T.T.Y.L. B.F.F.) seemed relevant to us at that moment.

Via Toucher and Rich on 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston, here’s what New York Rangers Coach John Tortorella’s Concord-Carlisle High School yearbook photo looked like:

Wait, so no leather jacket or kicking a jukebox with Potsie and Richie? So confused …

So he went by “Tort” rather than “Torts” back then. And he wanted Dooley’s job (he got Renney’s job). And he enjoyed “Saturday Night Live”. And, apparently, bathroom brawls – wonder if they were staged? Also, WHERE IS MUSKY?!?!

WHDH 7 News explored John Tortorella: The High School Years. From WHDH:

Tortorella’s name is etched in a plaque in the high school’s hall of fame. Dick Kerr was a young teacher in 1976 when Tortorella graduated. His nickname was Tort and he was captain of the hockey team.

“He’s a spunky guy as we know…my understanding from the people that know him is that he’s always been like that. He’s a hard-nosed competitor,” said Kerr, the Concord-Carlisle High School lacrosse coach.

Meanwhile, we’ve also acquired this high-school yearbook photo of Claude Julien:

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It's a Thursday edition of Marek vs. Wyshynski beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, and we're talking about the following and more:

Special Guest Star: Jesse Spector of The Sporting News joins us to talk NHL playoffs.

• Recapping Red Wings/Blackhawks and/or "Star Trek Into Darkness."

• Maybe Alex Ovechkin is just a loser.

• Breaking down the Lady Byng, and its many virtues.

Question of the Day: Give us one NHL Award that doesn't exist but should. Email puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or hit us on Twitter with the hashtag #MvsW to @wyshynski and @jeffmarek.

Click here for the Sportsnet live stream or click the play button above! Click here to download podcasts from the show each day. Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or Feedburner.

GettyThere are very few coaches that a team could hire and expect immediate positive results. The late Pat Burns was one of them. Ken Hitchcock is one of them. So is Dave Tippett, which is why his situation is one of the most fascinating of the postseason and/or off-season.

Tippett has made the playoffs in eight of 10 seasons as a head coach in the NHL. His system turned the Phoenix Coyotes into a playoff team in three of four seasons, under inconceivable conditions with the franchise’s ownership mess.

That mess has ridiculously spread into the middle of 2013. Tippett and GM Don Maloney have their contracts up this summer, and the coach struck an ominous tone in his postseason comments:

“The ownership situation has to play out before then. I’d like to stay with this group. But that being said, it just needs some stability.

"There will be a conclusion to it. Whether it’s with the ownership or my situation, there’s going to be a conclusion. There's gonna be some clarity to it one way or the other this year, because if it gets to July 1 and there's no owner, I'm without a contract. I'm gonna coach somewhere next year. I hope it's here. But I'm gonna coach somewhere next year. I hope.”

There are currently two openings in the NHL coaching ranks, both in the Western Conference: The Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche.

Would Tippett leave the Coyotes for one of them?

The NHL announced the finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy on Thursday, as right wing Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks, left wing Matt Moulson of the New York Islanders and right wing Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning are up for the award given “to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability” as voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.

GettyThis is the award given to the highest scorer with the fewest penalty minutes, or at least that’s the way it’s seemed for the last few seasons. As you all remember, defenseman Brian Campbell -- more on that in a second -- won the Lady Byng in 2011-12; alas, he had an elephantine 12 penalty minutes this season, so no repeat.

It’s a fairly worthless award, although Adam Proteau of The Hockey News made an interesting case on XM Radio the other day: That being a player who takes punishment but doesn’t take penalties in retaliation is a unique brand of toughness for an otherwise delicate award.

Of course, that speaks directly to why defenseman should be up for this award every season, and yet Campbell was the first D-man to win since 1954. But we digress …

Who wins the Byng this season?

In the second period of the Chicago Blackhawks’ Game 1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, Niklas Kornwall breathed heavily near the Detroit goal and the sheer force of his lungs knocked Marian Hossa to the ice, drawing a tripping penalty. Or so it would appear:

Red Wings blogger George Malik called Hossa out for this one, and as you’ll see on the post, so did Detroit coach Mike Babcock.

But here’s another thought: Hossa did dive … after the puck. He wasn’t necessarily looking to embellish on this play, based on the replays. He was making a lunging stab at the puck with his stick.

Either way, it was a terrible call, although one that didn’t directly influence the 4-1 final score.

What’s been your opinion of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs officiating? I’d give it a C-plus thus far, with the acknowledgement that Game 6 between the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals – the Rangers, facing elimination, weren’t shorthanded once in the game – smells the fishiest.

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It's a Wednesday edition of Marek vs. Wyshynski beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, and we're talking about the following and more:

Special Guest Star: Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago joins us to talk Blackhawks vs. Red Wings.

• Recapping the Game 1s in the semifinals.

• What's next for the Washington Capitals?

• Breaking down the Selke.

Question of the Day: Jeff and Greg are GOING POSTAL! Ask us anything today. And we mean anything. Email puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or hit us on Twitter with the hashtag #MvsW to @wyshynski and @jeffmarek.

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Getty ImagesARLINGTON, Va. – According to CapGeek, Mike Ribeiro is the top unrestricted free agent available this summer, after a season that saw the center score 49 points in 48 games for the Washington Capitals.

Alex Ovechkin said the team’s top priority is bringing Ribeiro back. Which is what you’d expect from a player who resurrected his game on the power play, speaking about a center that had 27 points on the man advantage.

“To hear it from him is nice,” said Ribeiro.

“He’s a powerful player. He can score. He’s a young player [who can still] learn a lot about the game, and how to play it.”

Ribeiro's previous contract was 5 years and $25 million. He made it clear on Tuesday that he’s seeking a four or five-year contract this summer, and that the term outweighs the money as far as importance to him. If Washington meets that term, he’d like to stay in DC.

“If I can stay in the city and retire here. It’s more about the kids. If I could stay in the city until they go to college,” he said.