Getty ImagesDon Cherry's rant regarding the dearth of Ontario-born players on the Toronto Maple Leafs' roster had some impeccable timing. The following morning, Patrick Burke would unveil his wonderful, new 'You Can Play' campaign, and its simple but progressive central message:

"If you can play, you can play."

To my mind, it just wasn't the right time for Cherry to be instigating a controversy surrounding how an inconsequential, unnchangeable aspect of a player's identity makes him more or less deserving of a spot on a hockey team.

Of course, there is no right time. But that's what Cherry did: Railing on Brian Burke's seeming penchant for American-born players and comparing it to the makeup of some of the league's best teams, suggesting that Ontarian-lessness was standing between them and the playoffs.

Now I'd just like to tell ya … there's more people that come from Ontario hockey, players come from Ontario than any other place in the world … Vancouver has four. Pittsburgh has six. St. Louis. Beautiful team. Surprise team. Nine! Last year, Boston had seven from Ontario, this year they have nine. Chicago won it in 2010 and they had seven.

"Every team in the National Hockey League has a guy from Ontario except one. GUESS WHO IT IS?! IT'S ONTARIO'S TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS. Now, if you want American college guys. If you want Americans, you got the team. It's the only organization in the world, in Canada, that cheers when Canada loses. It's an absolute shame. There's 40,000 kids in the GTHL. … This guy has none!

This is worse than nonsense -- it's subtly prejudiced nonsense.

Where a player is from should have no bearing on whether or not he (or she, dammit) should be playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Only skill should.

On Wednesday, Zdeno Chara and Tyler Seguin's leaping bro-mance topped hockey hugs, leading me to express some jealousy at Seguin's good fortune. Frankly, leaping into the arms of the Boston Bruins' giant captain -- hockey's equivalent of being scooped up by the Iron Giant -- just looks like a good time.

But I'll tell you what doesn't look like a good time: the reverse scenario. As much glee as one might be able to derive from throwing oneself into Zdeno Chara like the walls of a Slovakian bouncy castle, having Zdeno Chara throw himself into you seems much less enjoyable. This is a lesson Washington Capitals' forward Marcus Johansson, as well as the shattered glass behind him, learned firsthand Saturday.

Seriously, Johansson is lucky that was the glass and not his bones.

The hit came just under 10 minutes into the first period of a game the Capitals were leading 2-0. They would go on to win the game 4-3.

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No. 1 Star: Ilya Kovalchuk, New Jersey Devils

Kovalchuk scored a goal in every period as the New Jersey Devils ran over the New York Islanders in a 5-1 victory. The hat trick gave Kovalchuk 4 goals in his last 2 games after going 9 games without, but just prior to that drought, he had registered a hat trick, so he actually has 7 goals in his last 11 games. How's that for a misleading stat?

No. 2 Star: Ilya Bryzgalov, Philadelphia Flyers

Bryzgalov made a HuMANgous big 28 saves in the Flyers' 5-0 rout over the Florida Panthers, causing the same fans that were booing him a month ago to start chanting "Bryz! Bryz! Bryz!" (Only one syllable for now. Baby steps.) It was Philadelphia's 5th straight win in Bryzgalov's 10th straight start. Claude Giroux and Danny Briere had two assists apiece.

Back by popular demand, here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

The Royal Half• The Royal Half compares Carters acquired by Los Angeles at the trade deadline.

Preview: Buffalo Sabres at Boston Bruins, 7 p.m. ET

The Sabres/ Bruins season series has been an entertaining one all year, and this game should be no different. The Sabres are rolling, with only 4 regulation losses in their last 19 games. They've moved into a tie for 9th place in the East. Furthermore, they've won the last two versus Boston. However, the Bruins are a grumpy bunch right now and they've won the physical battle against the Sabres more often than not in this series. With both Paul Gaustad and Zack Kassian gone, will they attempt to take out their frustrations an even softer Sabres team? Could be fun times.

Preview: Los Angeles Kings at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m. ET

Jeff Carter is back in Columbus for the first time, but there's no need for Blue Jacket fans to worry about him burning them for any big goals: as we all know by now, he shuts down once he crosses the state line into Ohio. Still, the fans should be in full-on jeer mode Thursday night, especially after all of them have exchanged their Carters for Johnsons. But there's more on the line than just making Carter look silly: both teams are protecting winning streaks, as the Jackets have won 4 straight and the Kings are looking to reach that same number with a victory.

GettyLet's be honest: Jeff Carter's eight months as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets were disastrous. Rather than unite with Rick Nash, giving the team's star power winger a big, formidable running mate, Carter sulked until he was released, like a cat on a leash.

While Carter eventually yielded a top-pairing defender in Jack Johnson, Ohio hockey fans can be forgiven for wishing to erase his brief stay from memory entirely. This is an action that the Blue Jackets' organization is more than happy to support, judging from the promotion they'll be running Thursday night:

They'll also help you burn your ex-boyfriend's black t-shirt

In addition to turning your spirit of heaviness into the garment of praise, the Blue Jackets will turn your ashes and mourning into beauty and oil of joy.

It makes sense. Carter looked to be a Blue Jacket for the next decade -- there were probably many fans that sunk good money into his jersey thinking it could be forever, only to see it become the wedding band from a failed marriage in less than a year. This is some serious hockey therapy.

As a convenient aside, Carter returns to Columbus tonight with the Los Angeles Kings for the first time.

So tear off the duct tape, disgruntled Columbus hockey fan. The Blue Jackets will gladly upgrade your DIY alterations to the real thing, because they're just as eager to mindwipe the Jeff Carter era as you are.

More NHL news from Yahoo! Sports:

reimermask

• James Reimer's new mask takes advantage of that awesome Optimus Reim nickname he's got going for him. [InGoal]

• Bobby Ryan talks about his future in Anaheim: "My next step ultimately would be to break away from Getz and Pears. I think we've had chemistry. But at some point,  you're going to have to prepare for life after Teemu [Selanne]. I'd like to fill into that role and have that second line be built. I think I can step into Teemu's role. I think I can put up 35 to 40 goals year in and year out." [OC Register]

• Anaheim Calling finds Ryan's comments disturbing. [Anaheim Calling]

• Joffrey Lupul will miss 3 to 4 weeks with a shoulder injury. On the bright side, he should be ready for the playoffs the Leafs now likely won't make.  [The Globe & Mail]

• Also on the bright side, the Maple Leafs get rookie goalie Brad Thiessen in their visit to Pittsburgh. He'll make his second NHL start for the Penguins Wednesday night. [Post-Gazette]

• Speaking of desperate goaltending situations, Marty Turco has cleared waivers. "It felt good and more than anything it was good to be back on the ice under the bright lights and with NHL players, never mind the Boston Bruins," said Turco. [Boston Herald]

• One more thing the Minnesota Wild do not need: "Cal Clutterbuck" and "concussion symptoms" in the same sentence. [Star-Tribune]

• Meanwhile, Brandon Dubinsky suffered an injury in a fight with Ryan Carter, but it's not a concussion. It's a sinus issue. [NY Daily News]

• Michael Farber on Erik Karlsson. [SI]

Hockey Hugs is a feature that celebrates the best in hugging from around the NHL, because who doesn't love a good hug now and then? Seen a particularly good hug photo lately? Send it to puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or tweet @HarrisonMooney.

New Jersey Devils hockey hug (Getty)

Welcome once again to hockey hugs, the segment that touches on touching touching, celebrates celebrations, and embraces the embrace.

Hurricanes hockey hug (Jamie Kellner)One thing I love about this feature is that it gives the game's lesser lights a chance to shine. Sure, most hockey writing is going to focus on the stars of the game, what they have to say, and what they've done, but when it comes to hockey hugs, there's no bias towards the stars, because the hug is the star.

For instance, Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise are probably one of the league's best scoring duos. And they've put together a sublime little snuggle up top.

But when it comes to hugs, Carolina Hurricanes' defencemen Bryan Allen and Justin Faulk can cuddle with the best of them. No doubt, these two can't put the puck in the net with the aplomb of the New Jersey Devils' top line, but they're perpetrating some top of the line squeezin', I tell you what.

Allen and Faulk's hug photo gets extra points, by the way, for the woman with the fork sticking out of her mouth just above them.

And yet, not enough points to get into the top 5. We've got some great hugs this week.

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David Moss and Chris Campoli do the chicken dance.

No. 1 Star: Mike Ribeiro, Dallas Stars

Ribeiro scored on both shots he took and picked up an assist as the Stars stuck it to the Vancouver Canucks, 5-2, pushing Dallas's record in their last 8 games to 7-0-1. Ribeiro's shot on this 2-on-1 is just ridiculous. Look where he puts it:

No. 2 Star: Jordan Caron, Boston Bruins

Tyler Seguin scored twice, but he may have been overshadowed by another sophomore  in Caron, who had 2 goals and an assist in the Bruins' 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was a wide-open game, proof that Randy Carlyle still has some work to do getting this team to do the tighten up.