AHL gets drug testing program; Szabados re-signs in SPHL; Kesler wears short-shorts for ALS (Puck Headlines)

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.

• Nicklas Backstrom finally received his silver medal from the 2014 Olympics. Backstrom was set to go for Sweden in the gold medal game against Canada until he was disqualified by testing positive for a banned substance - Zyrtec D. It's an allergy medication. [RMNB]

• Third and final part of BSH's interview with Flyers GM Ron Hextall. They talk fancy stats, importance of the AHL team, and Hextall's relationship Chris Chelios (after fighting him years ago). [Broadstreet Hockey]

• More Flyers: new center Ryan White tore his left pectoralis muscle in an off-season workout, and underwent successful surgery. There is no timetable for his return. [Philadelphia Flyers]

• The AHL is implementing a drug testing program, and it will be administered by the same folks who run the NHL's program. Guess the 'honor system' is no longer good enough in the minors. [ProHockey Talk]

• Last year Team Canada goalie Shannon Szabados made headlines by becoming the first female to play in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). Szabados has been re-upped by her team, the Columbus Cottonmouths, for another season. [Columbus Cottonmouths]

• USA Hockey was not pleased that its logo was featured in a campaign ad for U.S. Senate candidate Mike McFadden (R-MN). The ad has since been removed. [Star Tribune]

• Here's a list of the Top 5 Overrated NHL Players as ranked by THW. Surely the list won't enrage anyone at all. [The Hockey Writers]

• Sportsnet fills out its talent lineup for the upcoming season with familiar names from CBC. Rogers gigantic television deal with the NHL caused a huge shakeup within Canadian sports media; most notably, taking away control of the iconic brand Hockey Night in Canada from CBC. [Kukla's Korner]

• If anyone says you're on the computer too much, just tell them you're brushing up on your goalie skills. You see, goalie coaches aren't readily available in beautiful San Diego, California. So, Team USA (U18) and Boston College goaltender, Thatcher Demko, who comes from the classiest city in the world, used the internet and DVDs to refine his talent. [World Junior 2015]

• Put as much stock into this as you'd like, NBC's Dan Patrick talks relocation (Carolina and Arizona), and expansion of the NHL. Big fan of DP, but hockey is not something he covers often on his simulcast morning show. [ProHockey Talk]

• To keep the expansion circus going, here's a look at the arenas teams could play in. [Sports Illustrated]

• Pundits keep telling Jets players they're going to be crappy this season. Captain Andrew Ladd hears all the talk and hopes the team uses it to their advantage, "I think as a group we can use it as motivation to tell each other that no one's really giving us a chance and there's nothing wrong with that." [Winnipeg Free Press]

• Five questions facing the Kings this season, and their captain is one of them. [NHL]

• NBC Sports group will air 25 college hockey games this season on TV and through other media outlets. Notre Dame has 12 games on the broadcast schedule. This shouldn't be a surprise given NBC's relationship with the ND football program. [Broadway World]

• Sonny Milano was drafted by the Plymouth Whalers (OHL) in 2012, and he'll be joining them this upcoming season after de-commiting from Boston College. There has been speculation that Columbus, who drafted Milano in 2014, would be inking an entry-level deal to join the big club, but it turns out he hasn't even been approached by the Jackets. [MiHockeyNow]

• Scott Gomez won't be the only aging vet looking to The Lou for work in the fall, Tomas Kaberle is likely to tryout at Devils camp as well. Kaberle spent last season in the Czech League. [Fire and Ice]

• Finally, it's a few days old, but here is new Anaheim Duck Ryan Kesler taking the ice bucket challenge. It is not only awesome, it is slightly NSFW if your work discourages men in tight, short shorts. [YouTube]