Carlyle extension fall-out; THoR says Sid, Ovi aren't the best; Cooke returns (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.

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Elliotte Friedman gives his and other coaches thoughts about Brendan Shanahan keeping Randy Carlyle around 'with strings attached'. [CBC Sports]

• Bruce Arthur poses the simple question, "What does it take to get fired by the Leafs?" [Toronto Star]

• The common consensus seems to be that Carlyle was kept on because there was no one better available. [Nick Cotsonika]

• "The two-year contract extension is a clear message to the players. They are being told Carlyle is no lame-duck coach; the contract security means he has the backing of management, so it’s his way or the highway." [Globe & Mail]

• Speaking of the Maple Leaf players, what's going to happen to them now that their coach is in place for the next few years? Will Joffrey Lupul become an Anaheim Duck for a third time?! Probably not, but that would be really funny. [The Hockey Writers]

• Fancy stats controversy! According to THoR (Total Hockey Rankings, not the God of Thunder) Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin aren't the best players in the NHL. [Washington Post]

• He's BAAAAAACK! Matt Moulson is out of the Minnesota Wild lineup due to a 'lower-body injury'. Perfect timing because Matt Cooke's suspension has ended. [Hockey Wilderness]

• Speaking of dangerous headshots (kidding, Wild fans). How should the Penguins address Marc Staal's constant targeting of Sidney Crosby's head? Win the series. Destroy the Rangers and their souls. [Times Online]

• Andrew Shaw is out of the lineup for the Blackhawks due to injury. Time for Patrick Sharp's beautiful face goal scoring prowess to show up. [BlackhawkUp]

• A look at Marc-Andre Fleury's resurgence from playoff liability to secure backstop. [The Hockey Writers]

• Rangers head coach Alain Vignault isn't happy with his No. 1 defenseman and he won't mince words when addressing it. “Ryan [McDonagh] hasn’t had — and he’ll be the first to say it — the playoffs to his expectations and to ours,” Vigneault said. “He has an opportunity [Friday] to change that, but obviously he hasn’t played very well.” [New York Post]

• "This was a game the Canadiens 100 percent needed to win, so of course they handed major and crucial minutes to the league's single worst defenseman—all in the pursuit of toughness, naturally—and watched as he gave the game away." [Deadspin]

• Drawing Penalties: The Illegitimate Child of Offensive Play [Lions in Winter]

• "Although separated by 300 miles, a border and a language, Montreal and Boston are remarkably similar. Founded 12 years apart in the first half of the 17th century, the cities are home to renowned universities, drivers who treat their turn signals as optional, and distinctive accents, such as that represented by the aigu over the e in the surname of Jean Béliveau, and the pronunciation of number ­foah, Bobby Oah. The two towns also have the curious ability to mingle religion and hockey." [Sports Illustrated]

• Peter Laviolette could have a big impact on the Predators' veterans [Section 303]

• After their AHL team failed to make the playoffs, the Blackhawks sent rookie Teuvo Teravainen back to Finland to attempt to make the roster for Worlds. He was cut from the roster; however, as a consolation prize he did an interview with SCH. [Second City Hockey]

• Mathieu Garon spent 13 seasons in the NHL. After playing last year for Omsk in the KHL, the goaltender is officially hanging up the skates for good. [Greatest Hockey Legends]

• Nashville Predators forward Craig Smith talks about why playing in the World Championships for the red, white and blue is 'cool'. That's some deep insight right there. [USA Today]

• At 23-years-old, Spencer Jean is now a former-hockey player. Since 2011, Jean believes he's experienced at least 15 concussions. Before the dementia-like memory loss sets in, he wrote down his journey for a book, The Untold Truth. [CBC News]

• Colorado College has found their new head coach, Mike Haviland. Haviland has coaching experience at pretty much every level, including the NHL; he won a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010. [The Gazette]

Finally, Matt Beleskey acquaints Drew Doughty with the Anaheim Ducks bench...