Puck Headlines: Strome, Murphy to juniors; world’s oldest stick
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.
• The oldest hockey stick in the world can be yours for about a million bucks or so. It's fragile, but I bet it lasts longer than a composite. [CNN]
• I'm loving this National Post headline: "Leafs turn to talent over truculence." It's not so much a new tactical approach, though. It's just that, for once, they can. [National Post]
• Alex Tanguay on the Calgary Flames' start to the season. "Quite honestly, you look at our first two games in horror." Later, he added, "And not good horror, like 'The Ring.' Bad horror, like 'The Ring 2.'" OK, I made that last part up. [Montreal Gazette]
• Tim Connolly told media after practice Thursday that his undisclosed upper-body injury was "a little bit more significant than initially expected." Apparently, the assessments had to be adjusted when doctors remembered he was Tim Connolly. [The Globe & Mail]
• The Sedins aren't just good, they're a different kind of good. [Backhand Shelf]
• More NHL realignment talk: Adam Proteau thinks the league should do away with the divisions entirely. I think the league should do away with time zones. Think about it. [The Hockey News]
• Saying goodbye to the Kurtenblog. [Kurtenblog]
• New York Islanders center Ryan Strome and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Ryan Murphy have been returned to their junior clubs after starting the season with their respective teams. [NHL]
• Seriously, Bodog will place odds on anything. [Bodog]
• The NHL continues to sign television deals with obscure broadcasters. Rather than re-upping with ESPN America, NHL games in the UK and Ireland will now be broadcast on the 2-year-old Premier Sports Channel, a network known thus far for amateur soccer, motorsports, and exclusive coverage of the Gaelic games. Also, not known for HD coverage, because it doesn't have any. Irish hockey fans are upset. [Premier Sports]
• Jochen Hecht could be ready to return to the Buffalo Sabres lineup by the weekend. Where do you play him? Might I suggest: at forward. [Die by the Blade]
• Martin Brodeur and the retirement question. [The Good Point]
• Dan Carcillo will make his Chicago Blackhawks debut Thursday night as the Winnipeg Jets come to town. I would imagine he'll be much less welcoming of the Jets than Canada has been thus far. [My Fox Chicago]
• After a promising September, the Columbus Blue Jackets have opened the season 0-3-1. Were they prepared to start the season? [The Cannon]
• Brian Noe responds to accusations that he told hockey fans to get a hobby. Nope. Just Don Ferlazzo. [Brian Noe]
• And finally, Mike Fisher discusses his Christianity on the 700 Club. It's a passionate defense of his faith, but does it put up enough points to put him in the Selke conversation?
