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Sun Nov 02, 2008 4:29 pm EST

Puck Headlines: Light a candle tonight for Devils fans

By Greg Wyshynski

Here are your Weekend 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.

• First off, Leahy has a review of the coverage from our Alexander Semin interview on Friday. Most of the Canadian news outlets kept the whole "blog" thing at arm's length but crediting Yahoo.com or Yahoo! Sports with the story. But the Luddite Award goes to Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal, who claimed that Semin was "in fine form for a Russian publication." Which finally gives us a chance to rename the blog "Pravda Daddy." For the record, we e-mailed Matheson for a clarification and the message bounced back because -- no joke -- his inbox was full. We'll try Carrier pigeon next time.

• New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur left last night's win over the Atlanta Thrashers with what was diagnosed as a bruised elbow. Marty's undergoing a bunch of tests today, and won't start on Monday. Oh, and Kevin Weekes tells beat writer Tom Gulitti a delightful story about how his "bruised elbow" was actually a torn biceps tendon that required surgery. If we're referring to him as "Devils starting goaltender Kevin Weekes" in January, come get us off the ledge. [Fire & Ice]

• Last night could have been one of the worst for New York-area hockey in recent memory. [Population Statistic]

• Wow: Marty Turco throws some of his Dallas Stars teammates under the bus for their play in front of him, and wonders if they don't trust him any longer. [Stars Blog]

• Bruce "Malkin to the Kings" Garrioch reports that Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke plans to aggressively enter the Mats Sundin Derby, which is no doubt news to Brendan Morrison. Our friend Lyle Richardson takes on the rumor and others. [Spector]

• Meanwhile, Pierre LeBrun debunks a Ilya Kovalchuk trade rumor; the kind that seems to surface now and again so people will pay attention, even for a fleeting moment, to a hockey rumors site that has seen its credibility drop faster than that girl who carved that "B" into her face. Even if trading Kovy might, at some point, have its virtues. [ESPN]

• "The IOC regulation forbids sport federations from displaying their logos on uniforms at the Olympics, which includes Hockey Canada's trademark Maple Leaf with a hockey player." So Team Canada may have to change its logo. Our suggestion is here, from the cult classic "Hockey Scores." [TSN]

• Interesting statistic breakdown of the Nashville Predators' effectiveness so far this season. We love this stuff. [Forechecker]

• Sean Avery and Steve Ott played the agitation role for the Dallas Stars, but failed to spark the team in Boston. [Boston Globe]

• Toronto Maple Leafs Coach Ron Wilson refuses to take Don Cherry's bait. [Slam Sports]

• Larry Brooks correctly asks where the outrage was over that Chris Pronger hit on Pavel Datsyuk this week. And the answer is: No injury, no NHL concern. Sickening. [NY Post]

• This photo shows Nathan Robinson of Berlin and Sean Blanchard of Hamburg in a DEL game between Hamburg Freezers and Eisbaeren Berlin on Nov. 2. First questions: Could you support a team that wears the uniform on the left; and is that what the Hurricanes might have looked like if they had adopted a more "Tar Heels"-esque color scheme? Second question: Does anyone doubt this is what NHL uniforms will look like in 10 years, regarding all those ads?

• We love a good shootout debate: "An extra point in a shootout win is nice in the standings, but, to me, how it was achieved just cheapens what went on the previous 65 minutes." [Lightning Strikes]

• Alexander Ovechkin is coming back at the right time, as Washington Capitals Coach Bruce Boureau puts his team through a grind of a practice after last night's embarrassment in Buffalo. [Capitals Insider]

• Former Capital Ben Clymer now plays for Minsk of the KHL, and blogs about his team's first game after the Alexei Cherepanov tragedy. [THN]

• Looking at how fights in the NHL have risen by one per game on average since last season. [NHL Arena Program]

• Erik Cole's return to Carolina is a success. [The Buzz]

• The love/hate relationship with Minnesota Wild Coach Jacques Lemaire. [HLOG]

• NHLPA chief Paul Kelley tells Michael Russo of the Star Tribune just how important a strong Canadian dollar is to the health of the NHL. [Star Tribune]

• Read this political column in the New York Times all the way down to the second to last paragraph, and tell us if this isn't the most random reference to Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury you've ever seen. [NY Times, H/T JP]

• Finally, in case you haven't seen it on Leahy's other blog, it's the return of Max Talbot, car dealership commercial superstar. Here's the latest:

Related: Hockey Fans, Goons and Pugilism, Puck Videos, Rumors, scuttlebutt, innuendo

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42 Comments

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  1. Tommy
    1. Posted by Tommy Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:55 pm EDT

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    Loser.
  2. armut$zeugni$
    2. Posted by armut$zeugni$ Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:07 pm EDT

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    Wow, Wysh, having someone post "first" is an amazing honor for Puck Daddy. This is like the "not very creative merchhockey blog award". It's not exactly an annual thing, but hey, nevermind - kudos anyway.
    I was a little shocked to see a DEL photo on this blog. I mean, the Freezers, seriously? You should have seen there jerseys a year ago. What do you expect from an organisation that chooses that name? Then again, my team from Cologne today played the "Grizzly Adams" from Wolfsburg, so I may have a tough time saying Hamburg was a weak example... *sigh*
  3. Shane G
    3. Posted by Shane G Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:02 pm EDT

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    You know you've made it when people start clamoring to get the first post in ;)
    I'm surprised at Turco - and Modano - sounding off so vocally to the media. I'll admit it's refreshing but at the same time, it's a bit like telling the CNN that you dad's feet stink and your mom's a tramp. It won't solve the problem and they'll probably just be pissed at you for the next few months.
    It's a funny dichotomy really. we bemoan players for their cliche behavior then when they break it, we get flummoxed and say "Damn, he shouldn't be saying that."
    Crap, I think I just called myself a hypocrite.
  4. Almost Lewboski
    4. Posted by Almost Lewboski Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:46 pm EDT

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    I like Don Cherry but he should just zip his big fat yapper when ever he thinks he needs to speak about Ron Wilson. Toronto is buying into whatever he's selling. And OBTW Mike Milbury did a great imatation of Grapes between the 2nd and 3rd period of the late game on HNIC, classic.
  5. armut$zeugni$
    5. Posted by armut$zeugni$ Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:07 pm EDT

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    "Larry Brooks correctly asks where the outrage was over that Chris Pronger hit on Pavel Datsyuk this week." (Wysh)
    I still don't see why there should be outrage about that Pronger hit. No elbow. Probably somewhat late, but we need to figure out whether to be pro-hits to the head or against it no matter what. I think most people that critisize the league having a double-standard on Pronger do have a double standard themselves. "Keep your head up - unless Pronger is coming at you. Then just get injured so we can go on rants about what a scumbag he is." (Sure, at times, well: often, he actually is, but that doesn't take the point away. I guess.)
  6. Fill
    6. Posted by Fill Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:59 pm EDT

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    I suppose now Illitch can plaster his team jerseys with the Little Caesar's logo, or represent his other failing enterprise, the Detroit Lions.
  7. knucklehead
    7. Posted by knucklehead Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:37 pm EDT

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    Nice job Turco! You still don't get it......What the hell do they put in the goalies water bottles in Dallas....Whine?
  8. knucklehead
    8. Posted by knucklehead Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:37 pm EDT

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    Pronger is a total douchebag. He will get his broken jaw again this year and wonder why everyone is picking on him again.
  9. carl_vs_mastershake
    9. Posted by carl_vs_mastershake Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:18 pm EDT

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    If it was up to Lou, Brodeur's injury would have been listed as a hangnail. I sure hope he doesn't make Weekes give Marty Dutch Rudders until the bicep heals.
  10. knucklehead
    10. Posted by knucklehead Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:37 pm EDT

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    Thanks for the Robinson pis Wysh. I wondered what happened to him. This guy had freak speed!
    I like my sons autographed Robinsons GR Griffins jersey a bit more than the billboard he's wearing now.
  11. Costa T
    11. Posted by Costa T Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:32 pm EDT

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    Nice find on that Charles Blow NYT op-ed column. You'd think he could've used Henrik Lundqvist instead, some hometown lovin!
    BTW @ No. 8 comment: Illitch doesn't own the Detroit Lions, that's the Ford family. Illitch owns the Red Wings and the MLB Tigers.
  12. knucklehead
    12. Posted by knucklehead Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:37 pm EDT

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    I am LMAO, I meant PIC.......wow
  13. j0ehoe
    13. Posted by j0ehoe Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:26 pm EDT

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    I blame Valli for the binge drinking that resulted from that horrendous 5 minutes.
    Pronger's forearm clearly come through on the hit, which was miles away from the puck. It's not even close to the Weight hit, which was clean, but unfortunate. Sutter lunged forward and put his head down and paid the price.
  14. ears
    14. Posted by ears Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:10 pm EDT

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    At poster number 8: Fill...
    Illitch owns the Red Wings and the Tigers.... the Fords of the Giant crappy cars own the Lions....
  15. j0ehoe
    15. Posted by j0ehoe Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:26 pm EDT

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    And nice job by Leahy in the article about how the 'real media' failed to credit you guys. However, returning the favor by for a week probably isn't the best idea, since it will just reinforce the stereotype, haha.
  16. Leahy
    16. Posted by Leahy Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:27 pm EDT

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    @joe h: I don't expect anything out of returning the favor, just my own little candlelight vigil
  17. Simon M
    17. Posted by Simon M Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:05 pm EDT

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    Man, if the Brodeur report is true then excuse me while me and my fellow Marty fantasy owners go find a bridge to jump off of...and/or claim Jason LaBarbera off of waivers :(
  18. Roh
    18. Posted by Roh Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:58 pm EDT

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    "Read this political column in the New York Times all the way down to the second to last paragraph, and tell us if this isn't the most random reference to Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury you've ever seen. [NY Times, H/T JP]"
    Not only random, but it doesn't even make sense.
  19. Garth
    19. Posted by Garth Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:07 pm EDT

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    "Keep your head up - unless Pronger is coming at you."
    And if you can't (or more likely refuse to) see a difference between an inadvertant hit to the head and a headhunting situation, then I guess there's just no talking to you.
  20. mikeycards
    20. Posted by mikeycards Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:44 pm EDT

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    id give that receptionist the superstar treatment ;)
  21. knucklehead
    21. Posted by knucklehead Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:37 pm EDT

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    Then we get to read these sad stories about Pronger and how he's being wrongly accused, like the one last year in THN. Pathetic isn't he? He's proud of his reputation. Otherwise he would make a conscious decision to change his ways.
  22. MONKEY MAN
    22. Posted by MONKEY MAN Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

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    no, it doesn't make sense.
    I think the writer was just looking for a guy with a good french canadian name,
    btw, not TOO sad Marty is out tomorrow.
  23. armut$zeugni$
    23. Posted by armut$zeugni$ Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:07 pm EDT

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    @ garth: there's no point in excluding a sentence from my post and single it out like that, especially not one that was so obviously cynical one could feel it like a pronger elbow.
    i haven't been comparing this hit to doug weight's. but i have no problems at all to compare this one to oh-so-many by scott stevens, for example, as wysh is a devils fan and an advocate to some of stevens' hits to the head. those were not inadvertant. as long as people keep shutting discussions down saying players should "just keep their heads up" that is at the same time patronizing what people then call head-hunting.

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