Puck Daddy - NHL

Here are your Morning 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.

• Clearly, Adrian Dater is just expressing an informed opinion on Mats Sundin. But the Denver Post writer believes the Philadelphia Flyers and the Chicago Blackhawks are the "clubhouse leaders" for Sundin's services this season, pending cap room. [Denver Post]

• The Forechecker says what some of us may have thought about the Avery thing: Was this his attempt at a Reggie Dunlop, rallying the troops moment? [On the Forecheck]

• Brett Hull speaks on Sean Avery: "We have to fix him before anything else ... We'll use the four games to get the ball rolling." Why do we suddenly have visions of Nurse Ratched and an Indian Chief? [Dallas Stars Blog]

• Look, we're not trying to traffic in any sort of Avery-esque breaking of hockey code here. That said, Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Nikita Filatov's mom ... uh, just click in the link. [Syracuse.com]

• Are Pittsburgh Penguins fans cheating to stuff the ballot box for the all-star game? One Puck Daddy reader points to this post on a Pens message board, but the NHL allegedly took care of this kind of vote-bot. Perhaps this is just a case of a fan base getting motivated, and the local media getting behind the effort -- like on radio station 96.1 FM KISS.

• UniWatch has a rather mind-blowing story in which a hockey fan takes us step-by-step in how to create authentic-looking DIY NHL jerseys. Pretty incredible. [UniWatch]

• Mirtle tracks the attendance trends for the NHL this season, and clearly the economy is taking its toll on franchises in the Northeastern U.S. That's quite a decline for a pretty good Buffalo Sabres club. [From the Rink]

• Not exactly a goaltending exhibition last night in the Vancouver Canucks/Detroit Red Wings game. The game pretty much could have been played with empty nets. Alanah plots the rising and falling Canucks' fans false hope in a handy, dandy chart. [Canucks and Beyond]

• Will Dave Nonis join Brian Burke with the Toronto Maple Leafs? Consider, you know, he's worked with him pretty much everywhere else? [TSN]

• Speaking of the Leafs: If you're Tomas Kaberle's biggest fan, and Ron Wilson has just made an example of the veteran defenseman, you'd be pretty steamed about it, too. [Sports and the City]

• Boston College and Boston University are preparing to exchange pleasantries and divide families this weekend. Great preview from Slap Shot. [NYT]

• Why isn't the full fury of Eric Godard being unleashed by the Pittsburgh Penguins on opponents? [PensBurgh]

• Meanwhile, in Tampa: "At this point, you have to wonder whether Vinny Lecavalier has any regrets about signing a long-term contract to remain in Tampa and be the face of a franchise that is floundering in the early stages." [Bolts Report]

Brent Burns is a great defenseman for the Minnesota Wild. Trouble is that injuries, and a numbers game, have been the catalyst for his playing up at forward for the team lately. The Wild want him on the blue line; could this mean either Kim Johnsson, Marek Zidlicky and Marc-Andre Bergeron are on the move soon? (Johnsson and Zidlicky are two years away from UFA status; M-A-B is a UFA next summer.) [Star Tribune]

• NHL.com: Everybody just calm down about how good the San Jose Sharks are. [NHL.com]

• Finally, it appears Phaneuf has responded to the Avery situation, via YouTube video:

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69 Comments

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  1. colin c
    1. Posted by colin c Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:50 pm EDT

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    So much for Sundin wanting to go to a team that can win it all.
  2. Maraldo
    2. Posted by Maraldo Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:34 pm EDT

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    The NHL can't win with the fan vote, the text vote maybe just as bad as the auto-script, if you could text in individual players, that would be the way to go, currently, it should be Malkin, AO, and Crosby
    p.s. NHL, don't ever let us vote on this again
  3. Whistler
    3. Posted by Whistler Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:37 pm EDT

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    the pens script that you see posted was the write up that habs fans wrote to ensure that they're guys were all going to start. wasn't it obvious that there was cheating involved with all the slots being filled by montreal??!?
    sundin to philly? ha! that will give me reason to hate them more.
  4. knucklehead
    4. Posted by knucklehead Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:37 pm EDT

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    Seems his new girlfriend is a bit, I don't know.....Horsey?
    Sundin to the Hawks definately makes things more interesting in the Central.
    Maybe he was told to go play outside.
  5. rwl060
    5. Posted by rwl060 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:57 pm EDT

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    That video clip is not funny, just cringe-worthy. On the other hand, it does confirm my suspicions about what Oilers fans do to barnyard animals late at night ...
  6. Marc C
    6. Posted by Marc C Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:35 pm EDT

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    Remember last year the Sabres hosted the Winter Classic at The Ralph which inflates those attendance numbers. HSBC Arena holds 18690 so its not as much of a decline as you might think.
  7. Maraldo
    7. Posted by Maraldo Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:34 pm EDT

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    and a question to philly fans, who would you like to see go to make room for Sundin if theres any truth to that?
  8. ryoc3516
    8. Posted by ryoc3516 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:57 pm EDT

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    When are the results of the Winter Classic ticket lottery going to be announced? I thought yesterday or today?
  9. astcter
    9. Posted by astcter Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:58 pm EDT

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    whomever made that flames video deserves to choke on a werther's original and die. seriously.
  10. Jonathan
    10. Posted by Jonathan Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:40 pm EDT

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    Pretty Good Sabres Club?
    Have you seen the Buffalo Sabres lately?
  11. BC Caps
    11. Posted by BC Caps Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:30 pm EDT

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    That's a picture of Ron Wilson in a Flame's jersey, isn't it? What a tool. Toronto deserves him.
  12. Journeyman
    12. Posted by Journeyman Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:49 pm EDT

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    I didn't know Sarah Jessica Parker was a Flames fan.
  13. rwl060
    13. Posted by rwl060 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:57 pm EDT

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    That dude's mom = total sloppy seconds material.
  14. astcter
    14. Posted by astcter Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:58 pm EDT

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    Philly fan heauh...
    I could part ways with Briere and his frontloaded contract. I like him as a player, but I didn't like his contract from the start. I do not know if there is a market for him however. Lupul could also have some value. Only thing is, if I am not mistaken, Sundin is a center. So we would have to deal a center since we are already ridiculously deep down the middle.
    I dont think it will happen but I will be a happy young lad if Homer pulls it off.
  15. Al
    15. Posted by Al Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:31 pm EDT

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    Hey, who knew that Dion Phaneuf sings like Bob Dylan?
    Certainly not I...
  16. Lukas K
    16. Posted by Lukas K Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:54 pm EDT

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    yo puck daddy - Sabres attendence is down so much because..... they played a game at Ralph Wilson Stadium last year! Other wise, our attendence overall would be down like 200 people per game. Not bad, if you consider how the Sabres play right now.
  17. j_n_16
    17. Posted by j_n_16 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    I feel bad for Shea Weber. He's clearly been the one of the most dominant defenceman this year, yet he doesn't even have half the votes of a sub-par Dion Phaneuf. If only Weber played somewhere that cared about hockey, maybe he would get to start - say anywhere in Canada, Northeast US, Northwest US, Mid-West US; well basically anywhere but the Southwest or South(l)east.
    At least 3rd and 4th place for defence in the Western Conference voting belongs to players who have actually played, unlike Whitney and Gonchar.
    Imagine if Pens fans voted in Gonchar as a starter, would that be worse than if "Vote for Rory" had succeeded?
  18. Hans Gruber
    18. Posted by Hans Gruber Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:58 pm EDT

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    Holy crap Wysh, I might just have to move back to Syracuse.
  19. rdrr
    19. Posted by rdrr Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:33 pm EDT

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    When will LA be taken out of the league ?
  20. nick p
    20. Posted by nick p Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:31 pm EDT

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    1) I am sick and tired of hearing about Avery. This is a hockey blog, not an issue of Us Weekly.
    2) While I think that Crosby and Malkin deserve to be the leaders of the All-Star voting, I have some sneaking suspicion that Bettman has been stuffing the ballot box to get the Golden Child to #1. DON'T TRUST THE MAN....MAN....
    3) The Sharks are the best team in the league, deal with it. Don't discredit their accompishments.
    4) Thanks for the NON-avery stories Wysh.
  21. rps.design@...
    21. Posted by rps.design@... Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:53 pm EDT

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    show some respect..."record breaking" down biotches
    Go Sharks!!!
  22. rdrr
    22. Posted by rdrr Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:33 pm EDT

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    L.a. sucks, let me hear it people !
  23. NS2NOVA
    23. Posted by NS2NOVA Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:42 pm EDT

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    You sure Hull wasn't suggesting having Avery fixed, as in the veterinary sense?
  24. rwl060
    24. Posted by rwl060 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:57 pm EDT

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    Correction: The Sharks are the best team in the league RIGHT NOW.
  25. rdrr
    25. Posted by rdrr Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:33 pm EDT

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    L.A. should be moved to the WNBA !!

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