Puck Daddy’s most popular posts of 2014

The hockey world produced an eclectic collection of stories in 2014 and Puck Daddy was there to cover them – from the hard-hitting to the sublime, from the heartfelt to the ridiculous.

Here are the 20 most-clicked Puck Daddy posts of 2014; keep in mind that many of the hockey stories from the Sochi Olympics ran on Fourth Place Medal and Yahoo Sports’ news section, like Canada’s stunning win over the U.S. women and T.J. Oshie’s masterful shootout against Russia.

But here are the most popular stories on Puck Daddy this year:

1. Paulina Gretzky Golf Digest cover has upset the LPGA (April 4) The Great One’s daughter and future wife of golfer Dustin Johnson appeared on the cover of Golf Digest clutching a club in a sports bra and yoga pants. Members of the LPGA were outraged, including Hall of Famer Juli Inkster, who said: “I think they should maybe recognize some of the great women golfers that we have. It’s like, What do you have to do to get a little respect?”

2. Hockey fight ends with hug, beer toast, peace sign and no punches  (March 30)

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The Federal Hockey League’s Matt Puntureri of the Danville Dashers and Jesse Felton of the Dayton Demonz were going to fight. They skated around. They removed equipment. But at the moment when fists would typically start flying, the complete opposite happened: Puntureri hugged Felton. Then he removed a can of beer from his pants, had a sip and flashed a peace sign at the benches.

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Other popular posts in the Yahoo Sports Blog family
Ball Don't Lie (NBA) • Big League Stew (MLB) • Cagewriter (MMA) • The Dagger (NCAAB) • Devil Ball Golf • Dr. Saturday (NCAAF) • Fourth Place Medal (Olympics) • From The Marbles (NASCAR) • Puck Daddy (NHL) • Shutdown Corner (NFL)

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3. Fans grant Gino Odjick’s dying wish, chant his name at Vancouver hospital (June 30) After former NHL brawler Gino Odjick revealed that was battling a terminal illness, hundreds of fans went to the hospital where he was being treated and chanted his name outside. He was wheeled out and waved to the crowd in a touching moment.

4. Gino Odjick reveals he has weeks to live in heartfelt letter to fans (June 27) The Vancouver Canucks fan favorite revealed that he was diagnosed with a rare terminal disease called AL amyloidosis in a heartfelt letter to fans. “Your "Gino, Gino" cheers were my favourite. I wish I could hear them again. You have been amazing.” As we head into the new year, Odjick continues to fight.

5. Jack Johnson files for bankruptcy thanks to parents’ loans against contract (Nov. 20) The Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 7, claiming assets of less than $50,000 and debts of more than $10 million. The catalysts for this financial calamity were his parents, Jack Sr. and Tina Johnson, who woefully mismanaged his money.

6. Wayne Gretzky gave Dustin Johnson ‘clean up or no Paulina’ ultimatum (Aug. 7) Golfer Dustin Johnson is engaged to Paulina Gretzky. He took a leave of absence from the PGA Tour, which Golf.com said was actually a six-month suspension for a positive cocaine test. According to FOX411, Wayne Gretzky gave Johnson an ultimatum to quit partying hard or else the wedding was off.

7. ESPN anchor Linda Cohn suing ice rink after coin machine cuts her arm (Aug 21) In March, ESPN’s Linda Cohn was going to tend goal for the Hartford Wolf Pack, the New York Rangers’ AHL affiliate, at practice for charity. As she was about to take the ice at Brewster Arena, Cohn said that a group of children knocked a large coin-change machine on her, slicing her arm to the tune of 25 stitches. She filed suit against Brewster Arena and its owners in July.

8. Flyers handling return of Ice Girls in stupidest possible way (Oct. 2)  After dumping their Ice Girls for Ice Boys, only to have their fans loudly jeer them in the preseason, the Philadelphia Flyers swung back the other way and dumped the boys for the girls. Their justification for this flip-flop was problematic.

9. Puck Daddy Power Rankings: Free Agent Winners and Losers edition (July 2) Ryan Lambert’s caustic take on the NHL’s free agent frenzy, including this assessment of the Dallas Stars: “Gotta take your hat off here. Jim Nill demolished July 1. You wish your GM did anywhere near this well. No bad deals, only great ones. Golly.”

10. Hilary Knight goes nude in ESPN Body Issue, reps hockey (July 8) The U.S. national team star bared her body for the annual ESPN issue that celebrates the athletes’ form. Said Knight: “It's OK to be fit and healthy and comfortable within your body, whatever frame you have. Since gaining 15 pounds to be at the top of my sport [for the Olympics], I've tried to shatter the body image that muscular isn't feminine.”

The Next 10

11. Steve Mason’s new mask features zombie Claude Giroux, zombie Wayne Simmonds (Jan. 25)

12. Winners and Losers of the 2014 NHL Draft (June 28)

13. Milan Lucic has become a punch line (Nov. 24)

14. Does hockey need a ‘warning track’ to prevent devastating injuries? (Aug. 28)

15. Shawn Thornton sprays P.K. Subban with water bottle, sparking outrage (May 10)

16. Top 10 NHL teams that improved the most this offseason (Aug. 6)

17. P.K. Subban meets young Canadiens fan he accidentally hit with puck (April 6)

18. Vancouver Sun apologizes for photo calling Jordan Subban ‘dark guy in middle’ (Sept 24) 

19. P.K. Subban drinks beer from Stanley Cup with Seth Rogen (July 27)

20. Who is Aito Iguchi, 11-year old Japanese hockey wizard? (Nov. 6)