Vegas to start play in 2017?; Oilers fire scouts; Okposo on the block? (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. Have a link you want to submit? Email us at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com.
• Seriously, this happened. Bieber and Ovi? Goo! [Alex Ovechkin]
• Here we go … Las Vegas expansion is on the horizon. The N.H.L. in Las Vegas feels like a case of when, not if, with only the name of the team left to decide. Foley’s hope is to have a team ready to play in 2017. [New York Times]
• The Oilers have fired a lot of members of their scouting staff. [Oilers Nation]
• Is Kyle Okposo on the trading block? His name has at least been mentioned recently around the league. [Islanders Point Blank]
• Expect the Blues forwards to see some changes. Judging by reports the last week seems St. Louis sees personnel as more of a problem than the coaching staff. [STL Today]
• Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford thinks trade talks will heat up before the NHL Draft. Phil Kessel perhaps? For the Penguins, the upcoming weeks are crucial. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
• The complete NWHL Draft! Alex Carpenter went No. 1 overall to the New York Riveters. [NWHL]
• The Clarkson Cup tour has officially kicked off! [Pension Plan Puppets]
• What to know about the current squabble between the Arizona Coyotes and the City of Glendale. [Pro Hockey News]
• Can Jack Eichel make a difference for the Sabres immediately? Provided he doesn’t pull a Lindros or go back to college. Just kidding, he’ll probably be a Sabre. [Buffalo News]
• A very interesting and detailed breakdown of the Rangers and Devils drafting over the years. [Sather on Waivers]
• Lawson Crouse has a playing style similar to Eric Lindros and Cam Neely apparently in this story. Is he worthy of a top-10 pick? [Along the Boards]
• Is the Blackhawks name any less offensive than the Redskins? [The Atlantic]
• Marian Hossa is definitely a Hockey Hall of Famer. Interesting how he’s been debated a bunch since Chicago won its third Stanley Cup with Hossa. [The Hockey Writers]
• A blog on hockey and donuts! Two things we love. [Jim Dwyer]
• A cool interactive timeline on how the 2015 Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks were built. [Puck Junk]
• The Columbus Blue Jackets fantasy preview. They lost a lot of man-games to injury, and Ryan Johansen is clearly their best player. [The Puck Exchange]
• NHL Draft tracker – Ryan Pilon, son of Islanders great Rich Pilon! He is ranked 24th amongst North American skaters per Central Scouting. [Buzzing the Net]
• Roman Josi has the best long-term contract in the NHL. [Dobber Hockey]
• Forward Michael Bournival received a qualifying offer from the Canadiens. [Rabid Habs]
• We focus a lot on the NHL coaching carousel, but here’s the AHL’s coaching carousel. [FOHS Farm Report]
• Finally, An orchestral version of Chelsea Dagger from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra!
