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.
• This was bound to happen: New York Post writer Larry Brooks takes New York Rangers Coach John Tortorella to task after blowing a gasket following a 5-4 shootout loss to the Atlanta Thrashers: "Tortorella was not in the mood to answer questions following the game. Instead, the head coach delivered a bush-league, obscenity-filled rant before turning his back on reporters and walking away into the night." Bush league? This will end well. [NY Post]
• KHL superstar Ray Emery is welcomed back home to Grenville County by driving his spiffy white Hummer at excessive speeds and getting charged under "the stunt driving provisions of the Highway Traffic Act." Emery's car and his driver's licensed were seized by the cops for a week. Hey, maybe he wasn't so paranoid after all? [Ottawa Sun]
• So wait: Just because the Ottawa Senators have teased fans with a playoff push, they shouldn't blow up the roster anymore? Graeme reminds fans that this team is still one that needs a little fixing. [The 6th Sense]
• Will Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks succumb to peer pressure and shave his head? After seeing the photographic evidence ... we hope so. [Nucks Misconduct]
• AP headline: "Coyotes may get new owner, but team staying put." What Gary Bettman actually said: "Our goal is to bring in new capital and make this franchise solvent ... That's our direction, and at this point moving the franchise elsewhere is not on the table." Emphasis ours. [Yahoo!]
SportsWrap
The top sports headlines of the day
• Speaking of Bettman, he gets defensive in a conversation about NHL participation in the 2014 Winter Olympics, but doesn't address the massive protest from Russian players if they can't compete in Sochi. [Reuters]
• As the Tampa Bay Lightning prepare to face Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals for the first time since the "hot stick dance," Rick Tocchet said the best revenge would be a victory: "Reacting is playing and beating Washington by playing abrasive, it's not being stupid." Yeah, stupid would be standing idly by like a bunch of losers for the rest of the game as some dude does a touchdown celebration in the corner of the rink. [Tampa Tribune]
• Mirtle with a nice look at the St. Louis Blues, and how their playoff push signals that the franchise is ahead of schedule in its resurgence. [From The Rink]
• Melt Your Face Off takes a look at the lone Cancuks fans inside the St. Louis area last night, and her less-than-desirable rooting skills. [MYFO]
• Hockey Players Are Actually Awesome People, Vol. 26,013: Eric Godard and Jordan Staal pay a visit to The Children's Home and Lemieux Family Center. As Lori from Hockey, Football and Stiletto Shoes writes: "[Godard] puts paint on a girl's bare feet and calls it 'paint shoes.' Yes, the same Eric Godard that handed Riley Cote's ass to him in October." Check out the video ... it's no "Cookin' With Malkin," but it's damn heartwarming:
• Manon Rheaume's return to hockey! The way things have gone in Tampa Bay this season, wonder if she'll get a camp invite? [Snapshots]
• Marian Hossa of the Detroit Red Wings, Jay Bouwmeester of the Florida Panthers and Mike Komisarek of the Montreal Canadiens top Kevin Allen's list of the 30 best unrestricted free agents this summer. In his opinion, Brian Burke and the Toronto Maple Leafs are head-hunting one or both of the D-men. Komisarek to Toronto? As if Montreal hasn't been kicked in the nuts enough over the last year ... [USA Today]
• Another glorious kiss-off to retiring referee Don Koharski. [OFB]
• Ryan Kennedy looks at what a Stanley Cup would do for the Hall of Fame credentials of Claude Lemieux, Mats Sundin, Mark Recchi and Jeremy Roenick. [THN]
• This is not a hockey story, but Jim Caple's column on ESPN about the loss of so many baseball writers and newspapers is essential reading for anyone interested in the future of media. [ESPN]
• Finally, while fans at home were talking about blowing up players with explosives, things were getting a little violent on the ice between the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets. HockeyFights.com has more about a series of incidents, and here's some video coverage of the carnage:
