Ranking the 10 greatest NHL mustaches for Movember 2011

This is Jaromir Jagr of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Earlier this month, he led our 10 Greatest NHL Mustaches for Movember 2011 (So Far), daring to go with a Fu Manchu.

But as you can see, the Fu Manchu made a friend. It's no longer a mustache. It's a beard.

We polled our readership. We looked in the rules for Movember and men's facial hair in general. As much as we're fans of Jagr and his impressive 'stache ? he's disqualified for bearding.

BEARDS ARE FOR THE PLAYOFFS.

But that doesn't mean the end-of-month Top 10 NHL mustaches is sans Flyers, mind you...

Here are the most impressive specimens among players who grew it out for Movember, the month-long effort to raise funds and awareness for men's health issues by growing fabulous facial hair throughout November.

Keep in mind that we limited this to players and coaches that began their mustaches during the month of November, and not before.

10. Ron Wilson, Toronto Maple Leafs

"Grandpa, tell us what it was like to have the Leafs in a playoff seed ?"

"WE HAD TO WALK TO THE ARENA IN 10 FEET OF SNOW BOTH WAYS WITHOUT SHOOOOOES!"

9. Derek MacKenzie, Columbus Blue Jackets

A new addition to the top 10, MacKenzie's transformation from Scott Gomez-esque charmer to soap opera villain was undeniably impressive. And also, giving the Blue Jackets something to be proud about seems like it's within the holiday spirit of charity.

8. Teemu Selanne, Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks held a contest for Movemeber and Selanne was the victor, so who are we to deny his greatness? Along with a spot on this list, he won that brown jacket you see on the right, and looks like every cop from a 1970s detective show in the ensemble.

7. Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens

Price's mustache added just that extra bit of indignity when the refs jobbed him in that Penguins game.

6. Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks

As we said previously, his mustache was so [expletive] nutty last year, it's impossible not to feel like the 2011 version didn't live up to standards. But it turned out to be one of the better crumb-catchers in the League.

5. Vernon Fiddler, Dallas Stars

His Robin Williams from "The Birdcage" 'stache filled out quite nicely. We'd wager he's one dude who might be better off keeping it on.

4. John Scott, Chicago Blackhawks

New to the list and really one of our favorites this season. With one duster, he goes from looking like an NHL enforcer to an offensive lineman for the Bears in the mid-1980s.

3. Dan Bylsma, Pittsburgh Penguins

What else can be said about this classic? It's a mustache that went from making him professorial to one that made him look like your cool uncle with the refurbished sports car.

2. Nate Thompson, Tampa Bay Lightning

Handlebars like a Harley Davidson. Seriously, if there was ever a fire in a highrise, people could probably escape harm by sliding down this man's 'stache.

But he's not the winner of Movember 2011. The winner is ?

1. Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers

Some believe Giroux is the early season leader for the Hart Trophy. Maybe he is. Maybe he isn't. But he's our follicle MVP for Movember. Seriously, that's not a fake from the party store gag bin?

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Ranking-the-10-greatest-NHL-mustaches-for-Movemb?urn=nhl-wp18649

Amo Bessone Anderson, GlennGlenn Anderson Anthony Tony Conroy Apps, SylSyl Apps Armstrong, GeorgeGeorge Armstrong

Scoring Chance Roundup: Games 1-21

Source: http://www.fearthefin.com/2011/11/30/2600426/scoring-chance-roundup-games-1-21

Hay, GeorgeGeorge Hay Henry Boucha Herbert Herb Brooks Hern, RileyRiley Hern Hextall, BryanBryan Hextall

The Hat Trick: What Should You Watch for in the Second Half of the NHL Season

The unofficial second half of hockey begins on Tuesday night with 13 games. First before we look ahead in this week?s Pucking Awesome Hat Trick, let?s look back at the first half and hand out some hardware. In the ever tight race for first half MVP it came down to three players in my opinion.The [...]

Source: http://puckingawesome.com/2011/01/31/the-hat-trick-what-should-you-watch-for-in-the-second-half-of-the-nhl-season/

Gary Gambucci Geoffrion, BernieBernie Geoffrion George Brown George Owen Gerard, EddieEddie Gerard

Teachers won?t sell Maple Leafs, fail to cite Phil Kessel as reason

Back in March, the Centre of the Hockey Universe exploded with news that the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan's majority stake in Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, Ltd. was up for sale.

Then the fun started. Would Rogers ante a billion-and-a-half dollars (give or take) to reshape the Canadian media landscape with the Leafs?

Would a scary, faceless U.S. fund jump into the fray and acquire MLSE? Would that fund become more or less scary with Wayne Gretzky as its face?

Could Jim Balsillie buy the Leafs and move them to Hamilton? (That was a joke; everyone knows the NHL's never coming to Hamilton.)

Alas, all the speculation is for naught. The teachers have pulled up their toes from the water. The Toronto Maple Leafs are no longer for sale.

According to a release on Friday:

The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (Teachers') today announced it is maintaining its ownership stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE).�Following various unsolicited expressions of interest in MLSE, Teachers' and its advisors began a process in March of this year to review its ownership stake in the company.� Teachers' has concluded this eight-month process with the decision to maintain its stake in MLSE, which has been and continues to be a very successful investment.

With the acquisition in September of TD Capital Group's 13.46% minority stake, Teachers' now owns 79.53% of MLSE. Teachers' will not be commenting further on its decision.

Via the Globe & Mail, which broke the story:

Teachers' decided to put its stake on the block in March of this year to see how much it might fetch, after the pension plan received expressions of interest from potential acquirers. But Teachers' had always said that it would simply hold onto its stake if the ultimate bids didn't live up to its expectations.

So what were the expectations? Please tell us it was $2 billion.

Does it matter who own da Leafs? Since the teachers got involved with Leafs ownership, they've made the playoffs eight times in 16 seasons, and have missed for the last six years. As Nick Cotsonika noted on Yahoo! Sports last week, it's not the ideal setup but it might be the only one for the Leafs:

The best way ? at least a fan's favorite way ? to run a professional sports franchise is with a singular, committed owner who finds the bottom line in the standings and not on his balance sheet. Think Mike Ilitch. Think Terry Pegula. Winning is personal to them, and they might take risks and accept some losses that an investment manager wouldn't. All owners want to make money in the end, but some want to win along the way more than others.

I don't know if the Leafs will ever have an owner like that. I don't know if they can. They're part of MLSE, which also owns the NBA's Toronto Raptors, MLS' Toronto FC, and the AHL's Toronto Marlies. MLSE owns Air Canada Centre and is invested in four other sports facilities. It owns three TV channels and Maple Leaf Square, a multi-use real-estate development. The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan is looking to sell its 79-percent stake, and that is worth something like $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion.

Minority owner Larry Tanenbaum might have been that guy, actually, with the right of first refusal on the teachers' stake. That's always going to be a political influence on this sale, whenever it comes down.

But in the end, we all know why the Teachers Pension Plan isn't selling ? they want to be along for the ride when Phil Kessel wins the Hart, the Conn Smythe and the Stanley Cup this season. Or as we like to call it around here ? the inevitable.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Teachers-won-t-sell-Maple-Leafs-fail-to-cite-Ph?urn=nhl-wp18242

Jackson, BusherBusher Jackson James Claypool James Fullerton James, AngelaAngela James Jeremy Roenick

Capitals GM: Boudreau ran on empty, ?time is right? for Hunter

Washington Capitals GM George McPhee had seen slumps before. Losing eight games in front of HBO cameras last season was a slump, albeit one that had Coach Bruce Boudreau's job in doubt. But losing five of seven games in the last two weeks wasn't a slump.

"You can ride out a slump. This was a case where the players were no longer responding to Bruce," said McPhee, addressing the media for the first time since firing Boudreau at 6:15 a.m. and hiring London Knights Coach ? and Capitals legend ? Dale Hunter to replace him. "When you see that, as much as you don't want to make a change you have to make a change."

McPhee was protective of Boudreau. It wasn't a failure, he said, echoing the sentiments of owner Ted Leonsis on his blog:

I am very grateful. Bruce was instrumental in the team's success over the last four seasons. He won four division championships, a Presidents' Trophy, an Eastern Conference banner, two playoff series and coached us to our best records in team history during the regular season. He also won a coach of the year award and holds the record for winning 200 games faster than any coach in NHL history. He is a good man. Thank you for four great years. I appreciate all you did for us as a franchise. I am grateful to you and your entire family.

Said McPhee: "I think Bruce came in here and emptied the tank. He gave it everything he could and did a really good job. When that happens, you get a new coach, where the tank is full, and you see what happens."

Like we said earlier, Boudreau had exhausted every option. He flipped lines. He changed coaching styles. Towards the end, he went from being a jovial players' coach to a disciplinarian, benching Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin, scratching Semin and Joel Ward to make a statement. He was a babysitter that had emptied the toy chest, and the kid still wouldn't stop crying.

In the last two games, McPhee said, were an indication that he had lost the team.

"I don't think accountability was the real issue here. The issue was we weren't playing very well," he said.

Then if the players laid down against the Buffalo Sabres, did they have influence in this decision?

"I don't take that kind of input from players. That would be unfair. We have never done that and never will do that," said McPhee.

Not even from Ovechkin, the face of the franchise who hasn't performed for Boudreau this season?

"I don't think this has anything to do with Alex Ovechkin," he said. "We have a lot of players who aren't playing the way they're capable of playing."

Did McPhee speak to Ovechkin after the firing?

"No, I talked to the team."

Would Coach Dale Hunter have the chance, with the backing of management, to change captains if he saw fit?

"That's not going to happen," said McPhee.

What will happen with Hunter behind the bench? McPhee made it clear that Hunter personified, as a player, the level of hustle this Capitals team lacks.

"Whether we were winning or losing, he played the same way every night ? hard," said McPhee.

He said Hunter's style is up-tempo and attacking. He's known as a coach who will play his top forwards with frequency -- he's not a four-line guy. McPhee had sought to hire his new coach for some time, but Hunter was content to run his fiefdom in London and wait for the right opportunity.

"This is the only team he's ever wanted to coach. He's had opportunities with other teams. This is the one that he wanted to coach. We've had conversations for 12 years, and was always hoping Dale could coach this team," said McPhee.

Hunter's name and number hang above the ice at Verizon Center. He's a Capitals legend, coming back to rescue this aimless Stanley Cup contender ? a former player popular enough that he enters the gig with instant leeway from the fans.

"Sure, that's a nice piece of this," said McPhee of the nostalgia. "To have his history here is a nice touch, but being the right guy for the team is [most important]."

"Timing's everything. The time is right now."

Time will tell.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Capitals-GM-Boudreau-ran-on-empty-time-is-rig?urn=nhl-wp18438

Bobby Carpenter Boivin, LeoLeo Boivin Boon, DickieDickie Boon Bossy, MikeMike Bossy Bouchard, EmileEmile Bouchard

Don't Look Now ... Rangers #1 In East!

I was going to post this in the morning but with late games tonight, the standings could always change before the morning. So here you go, feel free to stare at it long and hard .... I did!

via @pickledotcom

Source: http://puckcentral.blogspot.com/2011/11/dont-look-now-rangers-1-in-east.html

Harold Hal Trumble Harvey, DougDoug Harvey Hawerchuk, DaleDale Hawerchuk Hay, GeorgeGeorge Hay Henry Boucha

Will Jarome Iginla get traded? That?s entirely up to him

Jarome Iginla has played a grand total of 1106 NHL games, all of them with the Calgary Flames. At this point, it seems like it would be sacrilege to see him play in another uniform.

But that's where we may be headed. Iginla has played in only 54 NHL playoff games, 26 of them in one postseason, and it's beginning to look as though, if he remains in Calgary, he won't be adding to that total anytime soon.

I could be wrong, of course. The Flames have a lot of talent, and they could very well challenge for a playoff spot at season's end. But the early returns don't look promising. As of this writing, the Flames have accrued 17 points over the season's first 21 games, good for 13^th in the conference ahead of only the famously bad Columbue Blue Jackets and the freefalling Anaheim Ducks ? and even then, only just barely.

Things aren't sounding overly optimistic in camp Calgary either. Flames' President Ken King recently admitted being misled by the team's strong play in the back half of last year. From the Calgary Herald:

I think we were all teased a little bit from Dec. 28 onward," he says of the sterling record following Darryl Sutter's dismissal a general manager. "I think we thought we were further advanced than we actually were. Maybe we should have been smarter. Maybe we should have been able to see that that wasn't quite as firm as we thought it was. Nevertheless, so be it."

In other words: though we looked good for a time, we are, in actuality, not that good.

This is problematic. If the team's ownership doesn't believe in the core, it stands to reason that the core is probably due for a change. And if it's a youthy rebuild Calgary needs, moving Jarome Iginla, who likely won't be around once the kids grow into players, seems the best way to get it started.

But this is where the Flames have to tread lightly. If I'm a Calgary fan, I'm just as concerned about�how management trades him as I am in where and for whom.

Iginla won't go just anywhere. While I can't think of a single team that wouldn't want him, he's going to have to want them back -- he has a no-movement clause.

That means that it's entirely up to him whether or not he changes zip/postal codes. You wonder what he's thinking.

If he stays, he'll have played his entire NHL career with one team (yes, I know he was drafted by Dallas), which is admirable, but it's no Stanley Cup. Of course, it's not a guarantee that he gets a Ray Bourque storybook Cup hoist to close out his career, either. He could simply end up looking weird and out of place, like Mats Sundin in a Canucks' jersey or Mike Modano as a Red Wing. It's a gamble.

But it's his gamble to make. After 15 years in Calgary, he's earned the right to decide whether he stays or goes, and Jay Feaster and company need to take special care to respect this. If word gets out that he's vetoed or asked for a move and fans turn on him unfairly as Toronto Maple Leafs' fans did on Mats Sundin in his final year in Toronto, that's a failing in the General Manager's office.

As far as I'm concerned, it's up to Flames' management to make sure that doesn't happen. Iginla is one of the greatest players in Flames' history, and if they tarnish his legacy by mishandling it in his final days with the organization, it will reflect just as poorly on them as it does on Iginla. If anything from this situation leaks and Feaster escapes criticism, something has gone wrong.

Where might Iginla go? Bruce Garrioch thinks he might accept a trade to the Dallas Stars, what with his connection to Tom Gaglardi, their new owner.�From the Ottawa Sun:

While Calgary Flames captain Jarome Iginla would have to agree to waive his no-movement clause, don't be surprised if the Stars show interest in trying to pry the 34-year-old winger back to Dallas, the team that drafted him in 1995.

Not only would Iginla help put the Stars back on the map, it just so happens Gaglardi is partners with Iginla, Mark Recchi, Darryl Sydor and Phoenix captain Shane Doan in the ownership group of the WHL's Kamloops Blazers.

Of course, this is an educated guess at best, based on a tenuous connection and little else.�But that's fine.

I would like all Jarome Iginla trade talk to be this bland.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Will-Jarome-Iginla-get-traded-That-8217-s-enti?urn=nhl-wp18388

Aaron Broten Abel, SidSid Abel Adams, JackJack Adams Alfred Ralph Winsor Amo Bessone

Jets on a Deadline?Jets v. Capitals (Nov 23, 2011)

The Jets were a bit flat tonight in Washington but luckily escaped D.C. with a point after an OT loss. Here are some game recaps and the 3 Stars.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IllegalCurve/~3/I5MvYznHQYo/

Anthony Tony Conroy Apps, SylSyl Apps Armstrong, GeorgeGeorge Armstrong Arniel, ScottScott Arniel Art Berglund

Muller: "If everyone is accountable, it's amazing what you can accomplish"

Source: http://www.canescountry.com/2011/11/28/2594596/muller-if-everyone-is-accountable-its-amazing-what-you-can-accomplish

Gardiner, CharlieCharlie Gardiner Gardiner, HerbHerb Gardiner Gardner, JimmyJimmy Gardner Gartner, MikeMike Gartner Gary Gambucci

Predators Slide by the Oilers 2-1, End Losing Streak

The Nashville Predators looked to stop their 4 game skid by venturing to Rexall Place to take on the up and coming Edmonton Oilers. For the Predators, this was a game that was going to require discipline and the necessity of playing a full 60 minutes of hockey. Since this was the first of a [...]

Source: http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/theviewfrom111/41091/

John Snooks Kelley John Chase John Cunniff John Garrison John LeClair

Bobby Ryan A Bruin? Is There A Blockbuster On The Horizon?

Losers of seven in a row and thirteen of their past fourteen, there is little doubt that the Anaheim Ducks are in a complete tailspin. Their current streak has left them with a 6-13-4 (16 Points) record and has left them in 14th place in the Western Conference, a mere one point ahead of the [...]

Source: http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/woodwardb/41101/

Dionne, MarcelMarcel Dionne Donald Don Clark Doug Everett Doug Palazzari Doug Woog

Success stories from the NHL's opening month

"And then Ryan Smyth told me he used to have a
phone that was connected to the wall! What a joker!"

The NHL season is now a month old, and for many hockey fans that can mean only one thing: it's time to start looking for something to complain about.

After all, these days it seems like some fans love nothing more than pointing out someone else's flaws. And sure, if you look closely enough at any team or player you can always find at least one or two things that may be slightly less than perfect.

But as long-time readers know, I've never been the sort of writer who chooses to focus on the negative. So instead, let's take a look around the league and highlight some of the good news that's been on display in the early going. Consider this a negativity-free zone.

Here are some of the most inspiring success stories from the season's first month.

Joe Thornton - Showed a lot of class by apologizing to the Rangers for calling them the softest team the Sharks had played against, after explaining that he hadn't realized that intrasquad scrimmages counted too.

Ken Hitchcock - The Blues' new head coach will no doubt be wildly popular in St. Louis, a town where fans have proven to be willing to embrace a team's boss even if he's incapable of correctly operating a simple telephone.

Ville Leino - His $27 million contract with the Sabres is completely guaranteed no matter how he plays, his agent incredulously reminds him several times a day.

Dion Phaneuf - Has managed to put together an impressive season despite his recent habit of coming back to the bench after every shift, turning on his smartphone, checking for updates about the Calgary Flames, then laughing hysterically while high-fiving all his teammates.

Columbus Blue Jackets - Have made significant progress towards their goal during October, in the sense that they're now an entire month closer to being done with this writeoff of a season and going home.

Roberto Luongo - Despite the overly negative critics who insisted it couldn't be done, has successfully made Canuck fans refer to his performance in last year's playoffs as "the good old days".

Kari Lehtonen - Has put up excellent numbers while looking like a goaltender who is driven to excellence by the constant fear of losing his starter's job, so given that his backup is Andrew Raycroft he's apparently one heck of a good actor.

Sidney Crosby - Is reportedly getting close to a possible return, which is great news for the Penguins because so far this year they look like they could really use some help on their fourth line.

Bruce Boudreau - Has somehow managed to keep his players and staff on track despite the recent outburst by Alexander Ovechkin, which based on the media reaction was apparently the first time anyone has ever sworn during a hockey game.

Nikolai Khabibulin - Has kept his goals against average under 1.00, although in fairness that's not all that hard to do when Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins spend 57 minutes of every game just skating around the other team's zone while whistling the Harlem Globetrotters theme song.

Mike Richards - Still hasn't completely gotten over being traded away by the Flyers but it could be a lot worse, according to the nightly phone calls from a sobbing Jeff Carter.

Jacques Martin - Is apparently much more popular with his players lately, since Perry Pearn promised to tell him as soon as he heard any rumours of discontent and that guy hasn't dropped by his office in like two weeks.

Pekka Rinne - Thanks to his new $49 million contract, Nashville fans will now have seven more years to watch him backstop the Predators against rivals such as the Red Wings, Blackhawks, and whichever teams Shea Weber and Ryan Suter now have to sign with.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DownGoesBrown/~3/ib3cc486WOo/success-stories-from-nhls-opening-month.html

Howell, HarryHarry Howell Hubert Hub Nelson Hugh Muzz Murray Hull, BobbyBobby Hull Hull, BrettBrett Hull

A ?Classic? Rangers Weekend

It?s funny sometimes how things that only happened about 2 months ago feel like they happened a lifetime ago. �Such is how it feels with the NHL?s official announcement of the 2012 Winter Classic that took place at Citizens Bank Park back on September 26th. But over the last eight days or so there?s been [...]

Source: http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/cris-cohen/41024/

Doug Palazzari Doug Woog Dr. V. George Nagobads Drillon, GordieGordie Drillon Drinkwater, GrahamGraham Drinkwater

Coyotes @ Blackhawks - Third Period Thread

Source: http://www.secondcityhockey.com/2011/11/29/2596370/coyotes-blackhawks-third-period-thread

Edmonton Oilers Edward Eddie Olson Edward J. Jeremiah Elwin Doc Romnes Esposito, PhilPhil Esposito

Pass or Fail: New York Rangers 2012 Winter Classic jerseys

While the jerseys that the Philadelphia Flyers will be wearing during the Winter Classic seemed to have a different leak every week until they were unveiled last Monday, what the New York Rangers will don on Jan. 2 has been kept under wraps.

This afternoon, the Rangers revealed their jerseys in Central Park:

From the Rangers:

The Rangers official NHL Winter Classic� jersey was designed in partnership with Reebok, featuring a retro style that pays tribute to the tradition of the Original 6 franchise. The sweater features colors from the team's "Heritage Jersey" with a vintage Rangers shield inspired by the original logo for the franchise established in 1926.

It's an interesting look with the modified logo, but the red, white and cream-colored leaves a lot to be desired.

Some Winter Classic teams have used a pretty-straight throwback for the game, while others have gone the altered-throwback look.�We would have loved to watched the Rangers gone simple and sport the threads from the Stanley Cup-era, but of course, they wouldn't sell considering most fans likely have one.

And keeping with tradition, Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist said he'll be wearing a special mask for the game that looks "like it's been in the closet for 40 years".

So, what say you?

Pass or Fail: New York Rangers 2012 Winter Classic jerseys

Photo credit: New York Rangers

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Pass-or-Fail-New-York-Rangers-2012-Winter-Class?urn=nhl-wp18455

Boucher, BuckBuck Boucher Boucher, FrankFrank Boucher Boucher, GuyGuy Boucher Boudreau, BruceBruce Boudreau Bourque, RayRay Bourque

Kari Lehtonen?s groin vs. the Dallas Stars? season

Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Derek Morris cranked a shot from the blue line. Dallas Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen stretched to his right to block a shot that wouldn't have counted ? the linesman whistled it offside ? and then fell on his goalie stick, rolling slightly onto his left shoulder, looking like he was in significant discomfort.

Andrew Raycroft threw on his gear. Dallas Stars fans held their collective breath.

Coach Glen Gulutzen said after Saturday night's 3-0 loss to the Coyotes that Lehtonen was day-to-day with "a little bit of a groin pull there." On Sunday, the Dallas Stars announced they placed Lehtonen on injured reserve and recalled goaltender Richard Bachman.

Given his injury history, and his often stellar play for the Stars so far this season, you can forgive Dallas fans for a little panic over Lehtonen's health. As he goes, so goes the Dallas season. But it's something they're learning to live with.

Here's the injury from last night's game:

From Mike Heika of Dallas Stars Blog, Gulutzen on Raycroft:

"'Razor' (Raycroft) has been the guy before, and that's why we got him, for him to handle situations where we felt like we need two goalies. He's going to be the guy here Monday for sure and if he has to carry the ball for the week then I have no problems with doing that and I don't think he does either."

And Raycroft on ? well, Raycroft:

"I've been a starter in this league and to be honest, feel more comfortable with it most of the time. You can get into a bit of a rhythm, I don't know how it's going to play out here, but it looks like I'll get a couple of games in a row, which will be nice to feel a rhythm and kind of get a place of play down, and get better ready, I'm looking forward to that."

Are Dallas Stars fans feeling the rhythm? Brandon Worley of Defending Big D takes the pulse:

It was interesting to see the reaction of Stars fans to the injury, with some immediately calling this a lost season with Lehtonen between the pipes. To be fair, it looked to be a much more significant injury at the time and we have since learned that Lehtonen's groin was injured and not his knee and that it doesn't appear to be incredibly serious.

Andrew Raycroft has yet to win a game this season for the Dallas Stars, with Lehtonen being between the pipes for each of the team's 13 wins. Raycroft has been�susceptible to long-range shots sneaking through at times and has been far from perfect in net, leading fans to panic a bit with the prospect of him playing long term. Yet Raycroft has played well overall this season,

Yet he's also Andrew Raycroft ...

While this injury seems mild, Kari Lehtonen's groin has correctly been termed "wonky" in the past. It's also been called "troublesome." It's one of the reasons GM Joe Nieuwendyk was met with skepticism when he inked Lehtonen to a three-year deal in 2010. Said Nieuwendyk at the time: "If we can get Kari on a strong workout program and get him consistently healthy, we'll see a very strong goalie."

As long as Rick DiPietro is on an NHL roster or the IR, Lehtonen will never be the most oft-injured goalie in the League. It's not ever a fair comparison: Lehtonen has shown flashes of brilliance when healthy, and as recent as this season. DiPietro hasn't won over 30 games since 2007.

This may just be a bump. This may not be part of the systemic series of injuries that have plagued Lehtonen. But this won't be the last time Dallas fans' hearts skip a beat with him crumpled in his own crease.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Kari-Lehtonen-8217-s-groin-vs-the-Dallas-Stars?urn=nhl-wp18383

Bowie, Russell Russell Bowie Brett Hull Brian Leetch Brimsek, FrankFrank Brimsek Broadbent, PunchPunch Broadbent

Rangers To Recall Avery!

Source: NYRZone

Update 4:25pm: Larry Brooks confirms that Avery will be placed on re-entry waivers Monday by the Rangers. 29 other teams can place a claim for Avery. It's expected that Avery will clear re-entry waivers and be available for the Rangers game on Thursday against the Ducks.
---------------------
Update @ 2:55pm: No confirmation yet and still a lot of speculation but Nick Kypreos tweeted:

Look for #Rangers 2 put Sean Avery on recallable waivers as early as Mon. He still wouldn't be eligible 2 play Mon vs #Sharks due 48 hr rule

Now, this still doesn't mean anything is set in stone to me. This could be confirming the rumors or just adding an explanation if the rumors were true. We'll just have to wait and see...

-----------

Boomer Esiason did a pretty good job of getting all our panties in a bunch this fine Sunday morning. He posted on Twitter this morning:

Little birdie telling me Sean Avery is back! Thank God! Finally some energy! For the NYR.

And that was all it took to get the rumor rolling. As of 1:30pm there has been no additional reports of Avery being recalled and no one else in the media has picked up on this rumor. Does Boomer have a legit source for this? Is he playing around with us? Is someone he knows fooling around with Boomer and us?

If Avery were to be recalled he'd have to clear re-entry waivers on Monday. Something that is not a guarantee, but something that most NHL pundits seem to believe is likely. If Avery were claimed off re-entry waivers by another team then the Dallas Stars would be responsible for 50% of his cap hit, the Rangers for 25% (about $950k) and Avery's new team for the remaining 25%.

Avery has been saying the right things since being demoted prior to the start of the season. He played in two games this week with The Whale, scoring the game winner in the shootout last night. But, it does seem like a fast turnaround from the rumors last week that Avery would never play on Broadway again.

Keep checking the AHL transaction page, that's the first place you'll likely hear about the recall (if it happens)!

H/T NYRangers Blog
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Agree or Disagree with what was said? Use the comments link below...let your voice be heard!

Source: http://puckcentral.blogspot.com/2011/10/rumor-rangers-to-recall-avery.html

Bucyk, JohnnyJohnny Bucyk Buffalo Sabres Burch, BillyBilly Burch Bylsma, DanDan Bylsma Calvin Cal Marvin

Puck Headlines: Bylsma backs Neal fine; Joe Sakic vs. polar bears

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.

? Via our friend Nate Beeler of the Washington Examiner, and ouch.

? Dale Hunter's immediate focus for the Washington Capitals? Changing up the power play system: "Every coach has different systems and I changed my systems a bit from Bruce's?Forecheck, neutral zone, d-zone, basically the whole ice, I guess. I'm not trying to change too much right now it's pretty quick to get everybody on a different page here right now, but I definitely changed a few things." [Capitals Insider]

? The Carolina Hurricanes snag Andreas Nodl off waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers. This a good thing for their penalty kill. [CSN Philly]

? The latest NHL All-Star voting results show that only Penguins, Bruins and fans in Ontario apparently know it's happening. At forward: Phil Kessel, 258,446; Daniel Alfredsson, 233,868; Jason Spezza, 209,455; on defense: Erik Karlsson, 256,839; Dion Phaneuf, 213,617; Tim Thomas, 175,315. Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury are all right behind the vote leaders. [NHL.com]

? Dan Bylsma believes that James Neal still needed to control his stick despite PK Subban slew-footing him, and supports the NHL's $2,500 fine. [Post-Gazette]

? Joe Yerdon thinks Neal should have been absolved for Subban's actions. [PHT]

? Great news for the New York Rangers, as Marc Staal is skating again on his own as he works back from a concussion. Because as many of pointed out, it's not an HBO 24/7 if there isn't a concussed Staal. [NY Post]

? Ryan Getzlaf was asked about the weight of the Anaheim Ducks captaincy on his during their slump: "It's nothing to do with wearing a letter. It's got to do with the fact of who I am and what I want to bring to the table. I don't think you can put that type of emphasis on one individual, especially in our situation." [Ducks Blog]

? The Internet is awash with Bobby Ryan trade proposals. Marek thinks he should end up in Boston. Here's the Bruins' rationale on a Bobby Ryan deal. [Stanley Cup of Chowder]

? Is Alex Ovechkin dating "Russian cutie Maria Kirilenko"? Because based on his stats, maybe he should consider the priesthood for a bit. [Alex Ovetjkin and Gazette]

? Bourne breaks down a Boston Bruins goal against the Winnipeg Jets. [Backhand Shelf]

? Lightning Head Coach Guy Boucher offers analysis on the technique behind Marc-Andre Bergeron's powerful shot. [Lightning]

? Vincent Damphousse's estranged wife is slated to stand trial next year for allegedly assaulting the retired NHL star and stealing from him. [CP]

? Looking at some of the more valuable players in the NHL based on their cap hit. Apparently Scott Gomez didn't make the cut. [Dobber]

? Andrei Markov injury update, as the star defenseman could be back this week. [Gazette]

? Dirty Dangle reviews NHL 97 for Sega [Dirty Dangle]

? Are the NHL's top draft choices from the summer earning their keep this season? What about last year's class? [SB Nation]

? We would like nothing more than to see Louis Leblanc succeed with the Habs. [Globe & Mail]

Why the Pittsburgh Penguins are the NHL's best team. [Puck Stops Here]

? The Pensblog linked this up and it's your read of the day: Evgeni Malkin feature from Pittsburgh Magazine. Terrific work by Sean Conboy. [Pittsburgh Magazine]

? Nice piece by Haggs about Boston Bruins center David Krejci: "Krejci is a smart guy, and he knows the score. He's heard all of the above as he attempts to simply play things out through the regular season and playoffs. He's off to the worst start in his five-year NHL career and one has to wonder if the contract, trade rumors or any other issues are causing him to exert a little too much pressure on himself." [CSN NE]

? In praise of Mike Knuble. [Japers]

? Dustin Brown wants to show you his 'O' face. [The Royal Half]

? How life is treating Mika Zibanejad in Sweden. [Senators]

? Finally, for no other reason than that we haven't seen it before and it's awesome, from the 2007 BBC Animal Games animation series: "We see who would win the animal equivalent of the Olympics. It's Humans vs. Polar Bears in the Ice Hockey Challenge!" Featuring Joe Sakic, Mario and other Team Canada players taking on polar bears. (s/t PD reader Will Ledesma)

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Puck-Headlines-Bylsma-backs-Neal-fine-Joe-Saki?urn=nhl-wp18564

Hutton, BouseBouse Hutton Hyland, HarryHarry Hyland Irvin, DickDick Irvin Jackson, BusherBusher Jackson James Claypool

Fight Video: Chaos in Finland leads to 439 penalty minutes, record

Watch the first 1 minute and 17 seconds of this clip, and you might wonder what all the fuss is about: There's a multi-player skirmish that results in Siim Liivik of HIFK squaring off against Arttu Luttinen of the Pelicans in a good tilt.

But stick with it, and you'll witness the rest of the chaos that resulted in an SM Liiga record for penalty minutes in a game. Wow:

That line brawl off the faceoff was some kind of wonderful.

In total, Ilari Melarti, Siim Liivik, Mikko Kurvinen, Niko Piiparinen, Petteri Wirtanen, Miikka Tuomainen and Eetu P�ysti for kicked out of the game for HIFK. Justin Hodgman, Arttu Luttinen, Joonas J�rvinen, Marko P�yh�nen, Max W�rn, Jyri Marttinen and Aaron Brocklehurst for ejected for Pelicans. HIFK Coach Petri Matikainen and Pelicans Coach Kai Suikkanen were also ejected.

In total, there were 465 penalty minutes in the game, and 439 of them coming in the last few minutes during the three fights. Tomppaaax, our official Finnish hockey buddy, reports "Pelicans and HIFK made a new record for total PIM in one match, during the last 30 seconds."

HIFK won the game, 6-3. Check out the Finnish language box score here.

s/t @tomppaaax for the clip.

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? Ndamukong Suh's distorted self-image finally meeting reality
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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Fight-Video-Chaos-in-Finland-leads-to-439-penal?urn=nhl-wp18331

Federko, BernieBernie Federko Fetisov, ViacheslavViacheslav Fetisov Flaman, FernieFernie Flaman Florida Panthers Foyston, FrankFrank Foyston

Water bottle fail: Dustin Brown realizes why he?s always thirsty

There are things Dustin Brown of the Los Angeles Kings is very good at doing: Delivering checks or converting rainbow passes from Anze Kopitar or dancing with Yo Gabba Gabba.

Then there are things that Dustin Brown struggles with; like, apparently, properly operating a water bottle during an NHL game:

Dustin Brown ? you're doing it wrong.

Here's a different clip with a little slo-mo action. That subtle glance Brownie gives the bottle just speaks "oh, so that's why I'm parched."

Worst drink bottle fail of all-time on an NHL bench? Consider this: First, Dustin Brown gets an eternal pass from mockery for participating in the single greatest game promotion video in the history of the NHL or G.I. Joe. (Whaaammmy!) Plus, he's got a sense of humor about it:

Second ? that question would seem to indicate that someone could snatch the dunce cap from atop Dale Weise's head, one that he earned for this Gatorade Fail as a member of the New York Rangers:

Sure, Dustin Brown tried to drink from the bottom of a bottle. But at least he didn't end up with a bottle cap in his mouth, looking like Vito Corleone and the orange peel in "The Godfather."

s/t to reader Marc Castro.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Water-bottle-fail-Dustin-Brown-realizes-why-he-?urn=nhl-wp18155

Howe, SydSyd Howe Howell, HarryHarry Howell Hubert Hub Nelson Hugh Muzz Murray Hull, BobbyBobby Hull

Did The Great One shut down Paulina Gretzky?s tantalizing Twitter?

Paulina Gretzky, the 22-year-old daughter of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, had dabbled in pop music and acting before finding her true digital media calling: Posting provocative photos on social media.

She never became a music sensation, but she became an Internet legend. As The Chive headline said, above its gallery of 34 scantily-clad, cleavage-filled Paulina Gretzky images: "Paulina Gretzky is using the Twitter machine properly."

Properly, perhaps; to the liking of her father, perhaps not.

Paulina Gretzky's Twitter feed has been deleted, and David Graham of the Toronto Star pieces together a timeline that suggests Wayne Gretzky made have encouraged it?

As Gretzky's name was linked last week with the potential sale of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, it's possible the news raised the profile of his daughter's racy online photographs. Her dad was born and raised in Brantford, a far cry from the Hollywood nightlife that has attracted his eldest daughter. Before her Twitter was closed, she tweeted "Having a nice sit down dinner with my dad about social media..haha #SIKEEE (sic)."

Yes, as we all know, Wayne Gretzky summarily rejected the Hollywood lifestyle, having never once dropped his stick or unlaced his skates to party during his time in Los Angeles. Nope. Not once. The Puritan From Brantford they called'em.

Alas, the Paulina Gretzky Twitter feed is no more; all we're left with are standing tributes to her social media acumen like "Paulina Gretzky's 77 Sexiest Twitpics" from Coed Magazine.

We were ahead of the Paulina Gretzky curve(s), publishing these now-iconic photos of her golfing in 2009. To see her mature into self-aware digital voyeur bait made us proud. Let's hope this is just Paulina Gretzky retooling her Twitter feed in order to monetize it, and not its Great One-mandated demise. After all, it's winter time, and vacations at the beach beckon.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Did-The-Great-One-shut-down-Paulina-Gretzky-821?urn=nhl-wp18522

Coulter, ArtArt Coulter Cournoyer, YvanYvan Cournoyer Cowley, BillBill Cowley Craig Patrick Crawford, RustyRusty Crawford

All They Do Is Win: B?s Clip Sabres In Shootout For 10th Straight Victory

First off, I’d like to apologize for the briefness of today’s game recap, as it is after all Thanksgiving Day…. As I said yesterday, the best revenge for the Buffalo Sabres for the infamous Lucic–Miler incident back on November 12 would have been on the scoreboard. To have stopped Boston’s nine-game winning streak and takeover [...]

Source: http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/woodwardb/40909/

Dineen, KevinKevin Dineen Dionne, MarcelMarcel Dionne Donald Don Clark Doug Everett Doug Palazzari

Tuesday?s Three Stars: Leafs, Oilers rout foes; Mitchell sinks Blues

No. 1 Star: Tyler Bozak, Toronto Maple Leafs

The Leafs are really enjoying beating certain teams from the Southeast Division of late. After routing the Washington Capitals 7-1 on Saturday night, they did the same to the Tampa Bay Lightning by the same score�on Tuesday. Bozak scored his third and fourth goals of the year and assisted on Joffrey Lupul's 11th to give him nine points in his last six games.

No. 2 Star: Jordan Eberle, Edmonton Oilers

As the Oilers put the hurt on the Nashville Predators during a 6-2 rout, Eberle stood out with a three-point night scoring twice. His second goal of the night could've used a little defense from the Predators:

No. 3 Star: Mike Richards, Los Angeles Kings

After Vladimir Sobotka tied the game in the third period, Willie Mitchell fired home the winner 1:43 later as the Kings edged the St. Louis Blues 3-2. Richards assisted on Anze Kopitar's 10th goal in the second later and later potted his ninth of the year giving him seven over his last seven games. Aside from his two points, Richards also won 15 of his 16 draws.

Honorable mention: Shawn Horcoff chipped in two goals and has five points in three games ... Ales Hemsky, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall, and Ryan Smyth each recorded two points ... Devan Dubnyk made 30 saves ... Hemsky played in his 500th game ...�Tim Connolly scored goal and assisted on two others to give him six points in three games ... Leafs rookie blueliner Jake Gardiner, who entered the game a minus-5, finished as a plus-4 and recorded two assists ... Jonas Gustavsson made 27 saves for his second straight win ... Joe Colborne scored his first NHL goal off a sweet no-look, behind the back pass from Matt Frattin:

Did you know? Pekka Rinne has has started seven times in his career at home against the Oilers and has been pulled three times, including tonight. (@TSNResearch)

Dishonorable mention: The Blues went 0-for-6 on the power play ... Will Drew Doughty get a call from Brendan Shanahan after cross-checking T.J. Oshie face first into the boards late in the third period?

Tampa Bay has now lost four of five ... Rinne was pulled for only the second time this season after allowing three goals on 13 shots in the first period ... Dwayne Roloson was chased after allowing six goals on 21 shots. Roloson has now allowed 15 goals in his last four starts and has been pulled twice. Mistakes like this one on Bozak's second goal aren't helping:

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Tuesday-8217-s-Three-Stars-Leafs-Oilers-rout-?urn=nhl-wp18080

Cowley, BillBill Cowley Craig Patrick Crawford, RustyRusty Crawford Dallas Stars Darragh, JackJack Darragh

Rangers Bring Back Voros! Well .... Sorta

 Update - 11/16/11
Read some more about the try out of Voros in Hartford here

-----------------------
Larry Brooks tweets:

Former Ranger Aaron Voros skating with AHL Whale on PTO (Professional Try Out)...

Interesting to say the least. He may get a shot in Hartford, doubt he gets any further than that. In my opinion it just shows that Sather obviously liked the guy and that he was a good teammate. He's also good friends with both Avery and Richards, not that this is a reason why he's getting a try out with the Whale.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Agree or Disagree with what was said? Use the comments link below...let your voice be heard!

Source: http://puckcentral.blogspot.com/2011/11/rangers-bring-back-voros-well-sorta.html

Hobey Baker Holmes, HapHap Holmes Hooper, TomTom Hooper Horner, RedRed Horner Horton, TimTim Horton

Gameday Thread: Sharks @ Nucks

Source: http://www.fearthefin.com/2011/11/26/2588797/gameday-thread-sharks-nucks

Anthony Tony Conroy Apps, SylSyl Apps Armstrong, GeorgeGeorge Armstrong Arniel, ScottScott Arniel Art Berglund

Alexander Ovechkin vs. Sidney Crosby: An in-depth comparison

The NHL's two most marketable stars are back in the news this week. But while Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin are both making headlines again, it's for very different reasons.

In Crosby's case, the news is good. He's finally returned after missing almost 11 months with a concussion, and his four-point performance in his first game back already has fans wondering if he can win the scoring title despite missing a quarter of the season.

Ovechkin is at the other end of the spectrum. With his numbers declining and rumours of tension in the dressing room of the suddenly mediocre Capitals, some are starting to wonder if the 26-year-old has already peaked as an elite NHL talent.

Crosby and Ovechkin have been linked ever since they both made their debuts during the 2005-06 season, and it appears they will be for years to come. Here's a comparison of two of the league's most talented and popular young players.

Alexander Ovechkin: Has been known to get angry with his coach while on the bench and shout obscenities.
Sidney Crosby: Has been known to get angry with his coach while on the bench and shout "I'm just going to go out there and give 110%", since that's all he's programmed to ever say.

Sidney Crosby: Wears jersey number 87, signifying his year of birth.
Alexander Ovechkin: Wears jersey number 8, signifying the number of goals he needs to score in any given game before he won't automatically be blamed if the Capitals lose.

Alexander Ovechkin: Has been invited to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at games for the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles.
Sidney Crosby: Would probably be thrilled to do the same if Pittsburgh ever managed to get a professional baseball team.

Sidney Crosby: Has had the opportunity to hone his acting ability in commercials for brands like Reebok and Tim Hortons.
Alexander Ovechkin: Has had the opportunity to hone his acting ability every time Bruce Boudreau starts yelling about maybe backchecking once in a while and he has to pretend that he's listening.

Alexander Ovechkin: Has occasionally found himself in trouble with the league due to questionable hits against defenceless opponents.
Sidney Crosby: Would never check a defenceless opponent in a dangerous manner because he is classy and respects the game and Matt Cooke usually gets there first.

Sidney Crosby: May one day come to be viewed as a cautionary example who taught a generation of fans a valuable lesson about the dangers of head injuries.
Alexander Ovechkin: May one day come to be viewed as a cautionary example who taught a generation of fans a valuable lesson about the dangers of thinking it's a good idea for guys to get lower back tattoos.

Alexander Ovechkin: Is so good at anticipating the flow of the game that he can often react to an incoming pass attempt before the puck has even left his teammate's stick.
Sidney Crosby: Is so good at anticipating the flow of the game that he can often react to an opposing player's attempted body check by falling down before he's even touched.

Sidney Crosby: Has had one 50-goal season so far, and given his injury concerns experts admit they have no idea how many more he may have over the course of his career.
Alexander Ovechkin: Rather than cause all sorts of confusion, was apparently considerate enough to get all of his 50-goal seasons out the way early.

Alexander Ovechkin: Owns the hockey world's record for the most Twitter followers, with 250,000.
Sidney Crosby: Owns the hockey world's record for the most MySpace friends, with nine.

Sidney Crosby: Diehard Pittsburgh fans will eagerly tell you that he's following in the footsteps of legendary Penguins from past generations, like Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis and Paul Coffey.
Alexander Ovechkin: Diehard Washington fans will eagerly tell you that he's following in the footsteps of legendary Capitals from past generations, before trailing off, furrowing their brow, and eventually changing the subject.

Alexander Ovechkin: Despite his flashy on-ice personality, is known to dress casually off the ice and rarely calls attention to himself with gaudy accessories.
Sidney Crosby: In contrast to the classy Ovechkin, has been known to walk out of the arena wearing a giant diamond-studded ring or a gold medallion around his neck.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DownGoesBrown/~3/Xg4XW2FLvbg/alexander-ovechkin-vs-sidney-crosby-in.html

Adams, JackJack Adams Alfred Ralph Winsor Amo Bessone Anderson, GlennGlenn Anderson Anthony Tony Conroy