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.
• Reminder: Rumors chat at 1 p.m. EST.
• Breaking News: Olaf Kolzig, done for the season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. [Bolts Report]
• Interesting look at several scenarios based on the Detroit Red Wings' new contract with forward Henrik Zetterberg, including what the team might do with Marian Hossa, Johan Franzen and Jiri Hudler. [Red Wings Corner]
• Elliotte Friedman praises the deal, discussing how it opens up the options for the team to keep or bring in additional talent. From GM Ken Holland: "We try to give them the best of everything. We have a private plane, making travel as easy as possible." Private plane, eh? Wonder how long it takes to fly to Montreal. [CBC Sports]
• One more note about the whole quasi-suspensions of Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk, from the Freep: "Lidstrom said Monday he knew the consequences of skipping the All-Star Game but wasn't aware that he could have avoided the one-game ban if he had participated in the off-ice festivities, as Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby did." So what we still don't know is the communication, if any, between the Wings and the NHL on that matter. [Freep]
Sports
• How did Brendan Shanahan stay in shape before re-signing with the New Jersey Devils? "I skated with a girl, a former Olympian, a little bit in New York ... I did a lot of yoga. I'd like to thank all of the moms at the Equinox spin class." No, Shanny ... the moms thank you. [NJ.com, H/T to PD reader Aleksandr]
• "A Vancouver man who fraudulently sold tickets to Toronto Maple Leafs hockey games pleaded guilty Tuesday and was sentenced to four years in jail." The article says he collected $370,000 from the sale. Jeez, where were those seats? On Matt Stajan's lap? [Canwest]
• Lede of the day from Terry Jones: "Craig MacTavish, who wasn't fired after the second period like Wayne Fleming was in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League this season, survived to call it a 'debacle of monumental proportions.'" Is it true that Edmonton Oilers fans chanted "we want 10" during the Buffalo Sabres' win last night? [Edmonton Sun]
• A good look at the extraordinarily fragile Tim Connolly of the Sabres, who makes Rick DiPietro look like Lou Gehrig. Before, you know, the disease thing. [Love of Sports]
• Michael Cammalleri of the Calgary Flames revisits his old college rivalry with Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres, and the reporter fails to ask a single question about the recent beat-down and ensuing suspensions from a Michigan/Michigan State rivalry game. Fail. [Sun Media]
• Speaking of those suspensions: Andrew Conboy told his Michigan State coaches that he was leaving the team and dropping out of school after being suspended for the season. [Green & White]
• Why no one is laughing about the Claude Lemieux comeback any more. [Puck Update]
• "Training camp" is over for Mats Sundin, as the Vancouver Canucks need the fickle Swede to start being a star. Or else making the playoffs will be harder than: (a) Sundin actually making a decision by a deadline; (b) Trying to win a hand after drawing a seven/two off-suit; (c) seeing BC native Pam Anderson at the arena. [Vancouver Sun]
• On right: In an effort to curb shots to the head, officials in the German DEL have been authorized to use disciplanary blow torches. (OK, not really. But we can dream.) [Getty]
• The biggest test of Marty Turco's season could come when the Dallas Stars face the Detroit Red Wings this week. And once again it becomes apparent that everything that went wrong for the Stars this season could be traced back to Turco's sieve-like performance in the first few months. [Dallas Stars Blog]
• A new blog by Nashville Predators goalie Dan Ellis that should just be titled "Avoiding the Elephant in the Room Named 'Losing My Job To a Rookie.'" [THN]
• Comcast and the NHL Network strike a deal. [Multichannel News]
• A study claims that athletes who suffered concussions in their youth show a far more rapid mental decline as they grow older. Which is great news for Eric Lindros, who only started getting concussions upon joining players his own size in the NHL. [Globe & Mail]
• An argument against baseball-like statistic analysis of hockey. [Oilers Nation]
• Finally, a crazy little skirmish between the Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets, and specifically between Chris Chelios and Teemu Selanne (!) from 1993. [Hockey Fights]
