Here are your Evening Puck Headlines and Previews: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.
• There are 10 games on the docket tonight. We'll hit a few of the biggies here; check out the Y! Sports Scores and Scheds page for all the previews.
Preview: Florida Panthers at New York Rangers (7 p.m. EST; FSFL, MSG). So Florida Panthers GM Jacques Martin took in Wednesday night's Philadelphia Flyers home game and plans to see them again on Friday night. Not sure what that's all about ... although it probably rhymes with Blay Jouwmeester. If you're the Flyers, do you give up Joffrey Lupul and Braydon Coburn for Jay Bouwmeester; would you have to make sure you sign him first? [The 700 Level, H/T to Puck Buddy Patrick H.]
• Alexander Ovechkin is 23 years old and is signed through 2021. Yet if the Washington Capitals are going to win, evidently it needs to be now. [THN]
• Capitals fans are ... what's the word ... incredulous about this theory? [Japers]
Preview: Colorado Avalanche at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. EST; TV: ALT, MSG2). What the hell is Marty thinking by wearing his evil injurious voodoo mask instead of going back to the three-Stanley Cup lid? Vanyaland bought a TV for Brodeur's return tonight; now it's getting punched. Thanks, Marty.
Sports
• Almost 4,000 seats are available at the St. Pete Times Forum for $239 on a season-ticket basis next season. So it's official: Tampa Bay Lightning season tickets now cost less than an Xbox 360 Pro Console System. [Tampa Tribune via Kukla's]
• Chris Osgood is golly gee willikers super. Thanks for asking. [Snapshots]
Preview: Anaheim Ducks at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. EST; TV: NESN). Ducks Blog thinks that the Chris Kunitz trade for Ryan Whitney actually makes it more likely that Scott Niedermayer could be dealt at the deadline than Pronger. Kunitz was shocked; will Whitney play tonight? Meanwhile, Bruins blog has a terrific look at Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli's trade history at the deadline.
• Here's an uplifting story: The New York Islanders have an escape clause in their lease at the Coliseum. Aaron from The NHL in Kansas City: "What this doesn't change is that owner Charles Wang does not want to leave Long Island, KC is being used as a pawn, and progress seems to be happening on a new arena deal on Long Island." [KCNHL]
• The Dallas Stars bolster their center position by brining in Steve Begin from Montreal for Doug Janik, who apparently is still in the League. [Dallas Stars Blog]
Preview: Buffalo Sabres at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. EST; TV: MSG, FSS, Yahoo! Sports). Thomas Vanek should be back next week for the Sabres. Patrick Lalime gets the start tonight after having the flu yesterday, which makes our DayQuil-filled day feel like the pansification of blogging. Much like running that Mike Green photo yesterday was.
• Would Georges Laraque retire if the Montreal Canadiens traded him? [Hockey Fights]
• Great take on the Chris Neil contract negotiations vs. trading the dude for the Ottawa Senators: "I like Neil as much as the next guy, but I think it would be a huge mistake to start forking over Chris Kelly type money (can't believe that's a comparison) because of how much we as Senators fans overvalue our own home-grown organic products such as Neil." [The 6th Sens]
Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. EST; TV: FSOH, RSW, Yahoo! Sports). Is anyone else a little pumped up for this one on the 'ole Center Ice tonight? The BJs are one point up on the Oil, and here's the intrigue: Edmonton's been able to figure out Steve Mason (1-1-0 with a 4.02 GAA).
• The Two-Line Pass presents "Exclusive fan clubs no one's raising a stink about." Brilliant. [Two-Line Pass]
• R.I.P. Rocky Mountain News. Stunner. [RMN]
• Finally ... uh, hockey in a Speedo:. Wow, YouTube. Just ... wow.
