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: The new reader contest, Puck Daddy Create-A-Card, is up and running.
• From Philly.com: "For the season, the Flyers have had 174 power plays and have been shorthanded 238 times. That minus-64 discrepancy is the highest in the NHL." That said, Mike Richards and Coach John Stevens are both indicating that perhaps the League's officials are targeting the Philadelphia Flyers based on the franchise's legendary reputation as the Broad Street Bullies. More from Puck Update and Bangin' Panger on this one. Does Philly have a point? [Philly.com]
• Does the Henrik Zetterberg contract with the Detroit Red Wings violate the spirit of the salary cap? We'll have more about this on Friday. [Jibblescribbits]
• Dan Boyle of the San Jose Sharks reveals that he wasn't actually injured during the all-star game, while Joe Thornton explains that he won't be looking for a Zetterberg-like deal when his contract is up. [Working the Corners]
• From Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk: "Anybody that says we should blow up this organization should get their own bomb and go blow themselves up." As we've predicted for years: Ottawa wins Stanley Cup, Middle East peace achieved. [Ottawa Sun]
Sports
• Is Mats Sundin not in playing shape for the Vancouver Canucks? Compared to everyone but Kyle Wellwood? [Globe & Mail]
• Sidney Crosby is so overrated that he's now underrated. Wait, is this the same theory that claims that "Plan 9 From Outer Space" is watchable? Saying Patrick Kane "isn't on the same planet as Crosby as a player right now" is a good example of the kind of hyperbole that indicates Sidney will never exactly be "underrated." Ever. [FanHouse]
• Sure, Scott Clemmensen is just the sixth New Jersey Devils goalie to win 20 games in a season. Yeah, the Devils are on top of their division, and Clemmensen's posted some impressive numbers. All that said ... a goalie controversy, NY Post? Seriously? "How Clemmensen would fare in the playoffs is a great unknown, and this team may be too good to gamble on unknowns. But also unknown is how quickly Brodeur regains his old form." Probably more quickly if a three-time Stanley Cup champion and probable Hall of Famer wasn't backing up his backup. [NY Post]
• Great post by JP on Michael Nylander of the Washington Capitals, and why dog-housing him instead of increasing his ice time with better linemates isn't the right course of action. [Japers' Rink]
• The Chicago Blackhawks would happily re-sign Martin Havlat for $2 million less annually than what he makes now. We're guessing they haven't asked Havlat for his thoughts about this idea yet, considering the fact that he hasn't been caught uncontrollably giggling to himself on the ice. [Daily Herald]
• Granted, the NHL effectively used baseball is sell the Winter Classic this year. But has that relationship grown to the point where Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller can make "Major League" references after losses? What's next; is Jason Pominville going to steal Jobu's rum? [Calgary Sun]
• Much more about Olaf Kolzig's season-ending injury with the Tampa Bay Lightning. [Lightning Strikes]
• Nik Antropov is not a happy boy when it comes to trade rumors and the Toronto Maple Leafs. [Sun Media]
• Jean-Guy Trudel of the Swiss club ZSC Lions painfully discovers that, indeed, the championship medals are real. [Getty]
• Red Wings Coach Mike Babcock once said that rookie Ville Leino was "best players that I have ever been involved in sending to the minors." Well, he's up in Detroit now. [Wings]
• Do Dallas Stars fans actually hate the Red Wings? [Dallas Stars Blog]
• James Duthie believes there's simply no way the Florida Panthers can hang on to Jay Bouwmeester past the trade deadline. [Ottawa Citizen]
• In praise of Rick Nash, and why this finally feels like a playoff year for the Columbus Blue Jackets. [Bethany's Hockey Rants]
• Yesterday's news, but so what? This Pensblog "how to fix the Pittsburgh Penguins" post is one of their epic collections of creative images and unapologetic wrestling references. [Pensblog]
• Finally, in case you haven't heard it, the infamous "We Want 10!" chant from Edmonton Oilers fans from earlier this week:
