Here are your Weekend 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.
• Let's say the Atlanta Thrashers do end up trading Ilya Kovalchuk for the betterment of the franchise. Bill Tiller makes a vital point: "Exactly what is it in the history of Don Waddell's dealings that makes anyone believe that he is capable of bringing in the highest yield in exchange for Ilya Kovalchuk?" Indeed. [Iceman Bloggeth]
• Kudos to the Philadelphia Phantoms, who will hold the Scott Hartnell Glove And Mitten Toss on Sunday, Dec. 14 when the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins visit. All gloves and mittens collected will be donated to Operation Warm, which collects cold-weather clothing for those in need. [Phantoms]
• Great look by Michael Russo at the Marian Gaborik dilemma for the Minnesota Wild, and all the factors that seem to point to his departure. [Star Tribune]
• Bruce "Malkin to the Kings" Garrioch lists the Montreal Canadiens in the "top contenders" for Mats Sundin, and then eliminates the Ottawa Senators from the derby because "it seems doubtful Sundin would choose a team that is such a fierce rival of the Leafs." Uh ... the hell? [London Free Press]
• Al Strachan reported last night on CBC that Sean Avery called Elisha Cuthbert and Dion Phaneuf and apologized to them. Clearly, Avery can now face the Calgary Flames again without fear of retribution. [Dallas Stars Blog]
Sports
• Martin Brodeur on Sean Avery's suspension: "The NHL should punish him with a suspension because he doesn't act professionally." Thanks, Fatso. [Fire & Ice]
• Larry Brooks reports that Wayne Fleming, the hand-picked coach by Jaromir Jagr, could be dismissed soon as the KHL's Omsk franchise is in turmoil. Their owner's name? Oren Kouleski. [NY Post]
• The Pensblog takes a look at Pittsburgh Penguins first baskets. "Apparently Danny Sabourin needs to attend some AA meetings." [Pensblog]
• The NHL Board of Governors will here from economic experts from "both sides of the borders" at its meetings this week, as the NHL attempts to navigate through the recession. Here's an idea for the owners: Try to avoid under-the-table loans to con men so they can buy hockey teams in places like Nashville. [Canadian Press]
• Defending the Toronto Maple Leafs' honoring Wendel Clark, and why they weren't "the stuck-in-the-mud Leafs" throwing "a bash in the trailer park for one of their unwashed heathens." [The Hockey News]
• Michael Cammalleri explains the subtle difference between Calgary and New York: "People in Calgary are so polite. They're so supportive. They're so nice ... In New York, it's the opposite. They'll throw a hot dog at you at the drop of a hat." What a load of crap; no self-respecting New Yorker is throwing a Sabrett dog at an NHLer. Maybe a Red Sox player, if that. [Sun Media]
• According to Pierre LeBrun, the Penguins and Jordan Staal are kicking around the idea of doing a short-term contract before his free agency next summer. [ESPN]
• Fear the Fin pits NHL 09 and NHL 2K9 against each other in a review of video game supremacy. [Fear the Fin]
• Finally, good scrap from a couple of days ago between Brandon Prust of Calgary and Cam Janssen of the St. Louis Blues
