Monday 2 July 2012

Red Wings, Rangers and the Rick Nash hunt; Alex Ovechkin at Wimbledon (Puck Headlines)

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.

• Alex Ovechkin celebrates his squeeze Maria Kirilenko's Wimbledon victory while Michael Jordan jumps across his chest. He's also playing tennis himself, which must be a dramatic shift from what he's usually getting served in the offseason. [Via Travis Rechenbach]

• Marty Brodeur on re-signing with the New Jersey Devils: "There's a reason why it took a little longer than it should. That second year was important to me to play two years and set myself up mentally and moving forward and not having to go through this again next year. It was interesting to do, but it's not something I would like to do again." [Fire & Ice]

• Penburgh updates with the Zach Parise Derby news. [Pensburgh]

• Mikael Samuelsson on returning to the Detroit Red Wings: "Some players have to leave, but I definitely have a strong feeling toward the guys in the locker room and the organization as well. I knew what I wanted when I hit the market and I'm happy that they wanted me too." [Red Wings]

• Nice Bruce Ciskie piece with Jason Garrison, including the Ville Leino 2012 question. [SBNation]

• Is Alex Semin a coach killer? His agent Mark Gandler said: "I think Pierre McGuire should know better. Take a look at Semin's plus-minus over the same period of time as Parise. Look at his plus-minus over any period against his teammates with the Capitals and you will see he is not that guy they say." [CSN Washington]

• Aaron Portzline says the Detroit Red Wings are in the mix for Rick Nash: "Yes, the Red Wings, the should-be Central Division rival of the Blue Jackets. We're told the Blue Jackets would swallow hard and trade him to Detroit, knowing they'd face him six times per season for the next, what, 22 years? Really, Nash probably has 10 seasons left, but for disheartened, demoralized Blue Jackets fans it would seem that kind or torment." [Puck-Rakers]

• The Rangers are still finding the Nash price to be too high. [NY Post]

• Allan Muir's best and worst of NHL free agency, including on Ray Whitney: "If he plays well and can be dealt somewhere for a decent return (likely a low first rounder), then the Stars will probably look at this deal as buying another chance in the prospect lottery." [SI]

• Bryan McCabe was learning the ropes with the Florida Panthers at the NHL Draft; now, he's been officially named the club's manager of player development. [Panthers]

• The Winnipeg Jets like their new Poni. [QMI]

• The Moose is back in Jersey. [Rosen]

• Habsblog on the Brandon Prust signing for the Montreal Canadiens: "Prust brings obvious toughness with over 80 NHL fights in just over 4 full NHL seasons. The 28 year old can certainly throw down with the best of them — which ignoring 19 games of Brad Staubitz, is something the Habs haven't had in their lineup since they signed the ghost of Georges Laraque. The difference however, between Prust and the two aforementioned sluggers is that Prust played a large role in the Rangers penalty kill, averaging the third most PK time among the team's forwards. Prust will bolster an already strong Habs PK unit and will free up some of the other more offensive players like Tomas Plekanec to be able to focus on offense and the powerplay. I think this was a very good upgrade over Brad Staubitz for the Canadiens, and dramatically increases the team toughness — which is something that Habs fans have been pining for, for ages." [Habsblog]

• Larry Robinson was given permission by the New Jersey Devils to talk to the Canadiens about their coaching vacancy, since filled. How close did he come to taking it? [Hockey Inside/Out]

• "Massachusetts has offered current Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold as its new head coach, and Pecknold is ready to accept, sources tell College Hockey News." [CHN]

• Eric Boulton, 35, heads to the New York Islanders press box. [Islanders]

• Are Nail Yakupov's goal celebrations coming under fire? [Oil Patch]

• Ellen Etchingham on NHL team building: "The fundamental irrationality of the way bottom six forwards are drafted derives from the irrationality of the way bottom-six forward roles are assigned." [Backhand Shelf]

• Adam Burish on joining the San Jose Sharks: "Hopefully I can get in there and give him a little excitement, too, and let him know from an outsider coming in, you are one of the best players in the league and forget all those writers and media people who are bothering you. I'm going to help you win the Stanley Cup because you deserve it. That's kind of the attitude I want to bring in to those players who have been there a long time and won everything but a Stanley cup." [Dallas Stars Blog, via Pollack]

• Jan Hejda had wrist surgery, which stunned some Colorado Avalanche fans. Fret not, he'll be ready for camp. The real camp. Not the lockout adjusted camp. [Denver Post]

• Ban that tripping coach for life! [Calgary Herald]

• Finally, via The Chron, here's New Found Glory's Steve Klein, an avid hockey fan, and Jordan Pundik talking some puck.



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