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.
• Tony breaks down the many ills of the Pittsburgh Penguins, ranging from injuries to chemistry to being too "cutesy" with the puck. "Maybe it's in the Pittsburgh water, but the Penguins do a great impression of Adam LaRoche, who always seems to take the first couple months of the season off." Ouch. [The Confluence]
• The Philadelphia Flyers are whining about penalty calls and calling out the referees. Instead of their fans, for a change. [Courier Post]
• Tampa Bay Lightning owner Oren Koules has listed his 8,000-square-foot Beverly Hills home at $12.5 million. The price includes a 14-seat movie screening room and several murderous booby traps strategically placed throughout the basement. House boy Steven Stamkos not included. [SF Chronicle]
• The Hockey Night in Canada crew compares Al Strachan's story about Bolts co-owner Len Barrie attempting to coach the team to the Watergate investigation; fails to ever contact Barrie for his side of the story or allow him to confront Strachan. Deep Throat, indeed. [Globe & Mail, skip to the middle]
• The Boston Bruins defend the honor of Sean Avery while questioning the ethics of Steve Ott. We believe the phrase "the lesser of two evils" may be applicable here. [Boston Globe]
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• The question for the NHLPA: Is having "a voice" in future expansion, television contracts and sponsorship deals worth going back to labor war with the NHL by terminating the current CBA? In this economy? [Star Tribune]
• Oh, and just to put a cherry on top of the whole "our economy sucks" sundae, look what the NFL just did: "The most-watched television sport in the U.S. is borrowing $1.4 billion through a four-year term loan and another $460 million with a 10-year term note that will guarantee teams' operating money through credit-market turmoil." [Bloomberg]
• More about the red-hot San Jose Sharks attempting to out-Wing the Detroit Red Wings. [Exile in Portales, skip to the middle]
• Amazingly, the Colorado Avalanche's goaltending and defense aren't the problems this season; columnist Terry Frei believes the team is a mess up front. Hey, that's nothing Forsberg can't solve in about four months, right? [Denver Post]
• The New Jersey Devils will be without defenseman Paul Martin tonight against the Buffalo Sabres; still no update on Martin Brodeur's injury, as every hockey fan in New Jersey that doesn't root for the Rangers or Flyers keeps a vigil. [Fire & Ice]
• Mattias Ohlund has a no-trade clause. This might be something to bring up in rumors discussions. [Waiting for Stanley]
• Those who report Brendan Shanahan will play for the Penguins might want to check the salary cap information on their own Web site. Just sayin'.
• Alexander Ovechkin is back skating with the Washington Capitals, who are making a few lineup changes. We're still not used to this whole Fedorov on defense stuff .[Capitals Insider]
• Finally, a healthy scrap between Steve MacIntyre of the Edmonton Oilers and Riley Cote of the Philadelphia Flyers. Hockey Fights has the back story.
