Michael Regan - Getty Images
Set aside thoughts of cross-checks and slew footing, and let yourself relax for a few days.
While the focus of most of the hockey media will be on Ottawa for the upcoming All-Star weekend, for most of the NHL, this is a rare opportunity to get a few days of rest & relaxation in before the hectic chase toward the Stanley Cup playoffs resumes next week. Nashville Predators enforcer Brian McGrattan has already tweeted out a picturetelling us that he's certainly not hanging out in Tennessee these days!
Follow after the jump for your afternoon hockey news, which starts off with a request for your vote...
Joining Forces Community Challenge
Please consider stopping by and voting for "Defending The Blue Line", a charity which helps the children in military families participate in the great sport of hockey. This challenge is among 20 different charitable efforts on the behalf of our armed forces.
Smashville 24/7: Rinne ready to thrive down the stretch – again
Is the best yet to come this season from Peks?
Ellis to Miss Out on the AHL All Star Game; Sloan to Return | Admirals Roundtable
Ryan Ellis can kick back like an NHL player this week, rather than strut like an AHL All-Star.
The Hockey News: Adam Proteau's Column: Proteau: One-on-one with NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr
Set aside some time for this lengthy interview with the NHLPA's leader.
NHL All-Star Game Fantasy Draft Odds Posted | Hockey Gear HQ
Which NHL All-Star will get picked first, or last, during Thursday's Fantasy Draft? Since this is just like picking teams in the schoolyard, it helps to have the right friends.
Last Week’s NBC Sports Net Numbers Led By Sabres-Blackhawks " Puck The Media
When the Predators played the Rangers on NBC Sports last week, it drew an estimated 224,000 viewers.
The Player: Why NHL players rejected realignment, and why the backlash was worth it | Puck Daddy
You know what doesn't make sense to me? Why the players would be so opposed to the playoff scenario under realignment, while pretty much everyone else seemed OK with it.
The Dark Blue Jacket: The 1,000th post: DBJ's quest for understanding in the land of the Mayans
One fan's epic quest for meaning in the valley of despair which Columbus has become.
P.K. Subban is a solid bet for Edmonton, but have the Habs truly soured on the young d-man? That’s not clear. | Edmonton Journal
Edmonton desperately needs help on the blueline. Even though Elliotte Friedman wrote yesterday that the Preds aren't really interested in swapping a young D with a pick for Ales Hemsky, are there other forwards on the Oilers who could help Nashville?
Cullen: Comparing power play ice time to last season - TSN
Count Colin Wilson among the beneficiaries of bonus PP time this year.
The Quiet Room’s All-Hurt All-Stars: Forwards - Backhand Shelf
It's time to review some of injuries striking the NHL's top forwards (warning: grizzly photo towards the end here).
Antero Niittymaki, waived by Sharks: ‘I don’t want to be in this organization at all anymore’ | Puck Daddy
Here's an example of why Anders Lindback has almost no trade value right now.
John-Michael Liles Extended - Pension Plan Puppets
The pride of Zionsville, Indiana lands a $15.5 million deal.
Panthers could owe $30.8 million to Florida for not turning arena into homeless shelter | Puck Daddy
And now for something completely different.
The Detroit Red Wings: Experience & Composure vs. Old & Weak | The Hockey Writers
There's a glass half-full, glass half-empty way to look at Detroit's blueline.
Judging Goalies: Should We Include PK Save Percentage? - Broad Street Hockey
Good stuff here to tease out how much the variability of PK save percentage gets in the way of things.
0 recs | 27 comments
this is a great end to this part of the season
we overtook chicago…. and almost caught up to st. louis (sadly they managed to make it to overtime)…. and currently after 1 period Detroit is getting its stuff pushed in by Montreal (only end of first but still 4-0 Montreal…. here’s hoping they don’t make a last second comeback like normal and force overtime only to win)…. Pekka has been red hot, our young D is clicking pretty well (still have problems with clearing the zone to get the change but not crumpling under pressure), and our offense is generating on every line. I would still love a legit top scorer but i still have no clue who i would bench to fit them in same thing with yip… i’m taking a liking to him…plays with good energy and isn’t afraid to hit or give a good screen.
Herzausstein - January 25, 2012
LOL 6-0 now. Suck it Detroit
DonBorvio - January 25, 2012
Hah!
It looks like Ditwah entered ‘chillax mode’ a bit too soon.
moxxx - January 25, 2012
booo yah
detroit can ride that one alllllllllll break
Herzausstein - January 25, 2012
just makes my day watching them fail
Herzausstein - January 25, 2012
They missed the memo that there was one game left on the schedule before the break. Bwahahahahahaha!
LuvthePreds - January 25, 2012
Wouldn’t mind Montreal putting up a snowman by game’s end.
OddManRush - January 25, 2012
All star rest came early for Detroit.
Predator Don - January 25, 2012
Ladies and gentlemen, we are 3 points out of first place
Creeping Death - January 25, 2012
Howard - .667 save percentage
OMG
Catwoman - January 26, 2012
Just read the winners and losers of the NHL from Down Goes Brown...
Winner: Phoenix Coyotes – Shane Doan recorded the first hat trick of his 17-year career on Saturday, which was a nice moment because it gave the fans in Phoenix a five-month head start on throwing away Coyotes merchandise.
Preds of State - January 26, 2012
man am I glad PfPP has Howard in our fantasy hockey league… you are falling like a rock while my team keeps rising!
Creeping Death - January 26, 2012
Detroit always seems to have one of those games every year
Remember when we beat them 8-0 a couple of years ago?
Preds of State - January 26, 2012
heck yes!! I was texting all my red wing friends and giving them hell for it
Creeping Death - January 26, 2012
Disagree on the comment that only the players were against the realignment plan. There’s lots of fans who don’t like the idea for various reasons.
And yes, there are other forwards on the Oilers that we’d like instead of Hemsky………..unfortunately, the Oil isn’t trading them. :/
Grizzledbear - January 26, 2012 via mobile
Hell would freeze over before they let go of Eberle or Nugent-Hopkins
Preds of State - January 26, 2012
Or Hall.
Grizzledbear - January 26, 2012 via mobile
Hall needs a nickname to go with his new scar. Thoughts?
cisar - January 26, 2012
Maybe someone can ask his mom - she might have one ready to go
XVIII - January 26, 2012
I saw some guys were calling him Harry Potter.
cisar - January 26, 2012
we have got to stop being dependent on Oil
Creeping Death - January 26, 2012
Foreign Oilers are destroying our economy!
cisar - January 26, 2012
Since Smith is a rookie...
Is this him?
Preds of State - January 26, 2012
Yes!
Perfect picture. Looks innocent but has the means to harm you.
kypredsfan - January 26, 2012
And Chicago pissed off their Hindu population...
http://m.ibnlive.com/news/us-hindus-offended-as-channel-calls-deities-weird/224464-61.html
Preds of State - January 26, 2012
Hey, the Hawks fans yell and scream though the National Anthem; what does one expect from their writers? I know a tad about Hindu deities, but I don’t remember any swallowing space. The Hindu community should just chalk it up to gross ignorance/stupidity, whichever fits.
amyinsparta - January 26, 2012
I'm Hindu.
I don’t see how we can get angry at one lone writer for a stupid mistake.
Aditya T (smashville) - January 26, 2012
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