Here are your Evening 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.
• Do the Detroit Red Wings believe they have the Stanley Cup wrapped up because Game 7 is at the Joe? No, but they know it's an advantage. Said Mike Babcock: "When you don't have experience you say it's overrated, and when you do you understand how important it is and it's always nice to [have been] through something before so you know what to expect." [CBC Sports]
• The Pittsburgh Penguins, meanwhile, are changing up their practice routine and accommodations to try and break their road funk in the Final. Don't these guys know that it all comes down to if Bylsma eats the burrito or not? [ESPN]
• Mark Spector on how Henrik Zetterberg checking Sidney Crosby has morphed into Zetterberg getting checked by Jordan Staal. [Sportsnet]
• Seven burning questions about Game 7, including whether or not Sidney Crosby can have "the game of his life." [Hockey News]
• Wow: The 40 best players whose names were never on the Stanley Cup. [Bleacher Report]
• The Globe & Mail gives an early Christmas present to all followers of Jonathan Roy's career as a singer/bonkers goaltender: a huge profile of the musical aspirations of Patrick Roy's son. For example, he denies he was ever known as "J.O.E. Daking," insisting that it was simply "Daking." OK then. [Globe & Mail]
• One of the funniest things you'll see today: Make It Five! [Make It Five]
• A top-to-bottom analysis of the San Jose Sharks roster, including the observation that Patrick Marleau should be back in teal for next season. [Sharkspage]
• Arguing against John MacLean becoming the next head coach of the New Jersey Devils. Of course, if terrorists ever take over the Prudential Center ... (We know, different spelling. Yippee ki-ay anyway.) [Imperfect Dynasty]
• In case you missed it, Stu Hackel had an absolutely epic recap of Game 6 between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. [Slap Shot]
• Keith Jones of Versus has some very vocal fans in Pittsburgh. [MYFO]
• Big hire for Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke, bringing in longtime Anaheim Ducks goaltending coach Francois Allaire into the organ-i-zation. Next up: Finding a goalie. [Leafs]
• Defending Big D has an epic take on the firing of Dave Tippett by the Dallas Stars: "when you look at the entire body of work a coach has had with his team, you get the feeling that Nieuwendyk felt that change was neccessary since there weren't any guarauntees that Tippett and the Stars would have finished any differently with a healthy team than they did five of the last six seasons." [DBD]
• Fascinating chat with former Tampa Bay Lightning Coach Jacques Demers about whether or not the Bolts should trade Vincent Lecavalier this summer: "The GM is also a salesman to the media and to the fans, so if they sell it good and they get in return quality players that could come in and help change the franchise, everything is all well." [Lightning Strikes]
• Geoff, Andrew and Justin Molson reveal they've made a bid to take control of the Montreal Canadiens ownership. Entire rink to be made out of Molson Ice. [CP]
• The Life Of An Amateur Hockey Player was a blog we recalled enjoying, and there's a fresh post up. Good stuff on the emotional first-person hockey blogging front. [The Life Of An Amateur Hockey Player]
• Speaking of blogging, Hockey Barn has Puck Daddy up for writer of the year, which is awful nice of them.
• "Dany Heatley's Ottawa Departure Could be Marian Hossa's Doing?" [The Hockey Writers]
• Finally, here's the Ray Emery press conference with the Philadelphia Flyers. Long chat. Sharp suit.