Here are all the links from around the hockey world, and what I’m reading, while wishing Fred Toucher, Rich Shertenlieb and the rest of the boys at Toucher and Rich a happy 10-year anniversary being on the air in Boston. You guys are the best, and you deserve all the success you’ve received while working your way to the top.
*The P.K. Subban/Snoop Dogg charity basketball game has been postponed for a year, and will now take place at the Bell Centre. I wonder if the Habs got involved and wanted to get in on the charitable action with their D-man? If so, good for them.
*Mike Babcock shares three pearls of wisdom in a convocation speech this week to a graduating class in Saskatchewan.
*PHT writer Joey Alfieri has Kirk Muller joining the Canadiens coaching staff, which could be a bad sign for the long term future of Michel Therrien in Montreal.
*The Detroit Red Wings are interested in bringing on Alex Radulov on a one-year contract, which could be a good gamble or could feature the notoriously combustible Radulov acting up in Motown.
*People will have their opinions on the new Florida Panthers logo and sweater design, but I think they’re great. The logo looks sharp and almost regal, and the sweater itself is a huge improvement over what was one of the more “meh” uniforms in the league. You can see the military connection and West Point-influence from Panthers owner Vinny Viola, and it truly does feel like that is something that’s happening top-to-bottom in that organization now.
*The New York Islanders have signed Casey Cizikas to a five-year contract that many around the league are openly mocking in a Kevan Miller/Bruins kind of way.
Boston Bruins
*Cult of Hockey blog explores exactly what Peter Chiarelli and the Oilers could fetch for Matthew Tkachuk if they opt to trade the No. 4 overall pick.
*For something completely different: Variety explores the TV after-show phenomenon from Talking Dead to After the Thrones. I admittedly watch the Chris Hardwick “Talking” shows on AMC and feel like he is a big part of their unique success. I tried to watch After the Thrones once on HBO and couldn’t do it largely because the two co-hosts were more annoying than amusing, and seemed like they were trying to out-hipster each other with ironic quips rather than actually, enthusiastically talking about the show. Maybe Hardwick just has a much warmer, stronger TV presence, but whatever the case it would have been a more interesting read if they had tracked down his thoughts on the after-show phenomenon rather than people that have previously bagged on both him, and the format itself.