Here are all the links from around the hockey world, and what I’m reading, while entering the final stretch of a regular season that’s flown by.
*Old friend Dougie Hamilton is having a great season for the Flames, and appears to have really found a home in Calgary.
*The video of Tyson Jost’s grandpa crying at his NHL debut with the Colorado Avalanche makes up for a dreadful from the Avs.
*FOH (Friend of Haggs) Greg Wyshynksi weighs in with his thoughts on Shawn Thornton calling out Alexei Emelin and let’s just say I respectfully disagree. The demise of the enforcers is creating an environment where rats and dirty players can survive, thrive and multiply. Emelin should either be willing to stand up for his actions, or quit head-hunting and cheap-shotting players, and before you say it I don’t care about the giant doctor’s note excusing him from fighting he has for the metal plates in his face/head. Maybe he shouldn’t be playing hockey at all if his condition is that delicate?
*Vancouver Canucks coach Willie Desjardins calls out his team for a lack of talent as the season winds down to a sad end for them.
*John Tavares may be out for the rest of the season with a lower body injury, and that’s a wrap on the season for the Islanders.
*Give the US Women’s Hockey Team plenty of credit for sticking together both on and off the ice.
Boston Bruins
*Here’s a nice piece on Shawn Thornton as the 2017 Masterton Trophy nominee for the Florida Panthers as the sun sets on his NHL career.
*For something completely different: Tim Raines about to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame highlights the hope that Major League Baseball will be back in Montreal someday soon.