Top Line: Kane talks racism, internet explodes over Cousins story, more links
Evander Kane of the Jets has been a lightning rod for controversy this season. (Jonathan Kozub/Getty Images)
By Allan Muir
A guide to this morning's must-read hockey stories:
• So apparently Evander Kane was talking about social media, not Winnipeg when he threw down the racism card. I'm thinking he's probably not through with having to explain himself.
• Don Cherry on Kane: "When you act like he acts... if his name was O’Shaugnessy, he’d still get criticized. To say it’s racial is ridiculous."
• Better news out of Winnipeg: Zach Bogosian could make his season debut tonight for the Jets.
• Here's the story on Philly prospect Nick Cousins that started it all. And here's part of the backlash. I don't think every story about Cousins needs to mention in the lede that he's been accused of rape, but Frank Seravalli clearly missed a more interesting column on the pervasiveness of attitudes like Ian Laperriere's.
• David Clarkson continues to prove the doubters wrong in New Jersey. One week after my Team Canada roster prediction post, I'm ready to make a change. At this pace, Clarkson is definitely in the mix. He might be the NHL's best ugly-goal scorer.
• Jonathan Quick could use a strong game against Columbus to rebound from last weekend's devastating loss to Detroit. Watching him play, you have to wonder if he's 100 percent after off-season back surgery.
• Several members of the Detroit Red Wings are wearing not just Kevlar socks but Kevlar sleeves after gruesome forearm injuries to Darren Helm and Mike Modano in the past.
• Looks like the Wings are all card-carrying members of the Teemu Selanne fan club. There are meetings and decoder rings and everything!
• The new Rene Bourque is making everyone forget the old Rene Bourque. Which doesn't sound like a tremendous challenge given how forgettable the old Bourque was.
• Pekka Rinne is up to his old tricks, beating the Coyotes for his second consecutive shutout.
• Not surprisingly, Gary Bettman plans on taking his sweet time before deciding to allow NHL players to participate in the Sochi Olympics. What, you thought he'd roll over and ask for a belly rub after being publicly tweaked by Rene Fasel last weekend?
• ISS is suggesting a big shake-up at the top in its February rankings for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. They're seeing something I'm not at No. 2. I don't even like the kid for the top 10.
• On the fourth anniversary of Dan Bylsma's hiring, Rob Rossi breaks down some of the Pittsburgh coach's greatest achievements behind the Pens' bench.
• Roy MacGregor, always a must-read, on the annus horribilis of the Ottawa Senators.
• Nobody is gripping his stick harder than slumping Buffalo winger Drew Stafford. Of course, it's not just how often you shoot, but from where that matters (see the Clarkson story above).
• John Tavares scored a pair, but it was the Islanders' grinders who powered the victory over the Rangers.
• Crazy story out of Boston where BU sophomore defenseman Alexx Privitera has been shut down for the season for on-ice discipline problems.