Top Line: Patrick Kane on Letterman; Patrice Bergeron not human; more links
Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane: The next Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull? (Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
By Allan Muir
An annotated guide to this morning's must-read hockey stories:
• Did you miss Patrick Kane on Letterman last night? Kukla's Korner has the video. Brilliant throwaway line from Dave about Kaner taking the Cup to a Jimmy Buffett concert. The guy's still got it.
• Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull are still the two greatest Blackhawks of all time, but Jonathan Toews and Kane are closing in fast.
• Chicago GM Stan Bowman says he is hopeful the he can re-sign Bryan Bickell this summer. Also hopeful that entire Red Wedding sequence was just a dream.
• Patrice Bergeron just put every football, baseball and basketball player in America to shame.
• Forget about that 17-second meltdown and Tuukka Rask had himself a pretty decent postseason. That's why it's going to cost the Bruins plenty to resign the RFA.
• This is one of those things you wish could have worked out another way: Andrew Ference is done in Boston.
• Hockey Canada is retooling its management to address recent failures on the world stage. Unless the job description of newcomer Sean Burke involves convincing goalies from other countries to get a Canadian passport, I'm guessing that this is more of a long-term project.
• Seems as though Kris Letang is feeling a little butt-hurt about his standing in the Pens' organization and he wouldn't mind taking his toys to Toronto. Wait...seriously?
• Good news for Letang: Not everyone is convinced that Paul Martin is Pittsburgh's best defenseman.
• Bernie Miklasz writes that the cozy St. Louis dressing room needs to become a lot more uncomfortable before the Blues can be taken seriously.
• The very reasonable new contract signed by St. Louis defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk might cost some other blueliners a few bucks.
• Here is Elliotte Friedman's 30 Thoughts column for the week. Seems like he's doing a lot of thinking about Alain Vigneault in New York.
• The Rangers don't have a pick in the first two rounds on Sunday, which gives them plenty of time to talk contract extension with Henrik Lundqvist.
• Jonas Siegel has an in-depth look at the drafting process of the Maple Leafs. It's pretty good, but he leaves out the part about the darts.
• Apparently, the city of Glendale is exploring a whole new way to lose money with the Phoenix Coyotes.
• Seth Jones knows he might be passed over by his hometown Avalanche with the first overall pick on Sunday. And he's okay with that.
• Kevin Allen writes that Jones is one of a kind.
• Pierre LeBrun chimes in with some buyout talk and the possible return of Tim Thomas. Dear eight-pound, six-ounce baby Hockey Gods ... please make this happen!
• Um, Bryz? Not sure that trolling an NHL owner by thanking him for securing your family's financial future is a smart idea for a guy hoping to play in this league again. Unless...
• Steve Mason says he's ready to step up as Philly's new No. 1 goalie. Flyers GM Paul Holmgren isn't quite so sure about that.
• Calgary GM Jay Feasterreally wants to move up in the draft.
• Harrison Mooney honors the unsung heroes of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
• Sounds like some changes are coming to the bottom end of Detroit's forward corps.
Dustin Penner