Noon Papers

Writers Note: Morning Papers has been absent for nearly two weeks now as Illegal Curve Founder Richard Pollock has been busy writing his final law school exams. I have decided to take over this weekend's papers, starting with today's short noon hour papers.

Here are the national newspapers:

- The Globe and Mail reports on the Steve Moore-Todd Bertuzzi saga. The Vancouver Canucks are denying the claim that then coach Marc Crawford ordered a "hit" on Moore and say these statements are both dangerous and misleading.
- The National Post published a story on Edmonton Oilers rookie Sam Gagner, claiming he won't be made available for the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championship in Pardubice and will remain with the big club.



Here are the Eastern Conference Newspapers:


- Damien Cox of the Toronto Star says the signing of Nik Antropov was an outstanding executive decision and that General Manager John Ferguson Jr. should be praised for the deal. ( Maybe in any other city besides Toronto?!)
- Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette says rookie defenseman Ryan O'Byrne played well on Thursday in his debut and will have to continue his steady play tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes if he wants to remain with the Habs.
- The Devils have won nine in a row, after dumping the Washington Capitals 3-2 last night and are now in 1st place in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division, but Rich Chere of the Newark Star Ledger wonders when Marty will be rested in favour of backup Kevin Weekes.
- George Richards of the Miami Herald says Tanner Glass is being given a shot to stick with the club by GM-Coach Jacques Martin.
- Goaltender Tuuka Rask will return to Toronto tonight, this time as a starter. Rich Thompson of the Boston Herald wonders if Rask has matured since his last meeting with the Buds three weeks ago.
- Tim Panaccio of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes about the Flyers tendency to give up late-period goals.
- Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune writes about the competitive Eastern Conference and how the inconsistent Lightning are no different than the Flyers, Hurricanes or any other team as they are yo-yoing up and down the standings.
- John Vogl, of the Buffalo News, says Coach Lindy Ruff is frustrated with how the top line of Tim Connolly-Jochen Hecht-Jason Pominville plays well one game and then is invisible the next game. Ruff says when the top line doesn't play well, the whole team suffers. More importantly, he says the whole team is playing poor defensively and the 8-2 thrashing at the hands of the L.A. Kings Thursday night was embarassing as they spent the whole game in their own end.
- Luke Decock of the Raleigh News & Observer says Goalie Cam Ward is playing some of the best hockey of his life right now and looks to stay unbeaten at the Bell Cente when the Hurricanes face the Montreal Canadiens tonight. Ward was the NHL's First Star of the Week the last time the Hurricanes did a tour of Eastern Canada back in October.

Please stay tuned for the Western Conference Newspapers.