ESPN Profiles the Eastern and Western Conferences

Scott Burnside figures its never too early to start ranking the teams, so he has compiled a list of how all the NHL teams are looking for next year.

Read the Eastern Conference trends here.

Read the Western Conference trends here.

News You Can Use Late in the Day

1. Top prospect Alex Pietrangelo has a small tear in his spleen.
2. Daulton Leveille is getting a lot of attention from scouts after a growth
3. Darren Dreger wonders what the Canucks off-season will look like.
4. Pierre Lebrun with his thoughts on the 1st Round matchups.
5. David Bastl gives his predictions for the 1st Round.
6. Patrice Bergeron has been cleared to play for the Bruins in the playoffs.
7. Off the Posts blog quotes Bryan Murray suggesting the Penguins tanked their last game to draw Ottawa in the 1st round.
8. A post from a Sharks blog with some fairly obvious hints and tips for winning.
9. Pat Burns will be an Assistant Coach for Team Canada at the World Championships.
10. The Blackhawks and White Sox have partnered up for marketing purposes.
11. ESPN has a handy and informative NHL playoffs page, found here.
12. Want to see the Sharks' Patrick Rismiller interviewed in a bathtub? Here is your chance.
13. Good article on Fanhouse about some of the contenders for the Jack Adams award.
14. What Flyers fans really think of Sidney Crosby.
15. Spector says that Markus Naslund and Mats Sundin are both up for grabs this summer.
16. Brian Costello of the Hockey News attempts to clarify the details of tonight's draft lottery.
17. The final results from Campbellnomics.
18. Eric Duhatschek with his intro to the playoffs.
19. Interesting article on Bobby Nadeau, the other goalie in the Jonathan Roy saga.
20. Mike Brophy feels its imperative for Dave Nonis to do something offensive this summer.
21. A team by team look at the participants in the Women's World Hockey Championship.
22. Canada defeated Norway for the World Sledge Hockey Championship.
23. Dr. Hockey with 7 hockey certainties.
24. Kovy wants a coach and a centre.
25. The NHL will increase its presence on the internet with tailor made packages.

News You Can Use Late in the Day

1. Wicked Wrister profiles the 10 Hottest Hockey Wives/Girlfriends. Note the extensive Oiler representation. Perhaps all those shoulder injuries are from overexertion?
2. Coach Dwight McMillan of the Weyburn Red Wings (SJHL) gets his 1000th regular season victory.
3. EJ Hradek says the Rangers are on a roll.
4. The weekly power rankings from Inside College Hockey.
5. TSN looks at possible deadline moves to be made by the six Canadian franchises.
6. Shawn "Scorecoff" Horcoff is done for the season after a shoulder injury.
7. Canadiens send Halak down, call Price up.
8. Mike Sillinger is out with a hip injury, so the Islanders have recalled 3 players from Bridgeport.
9. The Oilers see Robbie Schremp as a "Harlem Globetrotter type of kid". Not quite as Harlem Globetrotter as say, Anson "Potsie" Carter, but pretty close.
10. Colin Stuart is trying to make his mark in Atlanta.
11. Mike Morreale previews 6 games you should watch this week.
12. Who's Hot and Who's Not in the CHL.
13. Spector with a comprehensive run-down of all the current trade rumours.
14. Winnipeg makes the short list to host the 2010 World Junior Tournament.
15. In a move that alters the recruiting landscape, the OHL hosts a tournament for US Midget teams.
16. New blog Puckthathit with an interesting look at the cost per save analysis for NHL goalies.
17. In what has to be the most boring hockey story of the day, the NHLPA has hired an accountant. Wow, big day for HR Block.
18. Scott Burnside says Brian Burke would be the perfect choice for the US Olympic Hockey team in 2010. Watch for Kevin Lowe to sign Patrick Kane to a big offer sheet to get the Maple Leaf on his chest.
19. Darren Eliot may be the only guy left who still likes the instigator rule.
20. Dan Pollard, who must have wandered into a gay bar, says its time to address hits from behind.
21. An installment from Jaroslav Modry's blog in which he discusses the trade deadline.
22. Since its a blogtastic day, check out what Jamie McClennan has to say from Japan.
23. The Hockey News blog with a good thought, eliminate no-trade clauses.
24. The Winkler Flyers are built on diversity.
25. Fanhouse with a humourous look at the clinical depression suffered by Oiler fans.

News You Can Use Late in the Day

1. Team Canada has an intra-squad game tonight, which is expected to draw many spectators.
2. Bob McKenzie blogs to clarify a trade rumor attributed to him.
3. Stamkos and Tavares are looking to be the first 17 year olds since 2001 to make the World Junior team.
4. Pierre Lebrun wonders if Sidney Crosby can win the Lionel Conacher award.
5. Mathieu Schneider and Francois Beauchemin are drawing the most interest as the Ducks look to make a trade.
6. Craig Hartsburg has the task of weeding out the best of the best.
7. A look at Germany's Under-20 team.
8. Milan Lucic says thats its tough being out of the lineup
9. Double OT says the Lightning must make a deal.
10. Marc-Andre Fleury is out 6-8 weeks with a high ankle sprain.
11. Team Christmas from Inside College Hockey.
12. The Hockey News blog notes that the Penguins have a goalie problem.
13. Sergei Samsonov headlines the group of NHL forwards still looking for their first goal.
14. Taking Note tells us that former Red Wing goalie Greg Stefan is the new head coach of the Plymouth Whalers.
15. 6 Former USHL'ers are up for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.
16. Michael Farber of SI says that the NHL has the power to get its product back on ESPN.
17. Fanhouse notes that Hillary Duff has a thing or two to learn about hockey.
18. Mark Recchi has something to prove.
19. Allan Muir thinks the NHL should allow teams to have first dibs on homegrown talent. I am sure Atlanta is thrilled!
20. In case you missed it, check out this sick goal.
21. SI's Power Rankings.
22. The Oilers are scoring in bunches now, but also letting in a steady stream of goals.
23. Pascale Leclaire's play has cooled considerably.
24. The undrafted Jason Jaffray is on his way to NHL, joining the Canucks in California.
25. Leland Irving wants the #1 job with Team Canada.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Kyle Kosior

News You Can Use Late in the Day

1. Gary Bettman says the NHL may pass on the 2014 Olympics, since they are being held in Russia.
2. Fernando Pisani is close to returning to the Oilers, but Ethan Moreau is still out for the time-being.
3. Sean Avery will undergo wrist surgery after attempting to fit his entire hand into his mouth.
4. Ilya Bryzgalov has been a prime beneficiary of this move to the desert.
5. A profile on Peterborough's Zach Bogosian.
6. Chuck Kobasew has effectively filled the void created by Patrice Bergeron's injury.
7. Eddie Belfour's Swedish team is 18-1-1.
8. Inside College Hockey tracks the Hobey Baker favorites.
9. The Flyers have signed Braybon Coburn to a contract extension.
10. The NHL has visions of expanding the Chinese hockey market.
11. David Shoalts feels that MLSE must been unanimous when choosing the next GM.
12. George Johnson of ESPN with his picks for the NHL Awards.
13. Fanhouse notes that Jordan Staal is successfully demonstrating the sophomore jinx.
14. Chuck Gormley with an interesting story about the perils of the internet for professional hockey players.
15. Allan Muir of SI gives his contenders for the NHL Awards.
16. Kris Draper of the Red Wings is out for 10 days.
17. Dany Heatley answers readers' questions.
18. The Calgary Flames say they are tired of moral victories.
19. New details emerge about the death of Bob Gainey's daughter.
20. The NY Post discusses the Red Wings' PP.
21. Darren McCarty still hopes to return to the NHL.
22. The Leafs arethisclose to touching bottom.
23. The Blackhawks will welcome Martin Havlat back to the lineup tonight vs. the Bolts.
24. The New York Rangers have renounced their team option on Jagr for the 2008-09 Season.
25. 10 Tips from the NHL to the NFL to increase scoring.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Kyle Kosior