NHL Morning Papers (Tuesday Edition)

Here are the national morning papers:

• William Houston of the Globe & Mail wonders if it is time to stop playing the NHL All-Star Game in its current form.
• Mark Spector of the National Post says the hardest part of rebuilding a hockey team are the first few steps.
• Even with yesterday's signing of Teemu Selanne, Kevin Allen of USA Today tells readers that Brian Burke is still looking to make another big move to improve his forward corps.

Here are the Eastern Conference morning papers:

• Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tries to figure out whether the Atlanta Thrashers are any worse than the Atlanta Hawks.
• With every team so close in the Eastern Conference playoff race, the Bruins cannot afford to get off to a slow start post All-Star break. Apparently neither P.J. Axelsson nor Glen Murray are close to returning to action for the Bruins.
• Maxim Afinogenov is close to returning to the Sabres lineup, writes Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News.
• The Hurricanes have given the second most goals in the entire NHL and if they want to make the playoffs, they will have to shore up their defensive game, writes Rachel Carter of the News Observer.
• Jozef Stumpel will return to the Panthers lineup for Wednesday's game against Buffalo. With a number of injuries on the roster, the Panthers made a few call-ups yesterday from Rochester of the AHL.
• Chris Higgins of the Canadiens says the team's ultimate goal this season is to win the Stanley Cup.
• Depending on their place in the Eastern Conference standings, the Devils may opt to give Martin Brodeur more time off over the remainder of the season with so many back-to-back games on the schedule.
• Larry Brooks of the NY Post tells readers that the Rangers' asking price for defenseman Marek Malik is quite high. Meanwhile, Rangers coach Tom Renney is hoping that his team can play the same way they did to close out last season.
• "I think teams always play well against the elite because there's some fear if you don't, you're going to get blown out," said Islanders captain Bill Guerin about his team's game tonight versus the powerful Senators.
• To say John Paddock is sick and tired of Ray Emery's antics would be an understatement. Emery was back practicing on Tuesday morning, but there has been no word on his future with the club, writes Ken Warren of the Ottawa Citizen.
• Flyers forward Joffrey Lupul is hoping to return to the team's lineup in two weeks.
• Colby Armstrong will miss the Penguins' next two road games with the flu. Here are some news and notes about the Penguins.
• Dan Boyle has returned to the Lightning's lineup and wants to be a leading hand in turning his team's fortunes around.
• The Leafs could learn a thing or two about the Blues' rebuilding plans writes Damien Cox of the Toronto Star. In other Leafs news, Cliff Fletcher had a discussion yesterday with Mats Sundin but "nothing tangible" was discussed.
• The Capitals are only one point out of first place in the Southeast Division and have their sights on winning the division.

The Western Conference morning papers are soon to follow...

• As Jeff Miller of the Orange Country Register tells us, Teemu Selanne's return to the Ducks has brought much joy to Anaheim fans, players and management.
• Mike Keenan is not going to change the approach he has with the Flames for the entire season just because the playoff push is about to get underway, writes Scott Cruickshank of the Calgary Herald.
• After his tirade last Thursday, Blackhawks coach Denis Savard was happy to see his team rebound with a good, up-tempo practice on Monday.
• Adrian Dater of the Denver Post provides a number of hypothetical situations in which the Avalanche would not make the playoffs
• Rick Nash gets to reunite with the two defensemen he made look foolish two weeks ago, when the Coyotes visit Columbus tonight. Tonight's game is a match up between two possible Jack Adams candidates as Wayne Gretzky and Ken Hitchcock face-off against one another. Here are the Blue Jackets' lines for tonight's game.
• The Stars are poised to make a run over the remaining portion of the season because the tough part of their schedule is behind them, writes Richard Durrett of the Dallas Morning News.
• Darren McCarty is trying to work his way back to the NHL and his next stop is Grand Rapids of the AHL.
• Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal, tells Oilers fans that the team probably needs to win 22 of its remaining 30 games to crack the NHL playoffs.
• The struggling Kings are set to embark on an eight-game road trip, which may see some of their players traded along the way.
• The Wild had a spirited practice yesterday and, more importantly, are getting closer to full health just prior to the stretch run.
• "Our missing piece is a top-six forward,'' Predators GM David Poile said on Monday.
• The last thing the Coyotes want for the stretch-run is a rental player, writes Jim Gintonio of the Arizona Republic.
• With cold temperatures in Northern Alberta, the Sharks only have hockey to worry about as they start the second-half of their season.
• Blues coach Andy Murray wants his defensemen to move the puck more efficiently, writes Jeremy Rutherford of St. Louis Disptach.
• Curtis Sanford of the Canucks will be starting tonight with Roberto Luongo in Florida with his pregnant wife.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Richard Pollock.