Here are your Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

• Turkey Day on Puck Daddy features Three Stars and the next all-decade ranking, and it's something Bettman bashers will enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving to all; we're obviously thankful that you give this silly blog your time and attention.

• A video update on the Minnesota Wild "movember" charity mustache growing stunt. Clutterbuck looks like a kid trying to buy beer with a Fake ID. [CBS, via Hockey Wilderness]

• The New York Times sets the scene for tonight's Chicago Blackhawks/San Jose Sharks smackdown on the left coast, as perhaps the hottest team in hockey is expected to have Marian Hossa ready to roll. The Sharks, meanwhile, haven't lost at home in regulation yet. Flip on Center Ice tonight while diagramming your Turkey Day eating game-plans. [Slap Shot]

• Nik Kronwall of the Detroit Red Wings calls Georges Laraque's hit on him "more of an accident." Wonder if he had any influence on the NHL's suspension duration? [Hockey Fights]

• TFP is reporting that the Kostitsyns are on the block for the Montreal Canadiens, and that Edmonton is a possibility with Andrew Cogliano coming back the other way. Are the Oilers better off looking for another kind of forward for that price? [Copper & Blue]

• Get Drunk on Hockey, Vol. 1: The Tampa Bay Lightning are offering a "$25 Tailgate - Unlimited Food, Beer, Wine and Soda" both pregame and postgame for their game tonight vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs. Oh, and there's a concert by Danko Jones afterwards, too. RAWK! [Lightning, stick tap DH Speedwagon]

• Miami Herald writer George Richards? Not a fan of the new Florida Panthers third jerseys, in a "who do we blame for this?" sort of way. [On Frozen Pond]

• On Thanksgiving Day, Boston Bruins defenseman Dennis Wideman will personally deliver $1,000 worth of pies to various homeless shelters throughout Boston. Kyle Wellwood last scene checking Expedia East Coast flight options, looking for Vietnam-era Army jacket at Goodwill. [Bruins]

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So you're stuck at work on Turkey Day Eve, and you're like, "Man, I wish there was some sort of live chat with so-called experts that combines occasional moments of breaking hockey news with scores of awful jokes and puckhead geek references."

Wish no more, friend; the Puck Daddy Hockey Rumors Live Chat begins at 1 p.m. EST, so join us along with Lyle "Spector" Richardson of Fox Sports and hopefully David "Dave" Pagnotta of The Fourth Period for the latest rumors, scuttlebutt, innuendo and Thanksgiving dietary preferences from an American and two Canucks.

(For the record: Lightly toasted white bread with mayo, stuffing, turkey with skin, about 10:30 at night. No cranberries, as in the photo. Nothing beats it.)

Puck Headlines will follow the chat. As always, bring the funny and we'll bring ... well, whatever it is we bring to this nonsense.

John Buccigross's ESPN.com column on Brendan Burke -- who came out as a gay man to his father, Toronto Maple Leafs President Brian Burke, two years ago -- has been the talk of the hockey world in the last 24 hours.

(ESPN.com labeled his coming out as an "admission" on the top of Buccigross's story, which is about as faintly damning a term as can be applied to someone coming out to their parents.)

Not only has this been buzz-worthy because it reignites one of the hottest of hot-button issues in professional sports (homosexuals in the locker room), but because it instantly transformed Burke, that steadfast promoter of truculence and testosterone, into a de facto gay icon. Brendan Burke has become hockey's Mary Cheney of the moment, though both child and parent are treating this public outing with much less political parsing than Dick Cheney did in an election year.

From Damien Cox in the Toronto Star:

Burke believes there will be those who won't embrace the family love inherent in his acceptance of his son's orientation or of Brendan's decision to go public with his sexuality. Burke remembered that when he was in California in November to vote in the U.S. presidential election - he voted for Barack Obama - he was aggressively confronted by anti-gay activists protesting a same-sex marriage proposition on the California ballot.

"I told them to (expletive) get lost," said Burke, who also voted for the proposition. "But over the next two weeks, yeah, I expect to get some hate mail over today's story. There is going to be a backlash. All I care about is if Brendan is prepared for it. It takes jam to do what he's done."

What has he done, exactly? Has Brendan Burke helped drag professional hockey from its close-minded, closeted traditions regarding gay players with his story? Or is this just a personal choice and a compelling narrative without political impact? (To that end, we recommend Big League Screw's "it's a personal choice" essay on gay athletes coming out.)

To help answer those questions, we reached out to Justin Bourne, the former minor league player-turned-columnist whose piece on gay slurs in hockey for USA Today is actually the reason the world now knows Brian Burke has a gay son. (Follow Bourne on Twitter here.)

The following Q&A is an attempt to clarify what this news means and if, in the end, it's actually newsworthy.

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Jersey Fouls is our ongoing exploration of the rules and etiquette for proper hockey jersey creation and exhibition. If you spot what you think may be a foul in your arena, e-mail a photo to us at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com for inclusion in future installments.

Oh, how adorable: Like the cake topper at a St. Louis Blues Jersey Fouls wedding.

She'll no doubt look back on this sweater stunt fondly when she's had to explain for the 10,000th time that "Bride 20" isn't an indication of her age at the time of matrimony, or that she married a polygamist.

Look, we're not completely cold-hearted bastards here; maybe just slightly chilled, like a plastic bottle of Miller Lite at the arena. So we wonder if there is an acceptable, less-Foulish way to pull off commemorative wedding jerseys, because we don't want to begrudge two puckheads in love the chance to walk down the aisle in support of their favorite teams (and for true love, eternal bliss, yadda yadda yadda).

Does this happy couple pull it off? Is there another way to do it? Are Bride/Groom jerseys just a complete Fail and a harbinger of doom for the relationship?

If there can be a Star Wars wedding, there can be an NHL fan wedding, right? (Thanks to Puck Buddy Ryan M. for the photo.)

Meanwhile in the Windy City, this Chicago Blackhawks fan really broke the bank to update what we assume was either a Chris Chelios (in which case ... why?) or Lyle Odelein (in which case ... OK) jersey to a Brent Seabrook model. Materials alone are setting him back, what, two to three dollars?

That said, we respect his flawless artistry in using all capital letters.

Thanks to Roman for the image.

(Coming Up: A incredible New Jersey Devils Stanley Cup Hat Foul; a debatable T.J. Oshie Foul; the mascot jersey conundrum; Alfie's folly; religious freedom; Franken-T-Shirts; your Sidney Crosby Foul updates; and a Washington Capitals Foul that we're frankly tired of seeing stream into our inbox.)

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Here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m. Huge night in the NHL ... for anyone that has Blue Jackets or Canadiens players on their fantasy team. The lone contest on the schedule pits Carey Price (4-2-1 in his last seven) against Mathieu Garon, starting in place of Steve Mason, who was yanked against the Rangers last night. But the real intrigue is the return of Sergei Kostitsyn, who went from suspended by the franchise to AHL exile to back to the big league. Watch The Game Live Via Hockey Night on Y!

Check out previews and updated scores for all of today's games (OK, "game") on the Y! Sports NHL scores and scheds page.

Evening Reading

• Danny Briere has been "suspended for two games, without pay, as a result of a late hit on an unsuspecting opponent -- Avalanche defenseman Scott Hannan" in the Philadelphia Flyers' game at Colorado last night. The Flyers seem surprisingly cool with it, being the Flyers and all. [Courier Post]

• Don Cherry on how he'll watch the CBC bio-pic about him that's premiering in 2010: "I'm going to be in the basement by myself, and I'll cry and laugh - I guess at the same time." A.K.A. how most of us watch Coach's Corner. [CP]

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Bringing the outdoor game gimmick to minor league cities is a really wonderful development. The live hockey experience is always going to be the easiest way to convert the non-believers; outdoor games create local buzz and attract casual sports fans. Plus, some Podunk game at a fairground isn't going to infringe on the grandeur of the Winter Classic.

The long-gestating AHL outdoor classic -- the "Mirabito Outdoor Classic" -- is now set for 1 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2010 at the New York State Fairgrounds, with the Syracuse Crunch (Columbus Blue Jackets affiliate) taking on the Binghamton Senators (Ottawa Senators affiliate). Senator Chuck Schumer wants it to become an annual tradition, perhaps even for cities outside of upstate New York, as long as he's the reason they're happening and there are cameras involved.

Of course, the economic details on this thing will ultimately dictate if the trend continues in the AHL. From Syracuse.com:

The game is estimated to bring in 2,800 overnight guests and pump $1 million into the local economy. Tom Mitchell, executive vice president of operations for Binghamton, said ticket sales have already taken off in his city. "This probably won't be easy,'' Mitchell said of putting together the game. "But I commend the Syracuse Crunch and (owner Howard Dolgon) for their tenacity and determination to do it.''

The game could cost as much as $900,000. The Crunch is paying as much as $550,000, which includes about $400,000 for installation of the temporary rink. Sponsorship helps out with about $350,000, including $100,000 from Time Warner. Gov. David Paterson helped secure a $75,000 grant from the Empire State Development Corp., and also cleared the way for the Crunch to use the Fairgrounds without paying a user fee.

The article says that "the contest will be televised live by Time Warner Cable and the feed might be picked up by the NHL Network." Wait, "might be?" Yeah, why would they preempt the 80th showing of On The Fly for the first outdoor game in AHL history?

Hopefully, it's a success, because the idea of "mini-Classics" in other AHL cities is really appealing. Hershey? Manitoba? Milwaukee? Hey, maybe it's a way for Toronto to finally get its Classic.

Here are your Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

• OMG Jersey Fouls on Wednesday. Should be a chat 1 p.m. EST as well.

• When is Marian Hossa going to learn to stop answering questions about the teams he used to play for? To the Chicago Tribune, about the differences between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings: "The difference is this is one of the youngest groups of guys I've ever played with. It's lots of fun in the dressing room. It's a different crowd than it was in Detroit. It might be a little bit more mature there, but it's fun in the (Hawks') room." [Snapshots]

• The many questions about Marian Hossa finally joining the Blackhawks' lineup this week. [Paint It Blackhawks]

• Buccigross with a column on Brian Burke's son, who is gay. Very interesting, insightful stuff, though we might have structured it a bit differently. (The "imagine you are" device makes is a little clunky.) [ESPN]

• The New York Posts lists the most overrated teams in sports. There's one hockey entry. [NY Post]

• Ottawa Senators goalie Pascal Leclaire will be out for a month after an errant puck struck his cheekbone last night as he sat on the bench nursing another injury. That's, like, the stuff of gypsy curses right there. [Sportsnet]

• Terrific satirical post by View From My Seats on John Tavares's visit to Toronto last night: "The Globe and Mail piece waited until the 1st sentence of the 2nd paragraph before mentioning the name Wayne Gretzky. Don't feel special, they do this to every hotshot prospect that is a native of Ontario." [VFMS]

• Also recommended, as always: Down Goes Brown's reasons why Alex Ovechkin won't light up the Leafs this weekend: "Had heard a rumor that if the game went to a shootout, entire Leafs roster would embarrass themselves with a ridiculously demeaning attempt at rally caps." [DGB]

• Goaltender Vesa Toskala and center John Mitchell head to the IR. [CBC Sports]

• Mike Chen presents Fun With Google Image Search, including some sort of Cheechoo-related Care Bears photo we can't figure out. [Chen]

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Dion Phaneuf(notes) of the Calgary Flames as the well-earned reputation as one of the NHL's most fearsome hitters. Whether you believe some of those hits are of the cheaper variety probably depends on your feelings about the player himself or borderline hits in general. Or if you're Kyle Okposo.

We can add another name to the list of people who think players named Phaneuf cross the line with their hitting: Canadian women's hockey legend Hayley Wickenheiser. Only her gripe is with Dion's younger brother.

What the heck? Was Hayley trying to apply the Million Dollar Dream on Phaneuf? Was Virgil standing by with a dollar bill to shove in his mouth after she choked him out?

From the Calgary Sun's Eric Francis:

Dion Phaneuf's 15-year-old brother Dane caused a bit of a stir in Edmonton last week when he rubbed out Hayley Wickenheiser in a non-contact exhibition game against the women's national team. Wickenheiser, 31, took exception to the jarring and let him know by applying a rather violent choke-hold from behind in an effort to try wrestling him to the ice. Dion thought it was funny, and so do I.

Yeah, and so do we. If only because we fully endorse more brutality in women's hockey ... even if it's instigated by a teenage boy.

Stick tap to 25Stanley.com for the story.

(No, the first decade of the 21st century doesn't technically end until 2011. Save your bellyaching. But we've had nine NHL seasons and one stolen from us since 1999-2000, and Yahoo! Sports has decided it's time to rank the best and worst of the last "decade." Enjoy, and snark freely in the comments.)

How you choose to define, or quantify, the "best" player in the NHL over the last decade will determine your level of agreement with this ranking, which is sure to be one of our most controversial End of Decade lists.

Do you judge greatness based on flashy stats? Championship rings and playoff performance? Individual awards? Do you factor in intangibles like leadership or reputation?

We took everything into account for our Player of the Decade countdown, which focuses on NHL achievement rather than bringing international hockey into the equation. Every spot on the list is up for debate, but we feel as though these 10 players defined the 2000s for professional hockey. Keep in mind that the 2000s meant one set of rules, a work-stoppage, and then another set of rules.

Here are the 10 best players of the last decade ...

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No. 1 star: Dwayne Roloson, New York Islanders

Usually, goalies who give up three goals aren't going to be the No. 1 star. But those goalies usually don't face 61 shots. In fact, Roloson's 58 saves in the Islanders' 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs are the most since Ron Tugnutt's 70-save game in March 1991, according to the AP. (Phil Kessel had 12 on his own.) Not bad for a 40-year-old. Josh Bailey had the game-winner in overtime, after the Leafs rallied from a 3-0 hole. 

No. 2 Star: Marian Gaborik, New York Rangers

After the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets took a 2-0 lead, the Rangers used a John Tortorella timeout "just relax" chat and exploded for seven straight goals in a 7-4 victory. Gaborik had two goals (18 on the season) and two assists, including a beautiful helper on Sean Avery's second of the night. Also beautiful: Michael Del Zotto's Leetch-like solo effort for goal No. 3.

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