Letang contract talks held up; Clowe’s rights available; Seth Jones mic’d up (Puck Headlines)

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.

• "You can now have Jack Edwards wish your friends and family a Happy Birthday, marriage or whatever else comes to mind." SOLD! [Days of Y'Orr]

• The Pittsburgh Penguins and Kris Letang are close to a new extension, but the defenseman wants assurances he will not be deal next summer by the team. [Tribune Review]

• It won't take long for the New York Rangers to see former head coach John Tortorella. The Rangers and Canucks will reportedly face one another during a preseason game in Vancouver. [SNY Rangers]

• On the Rangers: they're currently open to shopping the rights to Ryane Clowe, whom they would like to re-sign, but just don't have the cap space. [Bergen Record]

• Terry Frei on why the Colorado Avalanche should have drafted Seth Jones and not Nathan MacKinnon: "MacKinnon might turn out to be as great as another kid from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia — Sidney Crosby. With MacKinnon, Matt Duchene and Gabe Landeskog all coming out of the draft's top three overall picks since 2009, the potential for collective greatness there is undeniable. But it also makes it clear that Colorado, horrible on defense, in no way believes it is as well-stocked at center as previously advertised." [Denver Post]

• Why Nashville Predators defenseman Seth Jones is a symbol for the growth of southern hockey. [Sunbelt Hockey]

• Mooney on the Schneider deal: "While Gillis deserves your mockery for directing this disaster that was saved in no way by its twist ending — he is, without a doubt, the M. Night Shyamalan of hockey — there is a glimmer of vindication here." [PITB]

• Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis had no choice but to make the Cory Schneider deal. [Sportsnet]

• Why the return for Cory Schneider wasn't as bad as it seems. [mc79hockey]

• Dainius Zubrus has re-signed with the New Jersey Devils with a 3-year, $9.5 million deal. Up next are new deals for Patrik Elias and Peter Harrold. [Fire & Ice]

• Benoit Pouliot, who is an unrestricted free agent, looks like a good fit for the Toronto Maple Leafs. [Leafs Nation]

• Mike Ribeiro will not return to the Washington Capitals and will test the free agent market. [Russian Machine Never Breaks]

• Looking at the path that led the Tampa Bay Lightning to buy out Vincent Lecavalier. [Spector's Hockey]

• New San Jose Shark Tyler Kennedy on why he believes he played just twice for the Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final: “I’m not really sure. I thought I had a great playoff, and I’m kind of stumped. I’m really kind of lost why they didn’t play me more.” [CSN Bay Area]

• Among the Buffalo Sabres draft picks included two local kids, Justin Bailey and Sean Malone. [Buffalo Hockey Beat]

• Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Washington, D.C. will play host to Team USA's Olympic orientation camp in August. [Washington Times]

• Over the weekend, the New York Islanders signed Boston College goaltender Parker Milner. [BC Interruption]

-Finally, here's Seth Jones' Draft day mic'd up: