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Mark Recchi urges players to take deal; Ovechkin under Oates; creepy abandoned rink (Puck Headlines)

Greg Wyshynski

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.

• This is incredible: an old school hockey rink, open air in an aircraft hanger, just north of Cincinnati in the city of Hamilton. Queen City Discovery has the images, and they make us wish for a Field of Dreams magical renovation of the joint, complete with ghost players. [QCD, 'Duk]

• Remember the CHLPA, whose dysfunction made it the hockey union equivalent of an episode of 'Springer'? They've "officially" entered a request to play for the Stanley Cup this year if the NHL remains locked out. [Buzzing The Net]

[Also: Where does Hall of Famer Joe Sakic rank among all-time centers?]

• Elliotte Friedman does the 30 Thoughts thing, including: "While it's believed the league is willing to make some concessions on contracts (as long as it gets serious protection against Kovalchuk-like deals), all of this is tied into what it needs to give up elsewhere. The final stages of the world's worst-ever marathon affect one another. If the NHL bends on make-whole or on lost revenue, it may be less inclined to ease on contract length." [CBC Sports]

• Dr. Recchi's diagnosis for the NHLPA: Make the deal with the NHL and end the lockout. "They're always going to get paid, no matter what. Look at that last deal. We ended up with the cap and everyone thought it was a bad deal. But it ended up great, right? No matter what the system is, or has been, the players get their money. No matter what the contract, the owners always find a way to pay them more. That's why I say, get a deal and get back in there . . . the money's always there." [Boston.com]

• How will Adam Oates influence Alex Ovechkin's offensive game with the Washington Capitals? "Assuming Ovechkin will be on the ice for 50 power-play shots per 60 minutes — an increase from last year (47.4) — but converting those shots at a rate of 13 percent instead of the 11 percent average from the past two years, we can pencil in another 11 goals for Ovechkin that will come during the man advantage." [WaPo]

• You know who isn't going to look great when the lockout's over? Goalies. [Edmonton Journal]

• Our friends at Prep Rally are all over one of the most stunning stories of the week: "Pennsylvania high school hockey league bans national anthem to save money on ice time." [Prep Rally]

• Hookers, wine and … hockey tickets. Such is bribery in Canada. [CTV]

• Good on the Leafs and Calgary Flames for supporting the Canadian Women's Hockey League. [CP]

[More: Ex-teammates Patrick Marleau, Jeremy Roenick feuding again]

• And in the interest of equal time, here is a photo gallery from FAB Magazine that chronicles "The boys of the Toronto gay hockey league." [FAB]

• On the Vancouver Canucks: "The point being that, at some moment in time, this team became pretty good and a lot of that seems to coincide with Bure and Quinn's arrival in Vancouver." [Canucks Army]

• Ian Mendes writes that the Maple Leaf Entertainment's Real Sports is coming to Ottawa, and offers a few suggestions for the branch in Sens territory: "Chicken Fingers - $22.50 — While it might seem outlandish to pay $22.50 for this dish, just remember that Leafs fans are very used to overpaying for a Finger." [Sportsnet]

• Here is yours truly on Y! Sports Radio today, talking lockout. [Y! Sports Radio]

• Finally, here is Stephanie K's one-minute lockout song. She's given a topic. She sings a song every day. And sings it well.