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Rick Nash expected back; Weiss on benching; sick Evgeni Malkin goal (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.

• Via Buzzing The Net, the shortest fight in QMJHL history between Raphaël Corriveau and Sea Dogs tough guy Maxime Villemaire.

• Florida Panthers center Stephen Weiss on his benching: "That stuff doesn’t bother me. It’s not the first time I’ve been benched and it’s probably not the last time I’ll be benched. It’s just a matter of how you deal with it. You put it behind you and just keep pushing forward, try to play better.” [On Frozen Pond]

• The Philadelphia Flyers waive backup goalie Michael Leighton and forward Tom Sestito. [Frequent Flyers]

• Spector on trading Ryan Miller: “Given the lack of starting goalies available in the trade market, Miller would attract considerable attention if he were shopped before the trade deadline. Going that route, however, would signal the start of a significant rebuild for the Buffalo Sabres, which includes finding a suitable replacement for Miller.” [THN]

• So the Brian McGrattan trade didn’t exactly get a ringing endorsement for the Calgary Flames: “But the solution needs to be group toughness, a compete level that resonates up and down the lineup. Look around the league. Middleweights like Brandon Prust or Shawn Thornton cast a menacing shadow, but they can play the game. They’re the now. A thug who skates six, maybe eight shifts a night either looking for a dance partner or responding to a distress call is a relic. And that’s all McGrattan is. His value is so limited that he earned about six minutes in each of Nashville’s first two games, but hadn’t cracked the lineup since. That’s for a team that was looking to add some toughness, too.” [SI]

• Rick Nash is expected back tonight for the New York Rangers. [Blueshirt Blog]

• You know, we’re not exactly high on Chris Kreider’s Calder hopes anymore. [Rangers]

• The Washington Capitals claim Aaron Volpatti off waivers, giving them a tenacious defensive physical forward that isn’t named Matt Hendricks, Jay Beagle and Joey Crabb [Capitals Insider]

• Some unlikely awards candidates for this season, including Drew Shore. [Backhand Shelf]

• Moving stuff from the NHLPA: “On August 15, 2012, one year after his death, NHLPA members Kevin Bieksa, Tanner Glass, Darcy Hordichuk, and Kris Versteeg traveled to Rick's hometown of Crowsnest Pass, Alberta to take part in the sold-out NHLPA Goals & Dreams Cup to honour Rick Rypien.”

• Megan Bozek on Minnesota’s 40-game winning streak: “It's a different battle and it's a different intensity when you're tied or when you're down a goal. You just find that within yourself to push a little more, to give a little more, and hopefully get up on top. I think it's a different excitement when you score more than four goals on a team than when it's a 1-1 game.” [TwinCities]

• “It’s expected that backup goalie Jonas Gustavsson will start his first game with his new team when the Red Wings play the Sharks tonight at HP Pavilion.” [Red Wings]

• As for the San Jose Sharks, are the Red Wings just what the doctor ordered? [Fear The Fin]

• Why the New York Islanders must fire Jack Capuano: “It would be best for Garth Snow and his advisory staff not to do a rush-job on this one. Do your homework, go out and find the best candidate for the position. I know you’re all convinced that Charles Wang refuses to hire a real coach. I can tell you right now, that’s not true and even wrote about it at length last week. The Islanders are awfully-close to taking that next step. If they fire Capuano, they’ll get that much closer.” [THW]

• Finally, here’s a siiiiiick Evgeni Malkin trick shot, from center ice to a bag of pucks in front of the goal [s/t Bucci]