Staal returns for Canes; Heatley on waivers; WJC attendance issues (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.

• Nationals Park is coming along nicely. The players will skate in from the Capitol’s “reflecting pool” in centerfield.

• Heading to D.C. this week for the Winter Classic? Here’s a fantastic visitor’s guide for the city, including a couple top-notch taco joints. [Puck Buddys]

• The New Jersey Devils will not face any punishment by the NHL for hiring Adam Oates without contacting the Washington Capitals, where he was still under contract, first. [Fire & Ice]

• After breaking his leg in preseason, Jordan Staal will return to the Carolina Hurricanes’ lineup tonight against the Montreal Canadiens. [News Observer]

• Dany Heatley has been placed on waivers by the Anaheim Ducks, while Derek Roy of the Nashville Predators clears and will report to the Milwaukee Admirals.

• Another day, another injury for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Patric Hornqvist will miss the next few weeks after taking a puck to the leg on Saturday night. [Tribune-Review]

• 2014 was certainly a year to forget for Sidney Crosby and company. [Pensburgh]

• Johnny Gaudreau, Colin Wilson and Sam Gagner are your NHL 3 Stars of the Week. [NHL]

• The World Junior Championships are off to a sizzling start, but where are all the fans? [Buzzing the Net]

• One Capital who’s benefited from Alex Ovechkin has been new boy Brooks Orpik. [Japers’ Rink]

• Troy Brouwer on playing in another outdoor game, being traded and playing with Ovi. [The Hockey Writers]

• How does Colorado Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy feel about Reto Berra’s recent play? “There was a guy (Calvin Pickard) who came in and played hard for us. (Berra) is lucky today that Pickard is not 25- or 26-years-old.” OK then. [Denver Post]

• Auston Matthews, a likely top pick in 2016, is proof of a growing Arizona hockey scene. [New York Times]

• The Griffeys may have been a unique father-son duo to play together in Major League Baseball, but Tom Park and Kagan Gehring are a grandfather-grandson duo playing together in an adult league in upstate New York. [Ithaca Journal]

• Looking at Jack Eichel’s numbers at Boston University and comparing them to those of Paul Kariya, Dany Heatley and others during their time playing college puck. [College Hockey News]

• Legendary broadcaster Bob Cole and Sheldon Kennedy are among 95 honorees to the Order of Canada. [CBC]

• Which players have delivered a lump of coal in the stockings of their fantasy hockey owners? [Dobber Hockey]

• Henrik Tallinder had landed with Marc Crawford and the ZSC Lions of Switzerland. [ZSC Lions]

• Finally, let’s all watch that amazing Gustav Nyquist goal from Saturday night again:

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