Julien firing inevitable; new goalie pants debut set; Trotz, Hitchcock 'bromance' (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. Have a link you want to submit? Email us at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com.

• Jamie Benn: a good looking guy in the least flattering photo ever. The ‘best of the worst’ of 2016-17 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey cards. [Puck Junk]

• The firing of Claude Julien feels inevitable at this point but it doesn’t make it right. [Bruins Daily]

• “The Bruins have no idea what they’re doing.” [Stanley Cup of Chowder]

• The NHL sets Feb. 4 as the debut date for the slimmed down goaltender pants. [In Goal Mag]

• David Poile is optimistic P.K. Subban could be back around Jan. 24 after the defenseman participated in two team practices. [The Tennessean]

• Roman Josi suffered the SEVENTH concussion of his career Jan. 13. He believes he’ll be able to get back on the ice next week. [Swiss Hockey News]

• The Colorado Avalanche have put goaltender Semyon Varlamov on the shelf until after the All-Star break. [Denver Post]

• The Detroit Red Wings aren’t ready to start selling — yet. [NHL]

• The Canadian Hockey League and 42 major junior teams have handed over their tax returns and financial statements dating back to 2011 to a lawyer for current and former CHL players who argue the teams should be paying their players at least minimum wage. The CHL is asking those records be sealed by the court. [TSN]

• Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment and U.K. based insurance company Aviva have announced a partnership that will feature Toronto Raptors and Leafs-branded auto and home insurance. People with those policies get extra perks from the team. [The Star]

• The unexpected and unique ‘bromance’ between Barry Trotz and Ken Hitchcock. [The Washington Post]

• Retired defenseman Ryan Whitney will make his debut next week on NHL Network as an analyst. [@NHLNetwork]

• Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold just gave his team the kiss of death by saying, “This could be the year.” [Twin Cities]

• Great story on Artemi Panarin, his family back in Russia, and those he calls family now. [Chicago Sun-Times]

• From picking out toilets to assembling the roster, Vegas Golden Knights senior vice president Murray Craven is a man of many hats in the new franchise. [SI]

• Ryan O’Reilly chats with Pierre LeBrun about what the Buffalo Sabres need to turn things around, the World Cup of Hockey, and his beard. [ESPN]

• “This week has seen Jonathan Toews be the target of more vitriol and criticism from Blackhawks fans than the rest of his entire career combined. Some of it is most certainly justified … Duncan Keith’s game has slowed so far this season as well, no matter how much Eddie Olczyk yells at me and no matter how much he piles up secondary assists. Maybe it’s time we wonder if these things are at least partially linked.” [Committed Indian]

• Fancy stats: ‘Expected primary points’ are a better predictor of future scoring than shots and points. [Hockey-Graphs]

• The Indy Fuel have been awarded the 2018 ECHL All-Star game and festivities. [ECHL]

• In comparison to year’s past, the 2017 ECHL All-Star game’s attendance experienced a big drop this year. A look at why. [FOHS Farm Report]

• Our friends at THX BUD went undercover at the ‘Tip a King’ charity event in Los Angeles. Find out what they learned. [NHL]

• In a re-draft of the 2009 class, John Tavares remains the consensus No. 1 overall pick. [The Bloggers’ Tribune]

• Fantasy hockey: Injury ward update on Jonathan Quick, P.K. Subban, John Carlson, Kris Letang and a whole bunch more. [Dobber]

• Meet the Toronto Maple Leafs fan who still sells an actual printed newsletter before every home game. [The Athletic]

• Finally, an incredible end-to-end goal by New York Rangers prospect Gabriel Fontaine in the QMJHL. [@HockeyWebCast]

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Jen Neale is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @MsJenNeale_PD.