There's some cool NHL management stuff floating around the Internet this week.
Boston magazine had an interesting piece on Charlie Jacobs, the man who runs the Boston Bruins for his father.
The article doesn't say anything crazy. Basically that Jacobs is kind of a shy guy and that might not be the best personality to run an NHL franchise (the article also says Jacobs says Ray Shero, GM of the Penguins, was never the top choice for the Bruins).
Now, compare that to this New York Observer article about how hellish it is covering the Knicks (the Knicks and Rangers are owned by the the Dolan family).
It's a great study in contrasts. One franchise seems like management might be too hands-off. The other seems like it's too hands on. Although, to be fair, Sam Weinman, who covers the Rangers for the Journal News, says the Dolans, specifically son James, aren't as nuts with the Rangers as they are with the Knicks.
Also, I hadn't heard the rumors about Anaheim GM Brian Burke jumping to the Leafs (login info.), but seeing as he's not crazy, I don't know why anyone thinks he would make the move. I don't even think Ken Dryden would take the gig anymore.

Rich Hoffman writes about what most hockey fans are probably thinking: the Flyers are a bunch of thugs (login info.).
Well he doesn't really say that. He mostly talks about Scott Hartnell as the latest Flyer suspended for a rough hit. And he talks about the Flyers' Broad Street Bullies tradition.
I know there's been a lot of talk about players taking more responsibility for avoiding hits, and while that's certainly a part of the equation, a stupid player with his back to the action doesn't actually deserve to have his neck broken. Responsibility resides with everyone on the ice, and that's the idea that seems to be becoming lost. It's not about legislating the physical aspects of hockey out of the game. It's about bringing respect back, so that players actively want to avoid the type of hits that the Flyers are making a season out of.
How is this done?
That's the hard part. Education would probably help a lot. So would strategic refereeing. If every NHL on-ice official only called the brutal, inappropriate hits, but let the negligible shoving along the boards stand, players and coaches would begin to learn just what kind of hits are OK.
And if players weren't conditioned to anticipate a whistle every time they're jostled with their back to the play, they might start paying attention to the other players on the ice.

Yesterday's Times had a nice piece on the art of shot blocking. It even includes a nice graphic. Did you know Chris Drury is second (among forwards) in blocked shots in the NHL? Now we know why he's not scoring.
If you like blocked shots, SI had a cool article on the topic back in February.
Also, I know Larry Brooks says Devils coach Brent Sutter won't be pushed off the bench by either players or coaches, but Sutter's really shockingly volatile, as seen against Tampa Bay:

Brent Sutter violently threw assistant John MacLean aside when MacLean began a heated protest of a penalty call that was rescinded for too many men in the third period Saturday. Sutter took up the protest and won the point.

"We only want one person to communicate to the referee and that's the head coach," Sutter said. "Sometimes emotions get into it. We don't want what happened in the past."

For a guy who doesn't like checking lines, he sure does like a checking management style.

Back when Brett Hull was named co-GM of the Stars, I wondered if he was being groomed to coach, but according to Mike Heika, that's not the case (login info.): "Just so you know, Brett Hull does not want to be a coach in the NHL. He wants to change the game (commissioner?). He wants to improve a team (GM?). He wants his voice to be heard (analyst?). But he does not want to go through the sticky details of coaching. It's just too much minutiae for him."
So that's that.
I haven't been following the whole Wes Walz leaving the Wild thing very closely, thinking it probably wasn't that big a deal. But the Wild are really missing the 37-year-old center. Specifically, they're missing his defense, his faceoffs, and his forechecking. Two weeks ago, Wild GM Doug Risebrough said he wouldn't seek out Walz. I wonder if that plan is being rethought.
Some guy went to 30 NHL games in 30 nights. I've lived in New York City over 30 years and I don't think I've ever done five boroughs in five days, so I'm always amazed when people can do something like that.
Also, while I think most people understand the drain and turmoil players go through when they're traded, Greg Logan has a nice piece about Freddy Meyer, waived by the Isles, claimed by the Coyotes, waived by the Coyotes and reclaimed by the Isles. That's a tough month.
Finally, thanks to Neil Best for the mention in his Friday column. Also, while I'm selling myself, my RotoRob column is up.