I don't like when people from other sports drag hockey into their ugliness. Wednesday, during spring training no less, Shelley Duncan of the New York Yankees took a ridiculously late, high slide into Tampa second baseman Akinori Iwamura as payback for a No-Longer-Devil Rays slide into home that injured minor league catcher Francisco Cervelli earlier in the week.
What does this have to do with hockey? Absolutely nothing unless you're Rays manager Joe Maddon:

No question that was a blatant attempt to hurt Aki...It was set up. It was planned. It was premeditated. It's all the above. I don't know what the difference is between that and a high stick in hockey. But it was that bad.

What does hockey have to do with this? Doesn't every sport have late hits and premeditated payback? (Sit down golf and tennis; I'm not talking to you). Has Maddon never watched football or basketball? Or maybe even this new sport called boxing? Why did he see a bad slide and go straight to hockey?
On a completely unrelated note, Chris Pronger wasn't suspended for his apparent non-stomp on Canuck Ryan Kessler.
Now where was I?

Today, we have a tribute to assistant coaches, those unheralded heroes of the bench.
Over in Detroit, please meet Paul MacLean and Todd McLellan, who work for Red Wings coach Mike Babcock.
Sadly, Babcock takes a lesson from NFL coaches and doesn't like his coaches to speak directly to the media.
Over in New York, meet goalie coach Benoit Allaire of the New York Rangers. I'm not sure if he's allowed to speak to the media. He seems like a funny guy, though.
Speaking of Rangers-Wings, Chris Chelios says the Wings are going to play the Rangers at Yankee Stadium next season. Chelios makes it sound like it's a done deal, but I keep hearing Boston is in the mix. I've even heard of a Fenway/Yankee Stadium/Rangers/Bruins outdoor home-and-home deal.
Obviously, as a die-hard Mets fan, I can't endorse anything that sends people to Yankee Stadium. I'm still kind of scared the Yankees will wind up signing the Rangers to a long-term contract.
Finally, the explanation we've all been waiting for: Nicklas Backstrom weighs in on how he managed to score on his own goalie. Long story short? He got disoriented. I'm guessing he's going to get a few compasses for Christmas.

Well this is a little bit interesting: The Penguins struggling power play was actually more efficient with Sidney Crosby out of the lineup. Dave Molinari chalks some of this up to Crosby and Evgeni Malkin often deferring to each other with the man advantage.
Also, in the spirit of eroding the NHL's east coast bias, I feel it's only fair to reveal the Sharks have won 10 games in a row. Last night's win was actually a photo finish.
Also, the Flyers blew a 3-0 third period lead to the Leafs (login info.). That means I can start taking volunteers to help out with the apocalypse watch.

Sean Avery's weird deal in New York is one of the stranger things going on in the league right now. Avery is an unrestricted free agent after this season and he and the Rangers are far apart on a deal, although not insanely far apart. Still, the Rangers seem reluctant to close the deal. Avery has responded by becoming sullen and refusing to speak to the press. All of this is happening as Avery is playing the best hockey of his career on the Rangers' top line.
My theory was the Rangers weren't budging on the money because they knew Avery loves New York, and his playing value seems entirely New York-based. Avery just wouldn't be the same player on another team; we know this based on Avery's history.
So we have the Rangers with a player who really does improve their team. Noticeably improves their team, for whatever reasons. But they know he won't have the same impact anywhere else, for whatever reason. So the Rangers feel they can play hardball with Avery, since who else would want him?
Apparently other NHL teams. San Jose was interested in Avery right before the trade deadline, offering up Steve Bernier for him. So we know there's now some interest in Avery around the league. And The Hockey News says there's actually a lot of interest in Avery, the unrestricted free agent.
Obviously, Avery is a risk. And a bonehead. But the rest of the league is starting to realize just how much better Avery makes the Rangers. And they're wondering if he can do the same thing for them. And now the Rangers can't assume Avery won't get a better offer.
Maybe it's time to reopen the contract talks, right?

OK. Daylight Savings Time is really kicking my butt. I don't know how, but I managed to skip ahead like six hours. I feel like a LOST character. Still. I must press on.
How cool is it the the Blackhawks finally honored Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita? And how crazy is it that it took so long for it to happen? Were people that upset over Hull going to Winnipeg? Because I have to say, my pet theory is that Bobby never would have left the NHL if a league team had changed its name to his.
Also, what's with Islanders coach Ted Nolan and goalies? Is there another coach (other than Mike Keenan) who loves a goalie controversy more?
Finally, I wanted to see Nicklas Backstrom score on his own goalie to blow a Caps game to the Penguins. Of course, it's up on YouTube, and it's heartbreaking and whatnot, but the video also has one of the greatest comments I've ever seen:

Wouldn't it be sweet if this was like WWE wrestling and it was a double cross, and the next game Backstrom came out with a Pittsburgh Jersey on?

jku250, you're a genius. And that would be awesome.