Crosby on SI cover; Bieksa and Ducks' expansion plans; Darling's journey (Puck Headlines)

Sean Leahy
·Contributing writer

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.

Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated

• Sid the Kid back on the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated.

• Crosby earned eight more first-place votes for the Conn Smythe than Evgeni Malkin. [Pro Hockey Talk]

• Another Stanley Cup victory means another WWE title belt for the Pittsburgh Penguins from Triple H. [411 Mania]

• Members of the Penguins’ last back-to-back Cup winning teams recall fond memories of their accomplishment 25 years ago. [SI.com]

• The state of Minnesota is well-represented on the Stanley Cup, and added a few more names Sunday night. [Star-Tribune]

• Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill was on the ice to celebrate with the Penguins Sunday night, but now it’s time to get to work with his new team. [NHL.com]

• How Kevin Bieksa could hold the key to the Anaheim Ducks’ expansion draft plans. [OC Register]

• It was 20 years ago today that the tragic limo crash involving Vladimir Konstantinov, Slava Fetisov and Red Wings team masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov happened. [Detroit News]

• Scott Darling on his battle with alcohol and long-winding hockey journey. [Players’ Tribune]

• What kind of player could Ilya Kovalchuk be in today’s NHL? [TSN]

• The success of the Nashville Predators shows that with smart management NHL expansion can work. [The Guardian]

• It’s quite a lonely experience for the official who makes a bad call. [New Yorker]

• Getting ready for a potentially interesting next few weeks for the New York Islanders. [Isles Beat]

• Speaking of interesting, same goes for Stan Bowman and the Chicago Blackhawks. [Sun-Times]

• The Columbus Blue Jackets did not ask Scott Hartnell to waive his no-move clause for the expansion draft. [Columbus Dispatch]

• Coming off a great season, has Cam Atkinson hit his ceiling? [Union and Blue]

• “Sports Business Daily published a report this week looking at the television audiences for 25 major sports, and it turns out the NHL has some of the world’s most rapidly aging fans.” [Vice]

• Really cool visual history of the NHL. [Hockey by Design]

• Marko Dano will be back with the Winnipeg Jets after inking a one-year deal. [Illegal Curve]

• Alex Ovechkin dressed up as the immortal Darth Vader for a charity ad and will probably upset Star Wars fans after using the wrong light saber. [NoVa Caps]

• Here are the top 10 fantasy hockey stories of the 2016-17 season. [Dobber Hockey]

• Finally, here’s the Hockey Night in Canada closing montage after Game 6: