--On Sunday evening, the Senators, Avalanche and Predators pulled off a major swap that involved Matt Duchene and Kyle Turris. Did Ottawa really upgrade their roster that much by making this deal? The Score takes a deeper look at the Duchene vs. Turris debate. (The Score)
--Marijuana will become legal in Canada as of July 1st, so will hockey players be able to use it for medicinal purposes? It’s something the players’ association and owners have to talk about it. (TSN.ca)
--The NHL usually makes a big deal of their outdoor games, but it seems like the tilt between the Maple Leafs and Capitals in Annapolis this March isn’t getting much attention. (scottywazz.com)
--Cam Ward had been serving as the starting goalie for the Carolina Hurricanes for years. This year, he’s been the backup to Scott Darling for the most part. That’s a difficult adjustment to make. “There’s no question it has been an adjustment,” Ward said. “I’m doing what I can to stay sharp in practice. When you’re not playing as much you have to emphasize more the practices and trying to stay sharp.” (Charlotte Observer)
--Popular Nashville Predators fan Ben Butzbach, who used to have painted messages on his stomach at games, passed away at the age of 33. “Big Ben” was extremely popular with both fans and players and he will be missed. (NHL.com)
--The Columbus Blue Jackets are off to a great start this season, and their advanced stats are quite impressive too. The Jackets have the fourth-best corsi in the league and their expected goals for indicate that more offense could be on the way. (unionandblue.com)
--There are three reasons the Capitals are struggling this season. First, injuries have been problematic for them. Matt Niskanen and Andre Burakovsky are both on the shelf right now. The Caps also have a lot of new faces, and their early-season schedule is pretty difficult. (novacapsfans.com)
--Cardiaccane.com looks at three reasons why the team should move defenseman Noah Hanifin. There’s a number of big-name players around and teams definitely hold the young blue liner in high regard. Will they pull the trigger on a deal? (cardiaccane.com)
--Kalle Kossila has made quite an impression with the Anaheim Ducks this season. No one expected the team to rely on him so heavily, but that’s exactly what’s happened this season. “We didn’t expect we were going to have to use him as much in this situation,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “But that’s what happens. You get injuries and you’re going to have to call on the depth of your organization to supplement your lineup.” (OC Register)
--Adam Twenter of thesinbin.net wrote a thoughtful piece about how cancer isn’t fair. He’s encouraging all his readers to join this hockey-related fundraising campaign. (thesinbin.net)
Joey Alfieri is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @joeyalfieri.