Vinny hits a milestone: 900 NHL games played

Vinny plays his 900th game tonight at the St. Pete Times Forum and has been winning the praise of his coach this season "We need a captain who inspires us," Boucher said, "and he's doing it."

"It's unglamorous," he said. "Asking him to do things a lot differently makes it difficult. We're pleased with the way he's accepted the challenge and buying into a different style of play and taking on different responsibilities. We're encouraging him to stick with it." (St. Petersburg Times)

It's been refreshing to see Lecavalier play this well this year in comparison to his last few seasons when we were questioning his ability to be a productive player. He's being so many little things defensively that has made him a responsible player and you could tell when he was out with injury, something was amiss with the team. And I have to think that if he keeps playing like this the points will come as well.

Your Lightning links and links from around the NHL after the jump...

Your Lightning links:

• Bill from Hockey Independent looks at the statistical anomaly that is the Tampa Bay Lightning
• Contributing to the anomaly is that Lightning have lost eight games by a margin of 3 goals or more (Lightning Hockey Blog)
• The Hockey News has their mid-season report on the Southeast Division

Your links from around the NHL:

• Eric Staal and Nicklas Lidstrom was chosen as the team captains for the 2011 NHL All-Star game (TSN)
• Dave Shoalts of the Globe and Mail is trying to stir up something with this article stating that an NHL source is telling him that Crosby may pull out of the NHL All-Star game in protest the fact neither player who hit him on the head was suspended. Crosby's agent is refuting it, stating Sid is still recovering and the All-Star game hasn't even been mentioned yet (TSN)
  
• Pierre LeBrun's Weekend wrap is like a print version of HNIC's hotstove segment, this weeks topics: teams going overseas in 2011, Clouston's future, Shark's coaching
• Puck Daddy compiles more info on the LeBrun's report that the Washington Capitals might play a game in Moscow
• Mike Commodore clears re-entry waivers. Even at half price nobody wanted him (The Cannon)
• According to the Mercury News, the Sharks may be closing in on a deal for an experienced, high-energy forward for their third of fourth line
• Danny Briere is fined $1000 for a jab at Brandon Prust from the bench (Broad Street Hockey)
• What started as a tweet on twitter, turned out to CBJ fans pledging $5,327 to a "money on the board" campaign, which the Blue Jacket players ended up matching to raise over $10,000 to local charities
• Flyers Goal Scored By took in a Philadelphia Flyers practice outside at a rink in Central Park. Pretty awesome photo of one of the writers and Jody Shelly came out of it
• Elliotte Friedman's 30 Thoughts for this week: On this year's NCAA free-agent chase
• Justin Bourne thinks the "shoot from anywhere" philosophy is an outdated game plan
• Meet Bryan Helmer, the Ray Bourque of minor-league hockey. He's played for 10 teams in two minor leagues including 146 NHL games with the Blues, Coyotes, Canucks and Capitals.
• Now that we're past the mid-way mark, the Globe and Mail writers pick the two teams that make the most sense as a Stanley Cup final matchup
• But those writer's may not have an easy time picking the Western matchup as Mike Chen at From the Rink says that there is plenty of uncertainty in the Western Conference
• Ken Campbell of The Hockey News thinks that All-Star Game avoiders deserve discipline

And for your weekly video, watch the Bruins Bear give a men's urinal lesson in cutting the line