Nightly Hockey Hits: For Gretzky Canada May Be Calling, Andrew Ference leads anti-Kelly faction within PA, Are the Blues making a mistake jetting off to Sweden?

News and notes from across the blogs:

Special Note:  If you would like up to the minute news from the Lightning and Oilers game being played in Winnipeg tonight, then be sure to follow IC’s editor Richard on Twitter as he tweets from the MTS Centre.  Follow IC on twitter for all the latest hockey info.

• NHL Fanhouse:  For Gretzky, Canada may be calling.  The Great One himself has previously indicated he won’t be returning to Canada anytime soon.  More likely fulfilling the old  Notorious B.I.G. song “he’s going, going, back, back to Cali, Cali”.
  
• The Ice Block:  Various faces of Gretzky.  Show’s you the faces the major outlets chose to use with their Gretzky stories today.
• The Hockey News:  Don Cherry disappointed in Gretzky resignation.  Don Cherry has always spoken his mind, whether you like hearing what he has to say, or not.  Folks in Winnipeg (minus the Thin Ice people) get excited everytime they hear him mention Winnipeg as a possible destination for an NHL team.
• Puck Daddy:  Phoenix should be thrilled Tippett chose Coyotes over Oprah.  Guess he just really loves that Pacific division.
• CBC:  Who is the best dressed NHL player?  Pretty classy look by Tampa’s Vinny Lecavalier.
  

  (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)

• Sens Chirp:  Who’s it gonna be? Seems that one of the veterans in Ottawa is on his way out.
• T.O. Sports:  An open letter to Leafs fans.  Patience is a virtue.
• Hockey Draft:  Shades of John Ferguson Jr. in Landing Phil Kessel?  Not sure his lack of smiling during an interview is enough to write him off but a lack of a Sturm type player may be a more compelling reason to be worried.
• Maple Leafs Hot Stove:  The Kadri Konundrum?  Makes sense to let him play at least 9 games and then evaluate things from there.
• Habs Inside/Out:  Brisebois to announce retirerment.  Will he finally not get booed in Montreal?
  
• Hockey or Die:  Andrew Ference, Mark Recchi and the NHLPA.  Ference is sure being candid and is clearly not happy with other voting members of the PA.  Not sure what is with his anti-lawyer bias considering that every Executive Director of the PA since Alan Eagleson in 67′ has had a law degree.
• NHL Fanhouse:  No farewell tour for Brendan Shanahan.  He hasn’t declared that this will be his last season but retirement is creeping up on him.
• Cult of Hockey:  No Jagr for the Oilers this year.  Too bad although what would he have done to the Oilers cap situation?
• Copper & Blue:  The boys on the bubble.  Are the Oilers in for a tough season?
• The Hockey News:  Ilya Kovalchuk the latest Russian star to declare intent on playing in 2014 Olympics.  Looks like pretty soon every Russian in the NHL will have vowed to play in Sochi in 2014.
  
• Fire & Ice:  Brodeur set to make first appearance since Game 7 of Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.  As long as he stays healthy he is going to continue to dominate.
• Snapshots:  Zetterberg to return next week.  Good news for the Wings.  They need him to be healthy with the challenges they will face for 1st in Central.
• St. Louis Game Time:  Going To Sweden: Are the Blues making a mistake?  Not if you count money in the bank, it isn’t.
  
• Working the Corners:  Ferraro sees good things coming for Heatley and Sharks — plus a note on Ferriero. It would seem that the people who know Heatley well seem to like him.
• Inside the Kings:  O’Donnell discusses suspension.  Gotta love having this guy as a teammate.
• Empty Netters:  Crosby leaves game due to injury.   Hopefully it isn’t too serious an injury.
• NHL:  Red Sox slugger has special place in his heart for hockey.  Who would think that a guy from small town British Columbia would be a Whalers fan.

Tonight’s picture of the night shows that the Caps don’t have any warm, fuzzy feelings towards former tough guy Donald Brashear:

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)