1. Referees: NHL Director of Officiating Stephen Walkom is stepping down to attempt a comeback. Yes, a referee is unretiring. I’ve now learned that referees have their own training camp. How do you pick NHL referees without games to call? Do they hire beer leaguers? Where is this camp held? If you don’t make the cut do you get assigned to the AHL? ECHL? KHL?

2. Phoenix Coyotes: We’re at a point now where the choices for owners are a Canadian billionaire who offended the board of governors, some group everyone was humouring who want the team to play some home games in Saskatchewan, and finally the league itself. At this point, shouldn't the honourable judge Redfield T. Baum be allowed to just declare himself the owner? At least you'd know he would have all the creditors in mind. Couldn't he also cancel all the problematic lease clauses with Glendale by waving his mighty tiny hammer of justice?

3. Cory Clouston: I admit to liberally borrowing this photo from Puck Daddy, but the world needs to know: is Cory Clouston’s hair naturally that gelled? Does he wake up in the morning with his tips already spiked? Did Dany Heatley feel offended by this?

4. Edmonton: Speaking of Dany, good quote from Shawn Horcoff over at Fanhouse, “The fact he didn't want to come here, that's unfortunate. It's frustrating to hear that a player doesn't want to come here.” The Oilers tend to be very public about which stars they are targeting in free agency or trades. When star players elect to not sign with the Oilers, like Marian Hossa, everyone in hockey knows they failed. It’s easy to point to Edmonton’s weather (Siberia East) or lack of exciting things to do (they have a big mall) as reasons why nobody wants to play there, but when’s the last time you heard an Oilers player say anything but good things about the city? Dwayne Roloson didn’t want to leave, nor Ryan Smyth, and even Chris Pronger allegedly wanted to stay. What’s with the cold shoulder to the Edmonton Oilers? Is it suburbia? Is it because they only have five Denny’s?

5. Eklund: Segueing nicely from Edmonton, Oilers blog Low On Oil had a post a few weeks ago on everyone's favourite rumour whipping boy. Eklund's success in getting a rumour right was "around a 3% accuracy rating." Every couple of weeks I'm going to try my hand at making up rumours (probably five at a time). Can I do better than 3%? If I get one right after six posts, I'll be right on target.