Saturday Links: Donnie Darko on the Ducks?

Today is Grant Fuhr's birthday. Celebrate by pretending he didn't get hurt in 1996 and was there to stop Yzerman's fluke shot from the blue line.

Or just click some links. It's the thought that counts.

BLUES NEWS:

• The Blues lost to Tampa last night in the preseason home opener 4-3. For whatever reason, the recap on the official website isn't very cooperative, so here's a look at the box score. Looks like David Backes collected himself 8 solid PIM last night. Not sure the contexts of them, but let's go ahead and nip that in the bud if we can, eh Cap? [Blues]
• The Notes are back at it tonight against new division rivals the Dallas Stars. By the way, I feel like I have to say that the Stars new jerseys look a lot better on the ice than I thought they would. Contrary to what my mother might say, I can admit when I'm wrong. Anyway, Jake Allen has been tabbed to start between the pipes. Official preview here: [Blues]
• Remember Happy Halak after his off-season training regimen? Well now that he's seen some time in a "game," Happy Halak has evolved into Excited Halak! [STLToday]
• On Thursday, the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL announced that they'll be affiliated with the Blues and the Chicago Wolves, while also continuing their affiliation with the Vancouver Canucks and the Utica Comets. [Backes to the Future; official confirmation K-Wings]

HOCKEY NEWS:

• The Washington Capitals are expected to be announced as the hosts for the 2015 Winter Classic later today, though there's no word yet on an opponent or a venue. If it's true, that means that only two of the eight teams in the new Metropolitan Division (Carolina and #Lumbus) will have yet to host a Winter Classic. [SBNation NHL]
• But in a couple years no one will give a shit, since word is that like this season, 2014-15 could have multiple outdoor games, possibly as many as 5. Which is good news if you ever wanted to see one in St. Louis, but pretty shitty news if you had any hopes of outdoor NHL games actually becoming worth a damn. [SBNation NHL]
• One last outdoor note today: Nicklas Lidstrom has decided to play in the 2014 Alumni Game. Unconfirmed, but sources say he just might be playing for Detroit in that game. [SBNation NHL]
• After the recent news of both Jamie Benn and Mark Giordano being named captains of their respective teams (Dallas & the Calgary Flames), Our Puck Father Who Art On Yahoo! Sports pens an interesting piece on what the captaincy really means in today's NHL. [Puck Daddy]
• Both Donut King and I have take our time to trash the importance of preseason games thus far, but Becca H. of Japers' Rink gives us an interesting counter argument on the subject. Worth a read. [Japers' Rink]

EXTRA-HOCKEY AFFAIRS:

• Apparently as a kid, Jake Gyllenhaal was offered a role in the original Mighty Ducks. His mother made him decline it because he essentially didn't finish his homework. I get that she was trying to teach young Jake that one was more important to his future than the other...but that didn't exactly turn out to be true, now did it? Link to a video, automatically plays, so heads up. [Prime Time in No Time]
• According to a federal judge, a "Like" on Facebook is officially protected under the First Amendment. So if you've been avoiding giving our Official St. Louis Game Time Facebook Page a 'like' because you were afraid of what your boss might think of our salty sailor language, you can legally say to yourself "Fuck that!" and join anyway! [NPR]
• RealBadRobot passes along a podcast series called Welcome to Night Vale. I listened to the most recent episode, and it's a fake old school radio news broadcast from the fictional desert town of Night Vale. I'd describe it as sort of Python-esque with and American Gothic twist. Give it a try. [Welcome to Night Vale]
• Speaking of birthdays (at the very top, anyway), it's also Bill Murray's birthday. Can you name the jobs that Bill Murray had in each of these movies he did? [Sporcle]
  

VIDEOS:

First of all, from Red Deer, Alberta, comes a family of Oilers fans who spent the better part of a year building an Edmonton Arena entirely out of LEGO bricks (the correct plural, BTW). Everything from the TV cameras to the Gretzky statue to the guy leaning against the wall while pissing in the urinal - though does it look like he trying to see through a peep hole to anyone else, or am I just that fucked up?

Second, modern comedy legend Louis C.K. went on Conan and gave us his thoughts on smart phones in today's world. Just like most of his stuff, it's both hilarious and legitimately profound.

Do you want to feel profoundly happy? Do it by helping out your fellow human being. Specifically, by sending me links and/or videos to post.

• jasonmcadams1120 AT gmail DOT com
• @JMill1120