What went wrong for Sharks; Vegas free agent plans; unsafe hockey helmets (Puck Headlines)

Here are your Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

• Nice Alexei Cherepanov tribue mask by Russia netminder Maria Sorokina.

• The U.S. women are 2-0, including a 4-2 defeat of Canada, as the Women’s World Championships got underway in Sweden over the weekend. [USA Hockey]

• Canada, meanwhile, is 1-1 as they prepare for Finland tomorrow. [Hockey Canada]

• The San Jose Sharks will likely be missing the postseason for the first time since 2003. How did it all go so wrong? [Mercury News]

• Potential NHL Las Vegas owner Bill Foley has a plan to lure free agents: “Look at the advantage we have from a financial standpoint of being in Las Vegas: There’s no state income taxes. I can go to every guy in California and say, ‘The first thing I’m gonna do is save you 14 percent. That’s what you’re paying over there.’ And how about the Canadians? … They pay a ton.” [Las Vegas Sun]

• “More than a quarter of all helmets worn by hockey players, from the NHL to youth leagues, are unsafe, according to an independent study provided to ‘Outside the Lines’ that ranked hockey helmets based on their ability to reduce concussion risk.” [ESPN]

• Thoughts and prayers to Mike Babcock and his family. Mike Babcock Sr. passed away Saturday night after battling congestive heart failure. He was 78. [CP via Yahoo]

• Devan Dubnyk, Cam Atkinson and Ryan O’Reilly are your NHL Three Stars of the Week. [NHL]

• The Florida Panthers will be without Nick Bjugstad the rest of the way after the center underwent back surgery. He’s expected to be ready for training camp. [Panthers]

• Luke Schenn will likely miss the rest of the season with a lower-body injury. [Flyers]

• Joe Brehm is a Texas Stars fan and a beer league goalie. So when he decided to propose to his long-time girlfriend, he managed to wrangle goaltender Jack Campbell in to help him out. [100 Degree Hockey]

• The Toronto Maple Leafs’ plans to get the highest draft pick possible in June has been going swell. [Globe and Mail]

• Great read on the bond between Darryl Sutter’s sons, Chris and Brett. [WeAreIowa.com]

• Let’s take a look around the OHL playoffs. [Buzzing the Net]

• Talking with Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekelainen about the future of the franchise and the NHL Draft. [Fox Sports Columbus]

• Ranking the top 10 rookies in fantasy hockey this season. [Dobber Hockey]

• Taking a look at the long-time heated rivalry between the Maple Leafs and Canadiens. [Rabid Habs]

• Finally, this was an amazing diving stop by Miami's Louie Belpidio over the weekend:

MORE FROM YAHOO HOCKEY: