Source: Wikipedia

Welcome to Hockey in Society’s Weekly Links post. This feature highlights articles or blog entries that are related to Hockey in Society’s areas of interest and that may be of interest to the site’s readers. Please check out some of the great writing that is happening in the hockey media and blogosphere!

• Las Vegas joins Seattle and Quebec City has potential expansion cities. Although this would balance out the divisional alignment, Adam Proteau argues hockey in the NHL would be a risky venture. [The Hockey News]
• Former OHL player Gregg Sutch, and former  teammate of Terry Trafford, provides some insight into the challenges faced by junior players. Sutch urges players to expand their personal interests outside of hockey and to seek help when needed.

Players, if there’s one thing I want you to all take away from this it’s to change the way you view yourself, and for the way everyone else views you. Don’t let hockey define you, let hockey be the game you love to play. Let hockey be your enjoyment and your getaway. [Buzzing the Net]

• The Hockey in the Himalayas Project recently delivered hockey equipment to a youth group in India interested in playing the game. [Ottawa Citizen]
• Avi Goldberg looks at what the new Hockey Night in Canada might look like starting next season as Roger’s Communications takes control of it. George Stroumboulopoulos, who will take over Ron Maclean’s role as host, commented that he’ll be more of a fan than a journalist, which Goldberg suggests might alter how the show is produced and perceived. [The Barnstormer]
• The San Jose Sharks signed a 17-year old to a one day contract. Sam Tageson, who lives with a serious heart condition, had the opportunity to practice with the club and take part in the pre-game skate. [National Post]

• As the NCAA hockey season comes to a close, more and more players will be signing professional contracts with NHL clubs. Andy Johnson provides some insight into how the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement impacts college players and their eligibility for NHL deals. [Bucky’s 5th Quarter]
• The CIS University Cup is underway in Saskatoon. You can catch all the games online at the CIS website.
• Craig Custance writes about the continued growth of hockey analytics and how teams are evolving to capture useful information. [ESPN]
• Sean Mcindoe provides an excellent overview of on-ice percentages, one of the key areas within hockey analytics. [Grantland]
• Friendly reminder that the University of Alberta is hosting a public lecture on hockey analytics on Wednesday March 26th at noon (MDT). This session will be available on Livestream. [University of Alberta – Communications & Technology]