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The Weekly Links post highlights important or interesting writing from the hockey blogosphere and media. Enjoy!

• Willie O’Ree, the first Black player to play in the NHL, wrote a piece on his experiences in hockey. [Player’s Tribune]
• While the inclusion of a women’s game as part of the 2016 Winter Classic festivities at Foxboro Stadium was a huge step forward for the women’s game, the match between the CWHL’s Les Canadiennes de Montreal and the NWHL’s Boston Pride was fraught with politics. Beth Boyle Machlan and Kaitlin S. Cimini have a deep look at the issues and outcomes of this event. [VICE Sports]
• Meanwhile, Patrick Burke spoke to Jen Neale about bringing the rival leagues together at the Winter Classic. [Puck Daddy]
• Speaking of the Winter Classic, Toronto seems likely to host the event in 2017 – presumably at BMO field. [ESPN]
• The World Junior Championships, currently taking place in Helsinki, Finland, are drawing large ratings for broadcaster TSN. [Eh Game]
• Finland’s laws prohibit alcohol consumption in the stands at hockey games, for reasons of safety, and some visiting Canadian fans at the WJC are not thrilled about this. [Huffington Post]
• Evgeni Kuznetzov of the Washington Capitals writes about his passion for hockey and differences between Russian and North American hockey. An entertaining and interesting read. [Player’s Tribune]
• The AHL made a major shift westwards this season, as many Western Conference NHL teams moved their farm teams nearby. This has been a boon for hockey in California. [Daily News]
• The Spengler Cup wrapped up with a Team Canada victory this week in Switzerland. Want to know more about the historic tournament? This article by Steven Ellis has you covered. [The Hockey House]
• Matt Brauckmann is the latest to argue that reducing the use of the instigator penalty will allow NHL players to police violent on-ice actions. [The Hockey Writers]
• Stephen Lee reflects on the time when, at age 12, actor John Candy sponsored his youth hockey team. [Slapshot Diaries]