Today's soundtrack: This Is A Lie by The Cure from the underrated Wild Mood Swings album. What's true and what's fiction with Ilya Kovalchuk's contract and the CBA? At this point, let's just have fast-forward to the outcome, please!

Kovalchuk-gate: Everything you ever possibly wanted to know about Ilya Kovalchuk's situation and the CBA, as detailed by In Lou We Trust and Jewels From The Crown (read them in that order). In any case, these two posts are the most recent and relevant, and I won't even try to summarize. Just check them out if you want the nitty gritty on how the CBA relates to this.

Shameless self-plug: If all the Kovy/CBA talk is making your positronic brain malfunction, please view this palate cleanser that involves 10 cars playing hockey in a giant rink. I promise, you won't regret it.

Atlantic: Pensburgh ponders if goals and assists should be viewed equally.

Northeast: Dion Phaneuf shoots the puck a lot. Now if he'd just hit the net with those shots.

Southeast: Barring a trade of Stephen Weiss, the Florida Panthers are set in the center position.

Pacific: The five best contracts in the Pacific Division, as viewed by Fear The Fin.

Central: St. Louis Game Time is having a tournament of broadcasters from the St. Louis area.

Northwest: Sami Salo has broken every part of his body at some point (it's your must-see graphic of the day).