Michael Russo's short takes: Nov. 1

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: October 31, 2009 - 8:31 PM

Today marks the 50-year anniversary of the goalie mask after Jacques Plante refused to play without one after being struck in the face by an Andy Bathgate shot.

"People called him a coward," Sabres goalie Ryan Miller said. "It's definitely the best invention I can think of."

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The Philadelphia Flyers fouled up by placing defenseman Randy Jones on waivers. The Flyers called most every team to make certain he wouldn't be claimed, but for some reason never called Los Angeles, which has a former Flyers scout (Dean Lombardi) as GM, a former Flyers assistant GM (Ron Hextall) and former Flyers assistant coach (Terry Murray) as coach.

The Kings took Jones, and now the cap-straddled Flyers are charged with half the cap hit ($1.375 million).

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Rangers star Marian Gaborik, the Wild's all-time leading scorer, as he talked to the local media behind a podium at the St. Paul Hotel on Thursday night: "I feel like the President."

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