Bucci,

Brendan Witt was not hit by an SUV. An SUV was hit by Brendan Witt.

Steve Helldorfer
Queens, N.Y.

Johnny!

As has been the rumor mill all season in New England, we expect the B's to make a deal for a real scorer (all those draft picks in stock, while the team is built to challenge NOW). The name everyone still throws around here is Kovalchuk, but $$ being what it is today, I'm looking at someone like Corey Perry, who I LOVE. He's been on the rise every year, and I think he has 40-plus goal potential.

Ryan Trost

John,

I've been a longtime reader and I've always enjoyed your talent for baby names. I never would have thought that I'd be writing this e-mail, though. Come June, my wife and I will be welcoming a new Bruins fan into the world. Can you help us out like you've helped so many others?

Peter Haley

John,

I may be a proud Canadian, but U.S. hockey fans are absolutely amazing. I love it! We live in the two best countries in the world, and without a doubt the game of hockey has the best fans in the world. Merry Christmas, John, and all hockey fans!

Rich

John,

I was reading your archived columns, and I found something awesome in a 2006 playoff mailbag. A reader had asked about the vaunted 2003 draft, and you argued that if the teams were to be able to select again, it would look like this:

Pittsburgh -- Dion Phaneuf
Carolina -- Eric Staal
Florida -- Nathan Horton
Columbus -- Ryan Getzlaf
Buffalo -- Thomas Vanek
San Jose -- Milan Michalek
Nashville -- Jeff Carter
Atlanta -- Nikolai Zherdev
Calgary -- Steve Bernier
Montreal -- Zach Parise
Philadelphia -- Marc-Andre Fleury

Now, in 2009-10, do you still agree with what you wrote? I think Fleury looks like a pretty good pick after all. I'd love to see you reshuffle them again. Also interesting, Mike Richards at 24, Corey Perry at 28, Shea Weber at 49 and, in a long shot, Dustin Byfuglien or Matt Moulson at 245 and 263, respectively.

Andy
Pennsylvania

Hey John,

Not sure whether this e-mail should be singing the praises of Lou Lamoriello or the players themselves, but with half of the Devils' lineup going down with injuries this season, young players have been given an ample amount of ice time and have performed admirably. Niclas Bergfors is quietly putting up respectable numbers; Andy Greene is dazzling from the point; and others are putting in solid role-playing minutes. You know, every summer, I panic when somebody leaves New Jersey, but every fall and winter, I am happy to see a more affordable and younger replacement step in. Lou really is a genius. And he sent me a thank you letter after I sent a simple thank you e-mail to the PR mailbox. ... A thank you letter from the GM as a response to a "Dear Devils" thank you e-mail. Class.

Gary Carlson
Hoboken, N.J.

Hey Bucci,

I go to college in Maryland, and when I tell people I'm from New Jersey, I usually get a look. I don't understand -- New Jersey is great. We've got The Boss, the actual store Fountains of Wayne, Gaslight Anthem (I love "The '59 Sound"; you should check it out) and, of course, Ol' Blue Eyes. Oh yeah, and the Devils.

Greatest goalie of all time (Marty)? Check. Superstar point-machine forward (Parise)? Check. Veteran balance (Elias, Langenbrunner, Rolston)? Check. Best GM ever (LOU!)? Check. So, Bucci, can you do me two favors? Let the world, especially my friends, know that the Devils are a legitimate Cup contender and that Travis Zajac is completely underrated. The guy does everything well.

Kenny
College Park, Md. (by way of New Jersey)

Bucci,

What's up, Bro Nameth? Where would you speculate the 2011 Winter Classic is going to be held?

Anders V
Minneapolis

John,

I know that Minnesota is often referred to as the "State of Hockey." Do you find it surprising, then, that the state has no minor-league hockey teams?

Eric G.
Orange County, Calif.

Blog Master Bucci,

Do you think Team Canada is overlooking Patrice Bergeron by not even inviting him to camp?

P.S. -- "Hakan-Hanukkah" was brilliant! Maybe even Grammy-worthy. Ben Folds should cut it as a bonus track on his next album.

Tim
Boston

Hi John,

I have no idea if you are going to get this e-mail, but I figured I would try and let you know how much I appreciated your article about "13 rules." I am not a parent, but my brother coaches kids and is now vice president of a large youth hockey organization. The things you wrote spoke to my heart. It is easy to get caught up in the competition of the game and not use every opportunity to teach kids the love of the game. What makes our kids great isn't new skates or flashy goals, but their desire to better themselves every shift. Thanks again for your article.

Zack

Bucci,

I have a few to add.

5a. Don't be a home-dresser. A coach can get more out of a practice if he can talk to the kids while they are getting dressed. Rolling up in the SUV and pushing the kid out fully dressed three minutes before the practice hampers their development, in both the sport and in life.

6a. If it looks like you are going to be a hockey parent for a while (i.e., your kid loves the game), learn the rules. Attend a referee clinic if you have to, but don't be the parent who doesn't understand icing, tripping or interference. Help teach your kid the difference between a check and a rough.

Jay Sanford
Laramie, Wyo.

Bucci,

I absolutely loved your 13 rules for hockey parents everywhere; they really put things in perspective. In fact, I just sent it out to many at our hockey association. I've been coaching Mite hockey for the last four years and some parents (and coaches) never cease to amaze me. Many of them seem to think the scouts are at their 8-and-under games and if they don't have a full ride by the time they are 10, they're bound for failure. Just last weekend, our team was up 5-2 and the other coach pulled their goalie with 1:20 to go. I'd venture to say their anticipated success rate came in marginally lower than your power-play research indicates.

Coach Al

John,

I have an addition to your list, maybe it is item 5.1. When we picked out gear for our son, the owner of the resale shop shared his pet peeve: He cannot stand to see 12-year-old kids having their parents carry their gear, so get a bag that your child can carry or pull as he or she gets older. My 4-year-old heard this and will not let us carry his gear, even though we could fit three of him and his 36 pounds in the bag. I could not be more proud of him.

Craig
Overland Park

John,

I loved your blogumn this week. You are absolutely right about early-morning breakfasts after hockey being great memories. I don't have any children of my own yet, but I remember when my dad would take me out to breakfast on Saturday morning after hockey. The sun would have only been up for an hour or so, and it was usually well below freezing (I grew up in Minnesota). Sitting in the booth talking about the Friday night Gopher games while we waiting for our breakfasts will always be some of my greatest hockey (and syrupy) memories. It makes me excited to do the same thing with kids of my own.

David

Bucci,

Thanks for the blogumn. I loved your rules for parents. Hopefully, the parents will read and follow your rules and chill out a little. However, I do think that we're going to have some difficulty getting the parents to let the boys dress themselves -- too many of them are still carrying their kids' bags.

Mike

John,

Loved the blog this week. My father followed every one of those 13 "commandments," if you will, with my brother and me. What he instilled in me through the game has helped shape my life outside the rink, from punctuality to accountability. They are a guide he passed on to me that I will be able to pass on to my son as well one day.

Jake
Amherst, Mass.

John Buccigross' e-mail address -- for questions, comments or crosschecks -- is john.buccigross@espn.com.