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PHT Morning Skate: Kesler avoids first-pitch embarrassment

Ryan Kesler

Vancouver Canucks’ Ryan Kesler listens during an end of season news conference in Vancouver, British Columbia on Monday April 14, 2014. The Canucks missed the playoffs this year. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

AP

PHT’s Morning Skate takes a look around the world of hockey to see what’s happening and what we’ll be talking about around the NHL world and beyond.

Brenden Morrow believes that the Tampa Bay Lightning are a “hungry” team. (Tampa Bay Tribune)

Marian Gaborik’s day with the Stanley Cup included some Slovakian music festival fun. (Los Angeles Kings)

Training camps have come a long way. (Vancouver Sun)

Columbus Blue Jackets first-rounder Sonny Milano wants to be known as more than just a Youtube sensation. Hey, at least it slows down the cookie jokes though, right? (NHL.com)

Great stuff from Jonathan Willis regarding how zone entry research is making a big difference in the advanced stats community. An interesting hypothesis emerges: “Are all teams basically ‘rush’ teams?” (Edmonton Journal)

Speaking of zone entries, Corey Sznajder discusses his ambitious project tracking zone entries for all 1,230 NHL games. If you’re interested in the project, donate by following the link. (Shutdown Line)

Want to take a look at who’s left in free agency? Check this list.

The Anaheim Angels welcomed Ryan Kesler to throw a first pitch. When it comes down to it, there are two grades for such pitches: “humiliation” and “survival.” Kesler deserves a “survived it” grade, although feel free to disagree: