Welcome to the PHT Morning Skate, a collection of links from around the hockey world. Have a link you want to submit? Email us at phtblog@nbcsports.com.
• It doesn’t sound like Devante Smith-Pelly will be going to the White House if the Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup. (National Post)
• Ken Campbell of The Hockey News takes a look at five reasons why the Capitals are on the verge of winning their first title in franchise history. Goaltending is definitely one of the reasons. (The Hockey News)
• After years of playoff struggles, the Washington Capitals have really stepped up this postseason. (Washington Times)
• Even though they’ve never been down 3-1 in a best-of-seven series before, it still feels like the Golden Knights have overcome that type of deficit just by having the inaugural season that they’ve had. (SinBin.Vegas)
• Vegas is one loss away from being eliminated from the playoffs, but here are four reasons why they feel they’re still in this series. First, they’re going back home for Game 5 and secondly, they didn’t play badly at all in Game 4. (SB Nation)
• The Nevada State Museum is beginning to gather different kinds of Golden Knights memorabilia like ticket stubs, programs, ephemera, flyers and brochures so that they can document what the team accomplished in their first year. (Vegas Review-Journal)
• Frank Seravalli has put together the first official “TSN Trade Bait Board” of the summer. Erik Karlsson, Ryan O’Reilly, Mike Hoffman, Jeff Skinner and Max Pacioretty are all on the board. (TSN.ca)
• Yesterday’s morning skate provided readers with a list of potential candidates for the Islanders head coaching vacancy. Today, Light House Hockey provides us with a few more names that could be heading to the Isles. (Light House Hockey)
• Scott Hartnell admits that he’s ready for a new challenge in the NHL, but retirement is also an option. (Tennessean)
• Paul Stastny is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Should the Blues, who traded him to Winnipeg at the deadline, pursue him if he hits the open market? (St. Louis Game Time)
• Up top, check out Ilya Bryzgalov’s trip through Las Vegas for The Players’ Tribune. He can say pretty much anything and it’ll sound funny.
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Joey Alfieri is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @joeyalfieri.