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.
• Vegas Golden Knights GM George McPhee confirmed that the supplements the team gave Nate Schmidt weren’t the cause his failed drug test. (Las Vegas Sun)
• After the Toronto Maple Leafs pay Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander, it’ll be hard for GM Kyle Dubas to keep the rest of the group together. (Sportsnet)
• Despite finishing 30th in the NHL last season, the Ottawa Senators haven’t really made many changes during the offseason. That’s probably not a good sign for a team in turmoil right now. (TSN.ca)
• Raw Charge takes a look at how Steven Stamkos went from being a sniper to being a set-up man. (Raw Charge)
• Several NHL players were insulted by the fact that Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey thinks he can make the NHL in six months. (ESPN)
• James van Riemsdyk was sad to leave Toronto, but he’s always looking forward to going back home and playing for the Philadelphia Flyers again. (Featurd)
• Nick Bonino’s first season with the Nashville Predators didn’t go as planned. Not only did the Preds not win it all, but Bonino and the team struggled to produce when he was on the ice. (On the Forecheck)
• Women’s hockey supporters may be frustrated by the term “growing the game” but that’s the reality of the sport right now. Still, there’s been some huge growth over the last few years. (The Ice Garden)
• The NHL is taking a deeper look at Slava Voynov’s domestic abuse case so that they can determine whether or not he should be eligible to return to the league. (USA Today)
• Andrew Berkshire looks at how four summer acquisitions will fit in with one of the players on their new team. Max Domi, Ryan O’Reilly, Elias Lindholm and John Tavares could develop some interesting chemistry with at least one of their teammates. (Sportsnet)
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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.