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.
• Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin gets his share of criticism, but he managed to make the best of a difficult situation with Max Pacioretty. Bergevin was able to parlay his captain into a solid return. (Sportsnet)
• On the flip side, Yahoo’s Ryan Lambert argues that the only reason Bergevin was in such a difficult position was because he put himself there. He believes it’s time for the Canadiens to get themselves a new GM. (Yahoo)
• So, now that Pacioretty is a member of the Golden Knights, where does he fit it? Well, it looks like their second line is going to be pretty tough to stop. (Knights on Ice)
• Committing long term to captain Blake Wheeler shows just how series the Winnipeg Jets are about winning a Stanley Cup. (Featurd)
• Rebuilding the Humboldt Broncos is going to be the toughest job in hockey, but new head coach Nathan Oystrick. (The Star Phoenix)
• Tricia Wack lost her son, Stephen, to the Humboldt accident. Now, she’s speaking out to make sure that wearing seatbelts on coach busses should be mandatory. “My son Stephen was killed in the Broncos bus crash when he was launched from his seat upon impact, smashing the back of his head and breaking his neck. Envision for a moment, if you will, that being your child or loved one. Following the results of the investigation into the crash, we were shocked to learn that there were, in fact, lap seatbelts on that bus. Seatbelts left unworn were rendered useless.” (Toronto Sun)
• The Boston Bruins won’t have it easy this year. They’ll be competing for top spot in the Atlantic Division with Toronto and Tampa Bay, but netminder Tuukka Rask is up for the challenge. (The Hockey News)
• Ilya Kovalchuk is thrilled to be part of the Los Angeles Kings. “I just loved our meeting. They did a great presentation. They explained to me exactly what they want from me, and I think I can give that to the team. Plus, we have a great core here, the guys know how to win. Great goaltending, so I think we’re one of the teams, one of the contenders, for sure.” (LA Kings Insider)
• Barry Trotz loves the fact that the Islanders will be playing some of their games at the Nassau Coliseum. He believes that that’s where the Isles should be playing and he thinks that’s where the fans want to be. (Sports Daily)
• Speaking of the Islanders, Luca Sbisa has decided to join the team on a professional tryout. (TSN)
• Take a look back at how the Washington Capitals have partied harder with the Stanley Cup than any other team has in previous years. (Deadspin)
• If you’re a fan of the Dallas Stars, here’s a guide to how you should respond when you’re forced to ride the “Tyler Seguin re-signing rollercoaster”. (Blackout Dallas)
• Even though Jimmy Vesey will never meet the expectations that were initially placed on his shoulders, he can still be a useful player for the Rangers. (Gotham SN)
• Good NHL teams find a way to weaponize their cap space and capital. “NHL to Seattle” explains how they manage to do that. (NHL to Seattle)
• Players like Brock Boeser don’t come around too often, but the Calgary Flames have quite a bit of young talent coming through their ranks. But which one of their youngsters can become their version of Boeser? Flames Nation provides some intriguing options. (Flames Nation)
• Puck Junk ranks every hockey card set from the 1992-93 season. There’s some pretty sweets cards on display in this post. (Puck Junk)
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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.