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PHT Morning Skate: Fletcher hiring reaction; crowded Calder field

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The Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks will take their skates outside to historic Notre Dame Stadium in the Winter Classic on New Year's Day.

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.

• The Edmonton Oil Kings are going all out for their upcoming Teddy Bear Toss Night.

• Dave Hakstol is safe. For now. “I’m just coming in. I’m a big believer in trying to get to know a situation before you make a reaction. I’d like to think we can solve a lot of the issues that have plagued this team this year and find a way to get better. I certainly have no intention of making a coaching change tomorrow, if that’s your question. I’m gonna meet with Dave, we’re going to try to work together and push. Our goal is to make the playoffs this year. It’s that simple and we have work to do and it will be a challenge. There’s no reason why we can’t get better and we can’t push to make the playoffs and find a way to get in.” [Courier Post]

• “This move, by all means, is not the ‘sexy’ pick. The Flyers did not go out and find another Kyle Dubas. They found someone with a lot of experience at the position and someone who’s built very competent and capable hockey teams. Fletcher’s Wild teams may never have made it past round two of the playoffs, but they were consistently in or fighting for the playoffs.” [Broad Street Hockey]

• Voting for the 2019 NHL All-Star Game in San Jose is open. [NHL.com]

• A look at how William Nylander will affect the Toronto Maple Leafs. [Sportsnet]

• Why the Brayden Point extension talks with the Tampa Bay Lightning should begin with what Nylander got from the Maple Leafs. [Raw Charge]

• Elias Pettersson, Brady Tkachuk, Rasmus Dahling — it’s a pretty great Calder Trophy field. [TSN]

• Why Paul Stastny should be cemented on the second line when he returns to the Vegas Golden Knights’ lineup. [Sin Bin Vegas]

• A three-time Olympic gold medalist with Canada’s women’s national team on the ice, Jennifer Botterill has taken her off-ice talents as a broadcaster to the MSG Network. [Winnipeg Sun]

• Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy is still working his way back from a concussion. [Bruins Daily]

• Here’s the 3D Christmas jersey that the ECHL’s Allen Americans will wear on Dec. 22. The Reading Royals donned 3D looks for a game last month:

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• Florida Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck gives an update on his recovery from a nasty leg injury. [Panthers]

• What the Panthers can learn from the Lightning. [The Rat Trick]

• The fourth line has been delivering for the Washington Capitals. [NBC Washington]

• Good read on Jared Doyon, Quinnipiac University hockey PA announcer who deals with Tourette’s syndrome. [Quinnipiac]

• Finally, Patrick Gaul didn’t allow losing his stick to prevent him from scoring an overtime winner for the South Carolina Stingrays: