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.
• So how are things going with the St. Louis Blues? “We were terrible in the first period. Every player. Terrible.” [Post-Dispatch]
• Meanwhile, the Blues handed Robert Bortuzzo a three-year extension. [Blues]
• Seattle’s NHL arrival will only grow the already rich history of the sport in the community. [NHL.com]
• How Mikko Rantanen turned into one of the NHL’s top scorers. [Sportsnet]
• What’s next for struggling Cory Schneider and the New Jersey Devils? [NJ.com]
• This will be a fun headline to remember: “He’s baaaaack – Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli looking like the resident genius” [Edmonton Sun]
• Mikko Koskinen has been quite a find for the Oilers. [TSN]
• Knee surgery will likely keep Erik Haula of the Vegas Golden Knights out for the remainder of the season. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]
• A lower-body injury will keep Mike Green out of the Detroit Red Wings’ lineup for the next 3-5 weeks. [MLive]
• A busted finger means the Oilers will be without Oskar Klefbom for the next 6-8 weeks. [Oilers Nation]
• The Vancouver Canucks appear to have some interest in Washington Capitals forward Andre Burakovsky. [NoVa Caps]
• Which NHL players are carrying the biggest offensive burdens for their teams? [ESPN.com]
• Some ideas on how to fix the New York Islanders power play. [Gotham Sports]
• The Guy Lafleur disco album is really something. [Punk Junk]
• Washington Capitals roll out welcome for the Black Girl Hockey Club’s first meeting. [Color of Hockey]
• Injuries have really put a damper on the Arizona Coyotes’ season. [Featurd]
• Finally, our good friend Gritty had a special Christmas message for ESPN’s Katie Nolan:
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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.