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.
• This is one Claude Giroux photoshop insert away from being a variation of that “distracted boyfriend” meme.
• The clock is ticking. What will the Ottawa Senators do with pending unrestricted free agents Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel? [Ottawa Sun]
• Why the Jake Muzzin trade shows the problem for this year’s sellers. [Yahoo]
• Don’t expect Artemi Panarin to end up with the New York Islanders before the Feb. 25 NHL trade deadline. [Islanders Insight]
• Why the Blue Jackets should trade Panarin now. [1st Ohio Battery]
• Finding long-term help should mean the Edmonton Oilers using their first-round pick as trade bait. [Sportsnet]
• Speaking of Alberta, the Calgary Flames should be in the market for more scoring. [TSN]
• For defensemen shooting the puck, why less is more. [ESPN]
• Poor play in the defensive zone has been a key factor in the Washington Capitals’ recent slide. [The Point]
• New Jersey Devils defenseman Sami Vatanan has been diagnosed with a concussion after being hit into the boards Monday by Derick Brassard of the Pittsburgh Penguins. [NJ.com]
• It’s been a really good year for Tomas Tatar in Montreal. [Montreal Gazette]
• Explaining the unwritten rules and etiquette of a hockey fight. [NBC Washington]
• Good goaltending in Philadelphia? Can it be? [Broadstreet Buzz]
• “While almost every school in Minnesota canceled school on Tuesday due to the ridiculously cold temperatures, two high schools in Minnesota instead chose to brave the elements. Roseau and Warroad, two cities near the Minnesota-Manitoba border about a six hour drive north of the Minneapolis, held classes today so that they could add the 174th chapter to their storied hockey rivalry.” [KFAN]
• The WHL’s Kootnay Ice will be relocating to Winnipeg for the 2019-20 season. [WHL]
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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.