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.
• A look at Evgeni Malkin’s ‘weird’ season. [Pensburgh]
• Whether Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky stay or go, Cam Atkinson is confident the Columbus Blue Jackets have what it takes to contend. [NHL.com]
• Why the Ottawa Senators should actually be buyers at the NHL trade deadline. [TSN]
• The New York Rangers could be in the final days of having Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes on the roster. [New York Post]
• Hayes should be someone the Winnipeg Jets ought to target. [Winnipeg Free Press]
• If the Tampa Bay Lightning aren’t going to go big at the trade deadline, they might as well just stay quiet. [Raw Charge]
• How will the contributions of the San Jose Sharks’ depth affect GM Doug Wilson’s trade deadline plans? [NBC Bay Area]
• Why Wayne Simmonds doesn’t fit as an ideal trade target for the Dallas Stars. [Defending Big D]
• Examining whether the Philadelphia Flyers should trade Shayne Gostisbehere. [Broad Street Hockey]
• Would Gustav Nyquist be a good fit for the Washington Capitals? [NBC Washington]
• A look at future options in goal for the Florida Panthers. [Panther Parkway]
• Shea Weber has settled in nicely with the Montreal Canadiens. [Sportsnet]
• How Elias Pettersson took over Vancouver in his rookie season. [ESPN]
• Anthony Bitetto taking advantage of his opportunity with the Minnesota Wild. [Pioneer Press]
• The Colorado Avalanche are in need of a reset. [Mile High Sticking]
• Meanwhile, overtimes have been a huge problem for the Avs this season. [Denver Post]
• Despite adding responsibility, Will Butcher has been handling it well for the New Jersey Devils. [All About the Jersey]
• Finally, NHLers hand out some advice on this Valentine’s Day:
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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.