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.
• Here’s the NBC Sports Stanley Cup playoff update for May 1
• What type of statistics should you expect from your backup goalie? (Habs Eyes on the Prize)
• The Washington Capitals will have to shed some salary if they’re going to add to their talented roster. (CSN Washington)
• Morgan Rielly has to be the front-runner to be the next captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. (Toronto Star)
• How has Anders Lee performed in the playoffs for the Islanders this year? (Lighthouse Hockey)
• The Pittsburgh Penguins have a rich history with the Hart Trophy. (Pensburgh)
• Like soccer, the NHL might have a diving problem. (Bleedin Blue)
• The Golden Knights roster could look very different heading into next season. (Las Vegas Sun)
• The fact that the Oilers will have a new GM this summer makes their offseason plan unpredictable right now. (Oilers Nation)
• The Hockey News breaks down the top 30 unrestricted free agents of 2019. (The Hockey News)
• Cale Makar went from playing college hockey to jumping into the Stanley Cup Playoffs in a hurry. (ESPN)
• We can start thinking about Nicklas Backstrom and Braden Holtby’s next contracts. (Washington Post)
• The Lightning can’t use the laundry list of upsets in the playoffs as a “get out of jail free” card. (Tampa Bay Times)
• Aaron Ekblad had a relatively quiet season, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t productive for the Panthers. (The Rat Trick)
• The Detroit News ranked the top 50 Red Wings in order of organizational value. (Detroit News)
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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.