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 probably couldn’t come as much of a surprise, but Jonathan Toews doesn’t seem happy that the Blues won the Stanley Cup. (St. Louis Game Time)
• Because restricted free agents looking for big money don’t like to sign quickly, we must predict their looming contracts. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
• The core of the Chicago Blackhawks thinks they can return to glory after an active offseason. (NBC Sports Chicago)
• Don Waddell is happy with the way his offseason went. (NHL.com)
• It’s too early to worry about Zach Werenski’s lack of a contract. (1st Ohio Battery)
• Ben Chiarot needed a little persuading to join the Montreal Canadiens in free agency. (Sportsnet)
• As almost mirror images, Penguins and Capitals take divergent paths in rebuilding on the fly. (Pensburgh)
• Edmonton’s first-round pick won’t play in the American Hockey League this season. (TSN.ca)
• Kyle Dubas has dazzled when it comes to navigating the Maple Leafs salary cap. (Featurd)
• What Ottawa can learn from Edmonton when it comes to a new downtown arena. (Ottawa Business Journal)
• Kris Knoblauch named head coach of the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. (Rangers)
• A mock draft for the 2021 Seattle expansion draft. (NovaCaps)
• Buying low and managing expectations. (Copper and Blue)
• The state of the Winnipeg Jets’ defensive core. (Jets Nation)
• Alex Ovechkin creates painting with junior sledge-hockey players to raise money for Russian para hockey league. (Russian Machine Never Breaks)
Scott Billeck is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @scottbilleck