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.
• The firing of Peter Laviolette shows thats GM David Poile still believes his team has a chance this season. [Tennessean]
• Ilya Kovalchuk impressed in his first game with the Canadiens. [Habs Eyes on the Prize]
• Should the Maple Leafs sell high on William Nylander? [Faceoff Circle]
• The son of Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle was reportedly found dead in Los Angeles. [CBS Pittsburgh]
• Mike Sullivan deserves all the praise with how he’s found ways to get the Penguins to succeed through all of their injuries. [Pensburgh]
• Jim Rutherford is working the phones seeking a winger to replaced the injured Jake Guentzel. [Tribune Review]
• The big difference between Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid? The supporting casts around them. [TSN]
• Oilers GM Ken Holland stating the obvious: “When you’ve got Connor McDavid and you’ve got Leon Draisaitl … I believe the window to try to be in the playoffs is now.” [Sportsnet]
• Jacob, 8, wanted a Maple Leafs cake. The bakery used the Maple Leaf Foods logo instead. [CBC]
• How close are the Bruins to undergoing a shakeup? [Boston Herald]
• A good look at the strong season that Hurricanes forward Lucas Wallmark is having. [Canes and Coffee]
• The Flyers, regression and the second half of the NHL season. [Sons of Penn]
• Is Aaron Dell the new No. 1 goalie in San Jose? [NBC Sports Bay Area]
• U.S. goalie Arthur Smith will be one of the few black athletes among the 1,800 competitors from 70 countries at 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games which opens Thursday in Lausanne, Switzerland. [NHL.com]
• “As [Jets defenseman Sami] Niku was preparing for his NHL return, a report was making the rounds on Monday morning from Finnish media outlet Yle Urheilu, one that suggested Niku was unhappy with how he was being handled in the organization — going as far to say that he was readying a trade request.” [Winnipeg Free Press]
• What the 2020 Winter Classic meant to the NHL, Dallas and the southern hockey fan. [Sporting News]
• Goaltending has been looking up for the Devils of late. [All About the Jersey]
• Troy Brouwer was signed by the Blues for forward depth but has found it difficult to stick in the lineup. [Post-Dispatch]
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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.