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.
• Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon dispels two theories on Gerard Gallant firing. (Sin Bin Vegas)
• Members of the NHL’s 700-goal club expect Alex Ovechkin to get to 800 goals. (NHL.com)
• Taylor Hall has been a bright spot during the Arizona Coyotes’ recent dry spell. (The Hockey News)
• Playoff vibes are real for the Chicago Blackhawks. (NBC Chicago)
• Kasperi Kapanen was scratched by the Toronto Maple Leafs this weekend because he was late for a team meeting. (TSN)
• How to watch Games 3-5 of the USA-Canada rivalry series (The Ice Garden)
• How Tomas Hertl’s season-ending injury has changed the San Jose Sharks’ mindset and approach. (NBC Bay Area)
• Canadiens’ need for size boosts case to keep Ilya Kovalchuk at trade deadline. (Sportsnet)
• The New York Islanders start the second half of the season know it is crunch time. (Islanders Insight)
• The Calgary Flames are worse than they were a year ago, but have been better under Geoff Ward. (Flames Nation)
• Blues hoping home ice cures what ails them. (St. Louis Post Dispatch)
• Brian Dumoulin can not get back soon enough for the Pittsburgh Penguins (Pensburgh)
• Kailer Yamamoto looks right at home on the Edmonton Oilers’ second line. (Copper and Blue)
• Joel Farabee is growing up for the Philadelphia Flyers. (NBC Philadelphia)
• The Los Angeles Kings need to find out who is in and who is out. (Los Angeles Times)
• Nathan Gerbe signed a new two-year, two-way contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets (1st Ohio Battery)
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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.