Welcome to the PHT Morning Skate, a collection of links from the NHL and around the hockey world. Have a link you want to submit for the PHT Morning Skate? Email us at phtblog@nbcsports.com.
• There will be no friends inside the NHL’s bubbles. Said Ryan O’Reilly: “Once you go on the ice it’s a war. I don’t think it’ll be too friendly around the bubble.” [TSN]
• The Maple Leafs are eager to dive deep into their closets and show off their personalities with no dress code during the Return to Play. [Sportsnet]
• Former Seattle senior advisor Dave Tippett is happy to see the Kraken moving in the right direction when it comes to preparing to enter the NHL. [NHL.com]
• A deep look at how NHL Seattle landed on Kraken. [ESPN]
• “The team chose a really-great logo that looks a lot like the letter ‘S’ but with an eye in it. And the secondary logo is even better because it is a ship anchor.” [Puck Junk]
• A first-half heater followed by a second-half slump. What will the Oilers get from James Neal against the Blackhawks? [Oilers Nation]
• Scrimmage time is allowing the Predators to gain confidence ahead of their meeting with the Coyotes. [Predators]
• Why Tomas Nosek could have opted out for the Golden Knights but chose to play. [Sin Bin Vegas]
• Could Pavel Buchnevich turn into a trade chip for the Rangers this off-season? [Blue Seat Blogs]
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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.