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.
• “Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say an inspector with the service is facing fraud charges in connection with the alleged theft of Wayne Gretzky sports memorabilia in Brantford, Ont.” [Global News]
• Whenever the season begins, trades may be an interesting wrinkle to the final details. [The Hockey News]
• Bigger rosters might allow the Flyers to ease in some of their kids. [Inquirer]
• Boston Pride rookie Sammy Davis is promising a polar bear plunge a day for the first 24 days of December as she raises money for the Travis Roy Foundation. [The Ice Garden]
• Add the Flames to the list of NHL teams that now feature a goaltending department. Jordan Sigalet is the director and Jason Labarbera will be the team’s goaltending coach. [Flames]
• An error caused by a Swedish betting company was the root of match-fixing allegations in the HockeyAllsvenskan earlier this week:
Björklöven cleared of suspicion: Björklöven Ice Hockey Club has been cleared of all suspicion of match-fixing by The Swedish Ice Hockey Association in connection with a game played against Mora on Monday. The association has made public its findings… https://t.co/18LFmSsXWo pic.twitter.com/IKmGufCY5M
— Björklöven (@Bjorkloven) December 17, 2020
• Interesting read on how Mike Sullivan’s cousin, new New York Mets GM Jared Porter, could have had himself an NHL career. [NY Post]
• What can the Blue Jackets learn from the MLS champion Columbus Crew? [1st Ohio Battery]
• How Snoop Dogg spurred the retro hockey jersey craze. [Wall Street Journal]
• Good look at how one team, North Dakota, is spending their time in the NCHC bubble. [Grand Forks Herald]
• The Penguins are about to enter a season with its most inexperience goaltending duo in 16 years. [Pensburgh]
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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.