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.
• Need a fun time-killer? Travis Yost put together a team that would include one piece (three forwards, two defensemen, one goalie, and a coach) from each of the Canadian teams in the North Division. Who would you pick, and is there any chance you wouldn’t choose Connor McDavid? [TSN]
• Speaking of that all-Canadian North Division, yes, Matthew Tkachuk thinks it’s great for the NHL. In particular, Tkachuk’s excited about big portions of “The Battle of Alberta.” [Sportsnet]
• With the quick turnaround, you might be rolling with fantasy drafts. Such a rush might make it easy to forget things, such as players who are healing up from injuries/offseason surgeries. [Dobber Hockey]
• OK, so trading Sean Monahan or especially Johnny Gaudreau would not be the PHT-approved plan for the Flames. But what about breaking them up as a duo? Kent Wilson gives a very detailed plan for how the Flames might get more out of Monahan and Gaudreau by splitting them up. [Big Body Presence]
• With that 2020-21 NHL season news still leaving us buzzing, which UFA forwards are worth a look? Consider this analytics-driven glance at Mikael Granlund, Mike Hoffman, and a few others. [J Fresh]
• Can the Queen’s Gambit teach us something about hockey? Apparently. Either way, it’s worth watching. [Hockey Tactics Newsletter]
• It’s one thing to re-draft the NHL’s teams from a player perspective. What if you also added coaches, owners, and even cities into the mix? Pretty ambitious stuff. [The Athletic, sub required]
—
James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.