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PHT Morning Skate: Kraken hire Botterill; Colin Wilson retires

PHT Morning Skate: Kraken hire Botterill; Colin Wilson retires

OTTAWA, ON - JUNE 20: Seventh overall pick, Colin Wilson of the Nashville Predators is interviewed after being selected during the 2008 NHL Entry Draft at Scotiabank Place on June 20, 2008 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

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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.

Colin Wilson retires, Kraken hire Botterill, other news

• Colin Wilson (formerly of the Avalanche, mostly with the Predators) retired after 11 seasons in the NHL. [NHLPA]

• In case you missed it, the Seattle Kraken hired former Sabres GM Jason Botterill as their assistant GM. Should we take this as a sign that the Kraken might not be as analytics-leaning as originally expected? We’ll see. [NHL.com]

• Look, it’s no secret that Lou Lamoriello and the Islanders love Matt Martin. But a reported four-year deal for the frequent-hitter? Wow. [NYI Hockey Now]

• The ECHL announced its “final roster” of teams for the 2020-21 season. Things are tough enough for the NHL, but other hockey leagues are really needing to ... improvise to make all of this work. [ECHL]

• Not everyone loves the NHL’s decision to name sponsors for this season’s four divisions. That doesn’t mean everyone hates it, either. Scotty Wazz explains why it’s his “new favorite thing in the NHL.” [Scotty Wazz]

• Here is the updated NHL on NBC TV schedule with newly announced start times by the NHL. [PHT]

Training camp bits

• Jack Hughes expecting a breakout 2020-21 NHL season? Yawn, that’s typical offseason stuff. Jack Hughes explaining that he added 14 lbs. of muscle by treating “eating like a job?” OK, that’s pretty good. [North Jersey.com]

• There’s been a lot of focus on Johnny Gaudreau’s tough times lately, and most of it has been about, essentially, “fixing” him. Hey, at least Geoff Ward praised Gaudreau early-on, though. [Calgary Herald]

• A truncated 2020-21 NHL season could give us a chance for new tropes, not just old cliches. So congrats to Predators coach John Hynes for the “56 playoff games” line. [A to Z Sports Nashville]

• Plundering the depths of the Dallas Stars’ forwards. [Defending Big D]

• It sounds like the Penguins have been impressed by what they’ve seen from prospects. Could they even force “some moves?” [Pittsburgh Hockey Now]

• Casey Mittelstadt labels his time down with the AHL’s Rochester Americans as a “blast.” That doesn’t mean he wants to get demoted again, though. [Buffalo Hockey Beat]

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.