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.
• Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon will be back Wednesday night against Arizona after missing three games with an upper-body injury. “This is one of the top players in the world, and he’s our on-ice leader and we need him,” said head coach Jared Bednar. “We need that offensive punch.” [Avalanche]
• Should the NHL keep the 2020 draft in July or push it back to the fall? [The Score]
• The first Flames practice with Darryl Sutter on the ice saw a 35-minute bag skate. [TSN]
• An upper-body injury will keep Elias Pettersson out of the Canucks’ lineup for another week. [Canucks Army]
• Looking at Dougie Hamilton and if he has a future in Carolina. [Canes and Coffee]
[Your 2020-21 NHL on NBC TV schedule]
• Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy on Jake DeBrusk, who was scratched Tuesday night: “We’re not getting the effort we require.” [NBC Sports Boston]
• If the Maple Leafs are going to have Stanley Cup dreams, they need a fully healthy Auston Matthews. [Sportsnet]
• Barry Trotz on reaching the 1,700 games coached milestone: “It means that I’m old.” [NHL.com]
• Dallas Eakins gets the vote of confidence from Ducks GM Bob Murray. [OC Register]
• Seth Jarvis and Ryan Suzuki are just a few OHL prospects flourishing this season in the AHL. [Rotoworld]
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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.