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 forward Mikko Rantanen has been fined $2,000 for diving/embellishment. [NHL]
• Connor McDavid’s quest for 100 points won’t be put in jeopardy by getting rested before the playoffs. [TSN]
• On the Rangers’ big changes: “The fears regarding Dolan are certainly warranted, but not necessarily with Drury. He’s been with the club for five years already, most of it in a assistant/associate GM role. He’s been around the block, and he knows what the overall vision for the team is. There likely won’t be a wholesale teardown, or a Kakko for Ryan Reaves trade. As mentioned yesterday, balancing the skill with the will was a matter of addressing it in the offseason with a small move here or there. I don’t think that vision changes.” [Blue Seat Blogs]
• Expiring contracts and Rick Tocchet’s future are just a few of the questions facing the Coyotes this off-season. [Five for Howling]
• Things in Washington are moving in the right direction under new boss Peter Laviolette. [Japers’ Rink]
• Now that they’re in the North Division playoffs, the Jets look to put a bad skid behind them. [Sportsnet]
• Interesting look at why power plays these days are so effective. [The Score]
• Why praise for Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin is long overdue. [Zone Coverage]
• There’ll be no playoffs again for the Blackhawks. What comes next for the franchise? [Featurd]
• How microstats can provide further context to how teams perform. [NBC Sports Edge]
• Tim Stützle on his summer plans and his expectations for his sophomore NHL season. [Ottawa Citizen]
• The Devils will be moving their AHL franchise from Binghamton to Utica. [Rome Sentinel]
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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