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? Email us at phtblog@nbcsports.
• Despite leaving Saturday’s preseason finale with a lower-body injury, Alex Ovechkin could be ready for the Capitals’ opener on Wednesday. [NHL.com]
• There’s plenty for Bruins fans to feel confident about with their current goaltending setup with Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. [NBC Sports Boston]
• As he pursues a contract in the AHL or ECHL, Jalen Smereck and HC Donbass have mutually agreed to terminate his contract. [TSN]
• On the Marc-Andre Fleury trade drama from the summer: “That communication stopped when president of hockey operations George McPhee said [agent Allan] Walsh started working behind the scenes to ‘sabotage the trade’ by telling teams Fleury would retire.” [Review-Journal]
• Prospect news out of Minnesota: Marco Rossi will begin the season in the AHL, while Matt Boldy will miss at least 4-6 weeks with a fractured ankle. [Star Tribune]
• Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood is now leaning towards getting the COVID-19 vaccine “in the next couple of weeks.” [Devils]
• “If there’s a positive from [Carey] Price’s decision to seek help, and there are a few, I believe, one of them is that such a big name, relatively speaking, came out and made a decision that will help others.” [Scott Billeck]
• A partnership between PepsiCo and Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena will mean “regularly reporting greenhouse gas emissions, implementing decarbonization strategies and neutralizing any remaining emissions to achieve net-zero annual carbon emissions by 2040.” [Forbes]
• What should we expect from the Kraken in their inaugural season? [Sound of Hockey]
• Who are the top goaltenders this year in fantasy hockey? [NBC Sports Edge]
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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