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PHT Morning Skate: Blue Jackets ready to celebrate Nash; Kessel trade destinations

blue jackets nash

GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 03: Rick Nash #61 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates up to a face off against the Phoenix Coyotes during NHL game at Jobing.com Arena on April 3, 2012 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Blue Jackets 2-0. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Getty Images

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.

• The Blue Jackets are set to celebrate the career of Rick Nash on Saturday when they retire his No. 61. [Blue Jackets]

• What teams might be the best landing spots for Phil Kessel with the NHL trade deadline in 17 days? [Sportsnet]

• Lightning head coach Jon Cooper, who was ejected Thursday night, on the Penguins: “That team, for some reason, they’re by far the lowest-penalized team in the league. I’m not sure why, but they are. For us to go down again, to be short in that situation, was a little frustrating.” [Tampa Bay Times]

• “Of course, it’s reasonable - indeed important - to wonder just what he could do, realistically. Alex Ovechkin’s family is in Russia right now (not that international borders have necessarily stopped retribution in the past), and the reality is that Ovechkin, by virtue of his superstardom, his personality, heck, even the location of his home games, has always presented a unique opportunity for Kremlin messaging. Evgeni Malkin, Artemi Panarin and so on down the list aren’t Alex Ovechkin; to what extent did Alex Ovechkin make the bed in which he’s now having to sleep, and to what extent was that bed made up for him?” [Japers’ Rink]

• Jordan Martinook on Andrei Svechnikov as Russian players deal with the country’s invasion of Ukraine: “If anybody tries to make him feel bad about the situation, then he’s got 23 brothers who will stick up for him.” [News and Observer]

• It will be the Capitals against the Hurricanes in the 2023 Stadium Series game at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh next February. [PHT]

• USA-Canada ‘Rivalry Rematch’ highlights historic underinvestment, and future potential, of women’s hockey. [On Her Turf]

• One of the biggest questions facing new Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson is whether Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane want to be part of the upcoming rebuild. [NBC Sports Chicago]

• Matt Dumba has been missed by the Wild during this slide. [Zone Coverage]

• Everything that was promised by Tyler Toffoli’s arrival has been delivered to the Flames. [Flames Nation]

• The Jets as buyers and sellers at the trade deadline? [Jets Nation]

• Fantasy hockey nuggets to secure those victories this weekend. [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.