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.
• Alex Ovechkin says when his NHL career is done he wants to finish his playing days with Dynamo Moscow. [NBC Sports Washington]
• Some rookies have outstanding first seasons, while others struggle. What can we take away from the first seasons of teenage players? [TSN]
• Erik Karlsson and Evgeni Malkin are just two of the players who should benefit from this long NHL layoff. [Sportsnet]
• Brendan Lemieux and MacKenzie Weegar have agreed to contracts and avoided arbitration. The Rangers forward signs a two-year, $3.1M deal, while the Panthers defenseman inks a three-year pact worth $9.75M. [PHT Free Agency Tracker]
• How will the international hockey calendar play out as the COVID-19 pandemic continues on? [ESPN]
• An interesting look at deployment for the Golden Knights under Gerard Gallant vs. Peter DeBoer. [Sin Bin Vegas]
• Why has it been so quiet in Lightning land? [Raw Charge]
• Will the proposed bodychecking ban in the OHL actually help reduce the spread of COVID-19? [The Hockey News]
• Meet Alex Laferriere -- not Alexis Lafreniere -- Los Angeles Kings draft pick. [Des Moines Register]
• Looking back at just how dominant Monique Lamoureux was at the 2012 World Championship, which included a six-point night vs. Canada. [The Ice Garden]
• The Blue Jackets and defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov have worked out a three-year, $8.4M deal. [NHL.com]
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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.
