Wednesday Morning Skate: NHL Awards; Stanley Cup Final continues

Welcome to the Morning Skate, our roundup of links on Philly Hockey Now as well as other sites around the National Hockey Now network and hockey world!

Flyers News

• Dave Hakstol was hired as the first coach of the Seattle Kraken. Could he impact their selection from the Flyers in the expansion draft? (Philly Hockey Now)

• The Seth Jones rumors keep swirling. (Philly Hockey Now)

• The Flyers are bound to lose a valuable asset in the expansion draft. Who might they protect and who might they lose? (Philly Hockey Now)
• The Kraken may have a low-risk, high-reward option to select from the Flyers in the Expansion Draft. Nicolas Aube-Kubel is flying under the radar. Why might they take him, and why might they pass on him? (Philly Hockey Now)

• Shayne Gostisbehere is another option for the Kraken if they want an offensive defenseman, but is it realistic? (Philly Hockey Now)

• Now, James van Riemsdyk seems like the safest bet to land in Seattle, but could the Kraken go elsewhere? (Philly Hockey Now)

• Jakub Voracek could be an option for the Kraken as well. He’ll be one of the best players available, but also have one of the largest contracts. (Philly Hockey Now)

Stay up to date on all the latest Flyers rumors and NHL trade talk by bookmarking our page.

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Around the NHL

Stanley Cup Final Game 2 Predictions: Lightning vs. Canadiens Best Bets – (Sports Gambling Podcast)

The Stanley Cup Final continues tonight with Game 2 in Tampa Bay.

The Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-1 in Game 1. Tampa Bay outshot the Canadiens 27-19 and controlled play overall. But it’s a new game now and a chess match of adjustments in the Stanley Cup Final.

OTR: NHL Trade Chatter On Seth Jones, Phil Kessel, Blackhawks | PHN + –  (National Hockey Now)

The asking price on the NHL trade market for Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel has gotten to the point where rival NHL executives are questioning how Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is approaching the Eichel sweepstakes.

In this week’s ‘Off The Record,’ a rival NHL executive got specific and vented about Buffalo’s Eichel trade ask. The source described it as ‘just crazy!’

Islanders Expect to Begin Next Season on Road to Allow for UBS Construction to be Completed – (NYI Hockey Now)

It seems that is all but set in stone that the New York Islanders will begin the 2021-22 season on the road as construction on UBS Arena, their new home at Belmont Park, is completed in the fall.

Simply The Best: Marc-Andre Fleury Wins the Vezina Trophy! – (Vegas Hockey Now)

Finally, the NHL has recognized something Vegas Golden Knights fans have known all along: Marc-Andre Fleury is the best goaltender in the NHL. Now he has the hardware to prove it after winning his first Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender.

For Capitals, Daniel Sprong Could Be Key Piece Of The Puzzle – (Washington Hockey Now)

Daniel Sprong went from being a part of a minor league trade to finding a home on the Washington Capitals roster. And to take things a step further, he’s made quite a case for himself as a permanent top-6 talent.

NHL Awards: Crosby Misses Lindsay, Letang Gets 1st Place Vote, Fleury Wins Vezina – (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

As the major NHL awards were handed out on Tuesday night, Pittsburgh Penguins center and captain Sidney Crosby on Tuesday missed out on the Ted Lindsay Award, which goes to the Most Outstanding Player as determined by a vote of NHL Players Association.

Allen: What the Red Wings Might Have to Give Up to Land Jack Eichel – (Detroit Hockey Now)

Detroit Red Wings fans may like the romance of acquiring Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel more than the reality of what it would take to complete a trade.

Solid NHL Awards Finishes For Boston Bruins Marchand, McAvoy –  (Boston Hockey Now)

While the Boston Bruins didn’t live up to their hopes and aspirations while bowing out in the second round of the playoffs, they did end up having some pretty good showings for the NHL Awards. Brad Marchand finished a career-best fifth in the Hart Trophy voting for the NHL’s MVP Award and also finished as a First Team All-Star at left wing based on the voting by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Cale Makar Gets Shafted in Norris Trophy Vote – (Colorado Hockey Now)

For me, it wasn’t too close. Cale Makar was the only logical choice to win the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best all-around defenseman this season. But I didn’t have a vote.

My 2020-21 NHL Awards Ballot – Sheng Peng (San Jose Hockey Now)

Here’s how I voted for the Hart, Norris, Calder, and All-Star and All-Rookie teams. I’ve talked about my Lady Byng, Selke, and Masterton votes here:

Florida Panthers add Tuomo Ruutu as new assistant coach – (Florida Hockey Now)

The Florida Panthers have made an addition to their coaching staff, adding former NHL forward Tuomo Ruutu as an assistant coach.

Photo: Heather Barry Images