Thursday Morning Skate: Suitors for Suter; The Moose is loose

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 & Rumors

• Chuck Fletcher spoke at length about the Expansion Draft, NHL Draft, free agency, and much more. We break it all down. (Philly Hockey Now)

• One of Fletcher’s big signings in Minnesota, Ryan Suter, was bought out on Tuesday. Could the two reunite in Philadelphia? The Flyers are suitors for Suter. (Philly Hockey Now)

• A source confirmed to Philly Hockey Now that Brian Elliott will likely test free agency. (Philly Hockey Now)

• Caleb Jones was traded to Chicago, which only decreases the Flyers’ chances of getting Seth Jones. (Philly Hockey Now)

• Elliotte Friedman dropped two very interesting nuggets about the Flyers, including one about one of their longest-tenured players. (Philly Hockey Now)

• The Flyers were supposedly among the frontrunners for Seth Jones (Philly Hockey Now), but things may be changing. (Philly Hockey Now)

• Dougie Hamilton needs to be the Flyers’ top target this offseason. (Philly Hockey Now)

Flyers Expansion Draft

• The Expansion Draft is less than a week away. Who will the Flyers protect? Who will they expose? (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)
• 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)

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Around the NHL

OTR: Offer Sheet Drama, GMs Fear Lamoriello’s Revenge & Kraken ‘Poker Face’ | PHN+ –  (National Hockey Now)

The NHL trade market continues to be active with chatter but not much action…yet. Could the New Jersey Devils be the one to get things going, and who are they targeting? If chatter has any credibility, we could finally see more offer sheets to star RFAs, such as breakout defenseman Cale Makar, this offseason.

Trade, Marry, Expose: San Jose Sharks Edition (San Jose Hockey Now)

Kyle, Erik, and JD put their twist on an old classic by looking at the San Jose Sharks roster to determine which players they would want to trade, marry, or expose in the expansion draft. We start with the forwards, then move onto the defenseman (16:30), and finish with the goalies and the San Jose Sharks front office (25:00).

Master Planner: Michael Sciortino Using Past Experiences to Guide UBS Arena Project – (NYI Hockey Now)

ELMONT, N.Y. — When it comes to Arena projects like the one taking shape next to Belmont Park Race Track, UBS Arena Senior Vice President of Arena Operations and Assistant General Manager Michael Sciortino is a bit of an old pro at them.

Honoring the Top 5 Lopsided Trades that Built the Vegas Golden Knights – (Vegas Hockey Now)

It seems like yesterday, doesn’t it? The Vegas Golden Knights picked off players, one by one, and GM George McPhee fleeced general managers, one by one. McPhee lined up 10 side deals leading up to the Golden Knights expansion draft, and so many were lopsided.

Source Indicates Capitals Will Consider Suter After Buyout – (Washington Hockey Now)

The Minnesota Wild shook the hockey world Tuesday when they bought out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. With Suter now a free agent, the Washington Capitals could be interested in targeting the left-handed defenseman in free agency.

Mack vs. Kingerski: Should the Penguins Protect Jeff Carter from Kraken? – (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Welcome to the first of several debates here on Pittsburgh Hockey Now as our Editor-in-Chief Dan Kingerski will spar with sports journalists and talk show hosts (and probably everyone else, too). We’ll debate the pressing issues surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins, including expansion draft, free agency, the NHL trade market, and all other topics that leap to the fore.

NHL Betting: Svechnikov Favored To Be Red Wings Player Selected By Kraken – (Detroit Hockey Now)

All NHL teams must submit their protected lists for the NHL expansion draft by Saturday. At that point, the clock will start ticking down to the July 21, when the Seattle Kraken will get to stock their roster by selecting one player from 30 of the 31 other NHL teams. The Vegas Golden Knights are exempt from the expansion draft.

Bruins Sign Brandon Carlo To Six-Year, $24.6 Million Extension –  (Boston Hockey Now)

The Boston Bruins have locked up a key piece to their top 4 defensive group, signing defenseman Brandon Carlo to a six-year, $24.6 million extension on Wednesday. The contract carries an annual NHL salary cap hit of $4.1 million.

Greg Cronin likely to return behind Eagles bench – (Colorado Hockey Now)

According to sources, while nothing is concrete, the general feeling is that Colorado Eagles head coach Greg Cronin is likely to sign a new contract with the team.

Photo: Heather Barry Images