PHT Morning Skate: Cooper on Kadri’s goal; Nill’s future with Stars

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.

• Lightning head coach Jon Cooper on the winning goal, which he hinted should have not been allowed due to a “too many men” penalty: “This one is going to sting much more than others, just because it was taking on … it was potentially … I don’t know … it’s hard for me. It’s going to be hard for me to speak. I’m going to have to speak. I’ll speak with you tomorrow,” he said. “You’re going to see what I mean when you see the winning goal. And my heart breaks for the players. Because we probably still should be playing.” [ESPN]

• Nazem Kadri returning and scoring the overtime winner was one for the storybooks. [Colorado Hockey Now]

• “Just when this team is counted out, they find a way to win. Can they do it one more time (well, three more times technically)? Why not? Yes, they’re down 3-1 in the series, but two of those losses came in overtime. Heck, last night they were a Nikita Kucherov shot off the post and a Brandon Hagel shot off the mask from winning the game. Despite Darcy Kuemper’s Patrick Roy impersonation in Game Four, the Lightning have the better goaltender. If you needed to win three in a row against a potent offense, isn’t Vasilevskiy the guy you want in net?” [Raw Charge]

• Pierre-Luc Dubois has told the Jets he plans to test free agency in 2024. Dubois is set to become an unrestricted free agent in two years. [Sportsnet]

• If you missed it, Paul Maurice will be taking over from Andrew Brunette as head coach of the Panthers. Brunette could stay on as an assistant, if he wishes. [PHT]

• Stars GM Jim Nill says he will stay on for a few more years but a