We’re nearing the end of a marvelous NHL Playoffs which had some truly memorable and remarkable plays. There were 10 players in this playoff span who I think made the greatest impact for their team.
Jordan Binnington. He wasn’t the starting goalie for the Blues in the playoffs but ever since Husso got pulled vs the Wild, Binnington has taken command. He’s made unreal saves and has been solid for St. Louis in the playoffs. His injury was costly to the Blues and they eventually lost to the Avalanche. He was the star of the St. Louis Blues in the playoffs.
Carter Verhaeghe. His 1st Round performance vs the Washington Capitals was stellar and he was the hero in that series for the Panthers. He scored two overtime winners, one was the series winning goal. When the big boys failed to produce, he showed up big time. Without him, Florida might have not even gotten past the 1st round.
Evander Kane. Kane had the most goals in the playoffs and he delivered goals for Edmonton. He had a hat trick and all of his goals were important for the Oilers. The only thing he did bad was getting suspended for 1 game. He missed Game 4 of the Western Conference Final because of boarding Nazem Kadri. I think it was a silly hit and he shouldn’t have done that. He put his team in jeopardy and eventually the Oilers lost Game 4 to get swept. The Oilers needed his goals and unfortunately, they didn’t have him.
Jake Oettinger. This Dallas Stars goalie caught my attention and I was simply dazzled by what he could do. I feel that he single handedly sent the Flames Stars series to 7 games. The amount of saves he had to make per game and he completely shut down the high octane Flames offense. He kept the game close and low scoring. When I predicted this series, not in a million years would I have thought that this series would go to winner take all.
Nathan MacKinnon. MacKinnon looks so energized this year and after years of playoff disappointment, he’s finally in the Final. The way he makes a difference is by his speed. He flies through the neutral zone and is too quick for the defense. He makes fast zone entries and starts so many attacks. Nathan MacKinnon is one of a kind.
Steven Stamkos. The Tampa Bay captain has been such a contributor for Jon Cooper’s team. He had two goals in Game 6 and those were the only two goals the Bolts needed to win that game. He guides the team and his presence is reassuring for the Lightning. Now, he has the chance to lift the Stanley Cup again.
Nazem Kadri. He is such a playmaker and whatever he faces, he overcomes it. He makes smart plays and is really good on the power play. He is a really good 2nd line center and he does a lot of good things on the ice for Jared Bednar’s team. I hope he is available for the Final and recovers from his injury. He is an exceptional player and the Avs need him.
Cale Makar. The way he moves at the blue line is so fun to watch. Not only he is an offensive powerhouse, he defends really well. The way he defended McDavid was superb and he made it look so easy. He is a special defenseman and he will only get better. I feel like he will win a lot of Norris Trophies in years to come.
Leon Draisaitl. Draisaitl grinded through in these playoffs. He looked seriously injured vs Colorado but he fought through and was amazing in Game 4. He had the 2nd most points and made some nice plays. To fight through an injury and play well, good job to Draisaitl.
Connor McDavid. As usual, McDavid played sensational. He is so cool during hard moments and he makes stuff look easy. The way he moves the puck and creates space is so great to watch. At this point, it is hard to imagine the Edmonton Oilers being good without their captain and star, Connor McDavid. He had Draisaitl are the beat duo in hockey and as long as they’re in Edmonton, the Oilers are in good hands.
I feel like these 10 players were the most influential for their respective team. I could probably add many more players to the list like Shesterkin or Zibanejad but just so this doesn’t get too long, I chose 10. We witnessed special moments in the playoffs including a coast to coast goal, two players having more than 30 points, and some unreal saves.
THE END