By Mike Rifkin
With the NHL regular season coming to an end and all the playoff teams being set. Here is a look at players under the spotlight this postseason.
- Artemi Panarin – Rangers – The Breadman who is in the Hart Trophy conversation, has put up career highs in Goals and points this season. Last year in the first round against the Devils Panarin was held to two assists and two years ago in the Rangers’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals, Panarin had 16 points but there were times where he was invisible.
- Alexander Georgiev – Avalanche – Georgiev’s numbers last year in the first round when the Avs got surprised by the Kraken weren’t bad with a 2.60 GAA and .914 save percentage. But the Avs are in win now mode and even though Georgiev had 38 wins this regular season, but he will be judged on what comes next.
3) Stuart Skinner – Oilers – What was said about Georgiev can also be said for Skinner. The Oilers and Avalanche both have generational players and rosters that can win it all. Skinner, like the Oilers started the season slow, but after a coaching change things have been solid. Skinner was top 10 in wins and GAA, but a bad playoff might make Ken Holland look for a new goalie over the summer.
4) Mitch Marner – Maple Leafs – Let me be honest here this has nothing to do with Marner. He has 47 points in 50 career playoff games, but this is about the Leafs. If they fail to make the Conference Finals, there has to be some sort of change and not just the coach, or Brendan Shanahan, at some point the core of the team has to change. Auston Matthews and William Nylander both signed new contracts, Marner will be entering the final year of his contract next season, so that makes him the guy with the most to lose. But let’s be honest the entire Leafs roster is under pressure to win.
5) Pierre -Luc Dubois – Kings – Dubois was a massive addition to an already impressive Kings roster. The Kings decided to get the Center instead of a big time goalie. Dubois has 40 points on the season and is a -9. Dubois has 26 points and is a -9 in 38 career playoff games. If he struggles in the playoffs Kings fans are going to look at that contract differently.
6) Linus Ullmark – Bruins – The Bruins last season rode the goaltending tandem of Ullmark and Swayman to the Presidents’ Trophy. In the playoffs that changed and named the Vezina Trophy winner Ullmark the starter, and the Bruins wound up losing the series to the Florida Panthers. Ullmark and Swayman each had another great season, but with Swayman needing a new contract, if Ullmark disappoints again he could be moved this summer.
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