Stanley Cup Playoffs: Top 3 must-watch players in the play-in round
By Jasmine Yen
Which players in the initial round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs are the most fascinating?
The NHL has confirmed that a 24-team postseason is on the horizon. This is eight more teams than the Stanley Cup Playoffs traditionally has, which means that a lot of teams are getting a chance that they wouldn’t have gotten if we weren’t in the middle of a global pandemic.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and these players will definitely seize it with everything they’ve got. Here are three players that will be must-watch in the play-in round. While the play-in round is not technically the postseason, I will refer to it as such because it is still a best-of contest in which the winner gets to move on to the next round.
3. Elias Pettersson – Vancouver Canucks
This is Elias Pettersson‘s first taste of playoff hockey and it will be must-watch. He has quickly established himself as one of the premier goalscorers in the NHL and watching him in the postseason will be a no-brainer.
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Minnesota Wild’s team save percentage is .897% which is third-worst in the entire league. It will be very fun to watch how Pettersson is able to expose the Wild’s problems with a pile of goals.
He’s a smooth skater and his size doesn’t stop him from fighting ferociously for pucks and regaining possession. The reigning Calder Trophy winner is on pace for a very exciting career and getting the chance to watch his first postseason will be a treat.
2. Carey Price – Montreal Canadiens
While hockey is a team sport, the goaltending position is unique in that it can make or break your team. Carey Price has been the subject of a lot of controversy over the last few years but this is his big chance at redemption.
He was a dominant goaltender for so long until he hit a wall int he 2017-18 season. He had vitamin deficiencies that were causing fatigue and battled a concussion and lower-body injuries. Price has not been 100% healthy in a long time and his performance was starting to show it. This break in the season gives him the opportunity to finally rest full-time and get himself back into playing shape.
If he can get back to his past dominance, it will give the Montreal Canadiens an unbelievable advantage in the playoffs. They’re not an offensively charged team so a strong goaltender is crucial for their Cup chances. Their fate rests on Price’s shoulders and it will be fascinating to see if he can meet the challenge.
1. Connor McDavid – Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers have gotten a lot of criticism around the league because fans around the NHL have not been given the chance to watch Connor McDavid in the playoffs. This is just the second playoff appearance of his career and he has made massive strides as a player since 2016-17.
The double-headed monster of McDavid and Leon Draisaitl going against the Chicago Blackhawks’ Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane will be must-watch television. The Blackhawks have had a lot of defensive troubles this season and it will be interesting to see how the Oilers take advantage of them.
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Edmonton was very active during the Trade Deadline, acquiring Tyler Ennis and Andreas Athanasiou in a way to inject more speed and winger depth to play with McDavid and Draisaitl. This will be a very fast-paced series and it will be non-stop action.