Stanley Cup Playoffs: 3 players that have earned a big payday
Careers are made in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and these 3 players have come up big for their teams.
A clutch performance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs has earned many NHL players huge contracts. All eyes are on the players in the postseason. Players who step up tend to get paid the big bucks.
While this offseason is like no other and money will be tight, these three players have done everything they could in the Stanley Cup Playoffs to get their big paycheck
3. Torey Krug
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Torey Krug has prepared for his big payday for a while. Throughout his years with the Boston Bruins, he has cemented himself as one of the premier offensive defensemen in the NHL. His 335 points since the 2013-14 season is seventh-most in the league and has lead all Bruins’ defensemen in points since the 2015-16 season.
In this year’s playoffs, he had 6 assists in 13 games and averaged 22:51 minutes of ice-time, second only to Charlie McAvoy. He quarterbacked the Bruins’ lethal powerplay that had a 22.2% success rate and contributed 4 assists.
At 29 years old, Krug is ready to cash in. He’s taken discounts throughout his career and has proven himself time and time again. Krug embodies the modern-day defenseman with his mobility on the ice and ability to join in offensively. He has quarterbacked the Bruins’ dominant powerplay for years and will have an immediate impact on any team he signs with.
If you look at all at the teams that went far in the playoffs, they all had offensively gifted defensemen that acted as an engine for their team’s offense. John Klingberg, Miro Heiskanen, Shea Theodore, and Victor Hedman were all instrumental to their teams. A player like Krug will be highly sought after this fall.
2. Jacob Markstrom
Jacob Markstrom had a great regular season with the Vancouver Canucks but then went down with a knee injury in February. If anyone thought that the injury would affect his future play, that was quickly taken care of with his playoff performance.
In 14 playoff games, he had an 8-6 record, a .919 save percentage, and one shutout. His job was not easy as he played against the Minnesota Wild, the St. Louis Blues, and Vegas Golden Knights. It was a tall order and he delivered in a big way.
He’s coming off a three-year deal at 3.6 million dollars a season and will be looking for a raise. At 30 years old, this is his best chance and he has done everything in his power to put himself in the best negotiating situation.
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In his last three seasons with the Canucks, he has proven that he is a number one starter in the NHL. This season he got to play in his first-ever playoffs and put up the performance of a lifetime, bringing the Canucks farther than everyone expected.
He faced an average of 35 shots a game, the most among NHL playoff goalies who played at least 10 games. He has answered every question thrown his way and will be looking to collect a nice, juicy paycheck.
1. Anton Khudobin
We have seen goaltenders make a career out of insane playoff performances and Anton Khudobin is going to be one of them. If the Dallas Stars win the Stanley Cup, Khudobin could win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
He was dominant for the Stars in the regular season, putting up a career-high .930 save percentage which was the best in the NHL. In a league that is trending towards goalie tandems, Khudobin will be a very intriguing player for many teams this offseason.
In the playoffs, he has a 12-6 record and a .920 save percentage and is the biggest reason why the Stars are in the Stanley Cup Final. Against the deadly Vegas Golden Knights, he found another groove in his game and went 4-1 with a .950 save percentage.
At 34 years old, this is his best chance to secure the bag and his performance has been nothing short of magical. His teammate, Tyler Seguin, compared the netminder to Tim Thomas, which is very high praise.
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The Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights are filled to the brim with elite offensive talent and Khudobin shut them all down. Being clutch is so important as a goaltender and that is what he has been for his team. In every single series, his team was counted out and they have come out victorious in each one. His work is not quite done yet and as he says: “We are not going home!”