With just over a week to go in the 2024-25 NHL regular season, our 16 playoff competitors look about set.
This year’s crop includes many of the usual suspects with a few fresh faces added into the mix.
While we often hear a lot about learning to win in the post-season, sometimes things can come together on the first try, whether a player is young or already has NHL experiences.
As a rookie with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017, Jake Guentzel put up 13 goals on his way to a Cup. Then, two years ago, Jack Eichel’s first playoff run with the Vegas Golden Knights came in his eighth season. He finished with a team-leading 26 points, and the Stanley Cup over his head.
Here’s a look at the key players who will be seeing playoff action for the first time this spring.
The Veterans
This group is 26 or older, with significant NHL resumes. And like Eichel, a lot of them are former Buffalo Sabres — refugees from the long playoff drought in Western New York.
At the top: 32-year-old Jeff Skinner. He missed the playoffs for eight-straight years with the Carolina Hurricanes before spending six seasons in Buffalo.
Skinner’s adjustment to the Edmonton Oilers this season hasn’t been the smoothest. But he has started to hit his stride over the last month. With five goals in his last nine games, Skinner’s now at 16 for the year. And after playing his 1,000th regular-season game in Buffalo just over a year ago, the 2011 Calder Trophy winner should finally see playoff action this spring for the first time in his 15-year career.
Other former Sabres veterans who will be looking to make their playoff debuts this year include Victor Olofsson with Vegas (age 29, 367 GP) and Zemgus Girgensons with the Tampa Bay Lightning (age 31, 765 GP).
Over in Ottawa, Thomas Chabot will finally make his post-season debut at age 28. Drafted by the Senators in 2015, he played one regular-season game in 2016-17, the last time Ottawa made the playoffs, but was returned to junior for the year and won a QMJHL championship.
Drafted in 2017, Drake Batherson will also get his first crack at the post-season at age 26, with 386 NHL games played.
Over in Montreal, 28-year-old Sam Montembeault should be between the pipes when the playoffs return to the Bell Centre for the first time in four years. After witnessing the intensity in his home arena as Canada’s third goalie during the 4 Nations Face-Off, the native Quebecer is now poised to follow in the footsteps of Carey Price for the NHL’s most decorated franchise.
Johnathan Kovacevic is another late bloomer who’s set to make his first playoff appearance this spring. The 27-year-old is in just his third full NHL season and, despite a loud call-out by coach Sheldon Keefe a couple of weeks ago, the big right-shot defenseman is tied with Nico Hischier for the New Jersey Devils’ team lead in plus-minus, at plus-14.
Also, keep an eye on Andrei Kuzmenko in Los Angeles. In his third NHL season, the 29-year-old is rediscovering the form that helped him score 39 goals with Vancouver in 2022-23. He’s up to 11 points in 17 games since joining the Kings at the trade deadline.
The Tweeners
This group is made up of established players who are 25 or under, making the playoffs for the first time.
Brady Tkachuk is the top name here, and it’s hoped that his injury situation will be sorted out before playoff time. The Senators captain is already at 511 regular-season games at age 25, and his game is tailor-made for the post-season.
Other key Senators from the young guard who will be making their playoff debuts include Tim Stutzle (age 23, 362 GP), Shane Pinto (age 24, 205 GP) and another former Sabre, Dylan Cozens (age 24, 357 GP).
With the St. Louis Blues back in the playoff picture after a two-year absence, their lineup is also dotted with fresh faces who will be seeing their first playoff action. That list includes depth defensemen Tyler Tucker and Matthew Kessel as well as oft-injured forward Alexandre Texier, all 24, and 25-year-old goaltender Joel Hofer.
Also on the blue line, 24-year-old J.J. Moser will make his playoff debut with the Lightning this spring. He was acquired from Utah as part of the Mikhail Sergachev trade.
The Young Guns
Teams with playoff aspirations don’t usually have many high draft picks. They also tend to let their top prospects marinate at lower levels for as long as possible. But this year’s playoff mix includes some talented high draft picks who could boost their reputations in a big way under hockey’s brightest spotlight.
The show starts in Montreal. Who doesn’t want to see what kind of magic 2022 No. 1 pick Juraj Slafkovsky and this year’s Calder front-runner Lane Hutson might be able to make at playoff time?
As well as their mid-career talent pool, the Senators’ biggest weapon might be defenseman Jake Sanderson. In just his third NHL season, the 22-year-old served notice that he’s already among the best from his nation when he was tagged to replace Quinn Hughes on Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
St. Louis has gotten some good scoring support this year from a pair of first-rounders who will be seeing their first playoff action this year: 23-year-old Jake Neighbours and 22-year-old Zach Bolduc.
A couple of other top 10 picks to watch are the Kings’ Brandt Clarke, who has settled in as a regular on one of the NHL’s stingiest teams at 22, and 21-year-old Simon, who is currently being shuffled in and out of the Devils’ lineup.
Up front, 23-year-old Marco Rossi should make his NHL playoff debuts after a strong campaign that has him approaching 60 points with the Minnesota Wild. And 22-year-old rookie Mackie Samoskevich has filled a regular role and put up 30 points with the defending Cup champs in Florida.
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