Which current player has the most to prove this postseason?

[Czechboy]

Agree with first poster.. Helle and the Leafs.

On a personal note I hope Necas burns down villages and sets the playoffs on fire.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Matthews and Marner

 

[MiscBrah]

Matthews/Marner (leafs in general), Helleybuck (Jets in general as well). to a lesser extent some of the Sens players (brady, chabot) as they have 500+ games in the NHL with zero playoff games. If they have a bad showing in the playoffs there will be lots of question marks.

 

[ThatGuy22]

Kaprizov is someone who hasn't done much in his playoff career either, but being in Minnesota the expectations are much lower than TOR/NYR/VAN. He needs a strong showing to elevate himself from the overpaid regular season merchant category he's close to entering with the Leafs trio, EP40 and Panarin.

Kaprizov doesn't really have a long enough track record to really make any judgement. Only three goes at it.

He was a rookie in one, great against St Louis his 2nd go and clearly severely injured in the 3rd(When Stanley folded him in half like a week before playoffs).

 

[frederixx]

Leafs entire roster. If they fail against the Sens, you can't keep this core together, it would be Insanity

 

[Phil Kessels Hot Dog]

Skinner

 

[ItWasJustified]

Helly is the correct answer, he's been a monster in the regular season only to fold in the playoffs.

Hellebuyck was in net when the Jets went to the conference final in 2018.

 

[CN8]

Apropos of nothing in particular, but here are select players' (min. 70 GP) statistics in the playoffs, starting from the 2006 playoffs up to 2024, and averaged out to per / 82 GP and then ranked:

McDavid: 41G + 89A = 130 PTS (+31)
Draisaitl: 45G + 74A = 119 PTS (+11)
MacKinnon: 45G + 62A = 107 PTS (+31)

Kucherov: 30G + 64A = 94 PTS (+21)
Crosby: 32G + 59A = 91 PTS (+8)
Makar: 24G + 67A = 91 PTS (+27)
Point: 48G + 42A = 90 PTS (-2)

Malkin: 31G + 52A = 82 PTS (+3)

Kane: 30G + 49A = 79 PTS (+2)
Ovechkin: 39G + 37A = 76 PTS (+2)

Marchand: 29G + 43A = 72 PTS (+16)

Stamkos: 32G + 33A = 65 PTS (-7)

I don't think Matthews / Marner have played enough playoff games to merit fair comparison, but for what it's worth, they would look like this:
Matthews: 34G + 37A = 72 PTS (+3)
Marner: 16G + 56A = 72 PTS (+14)

Wow I thought you were right not to judge Matthews yet but look at the difference between McDavid and matthews and yet it’s not like he has way more games

 

[MiscBrah]

Apropos of nothing in particular, but here are select players' (min. 70 GP) statistics in the playoffs, starting from the 2006 playoffs up to 2024, and averaged out to per / 82 GP and then ranked:

McDavid: 41G + 89A = 130 PTS (+31)
Draisaitl: 45G + 74A = 119 PTS (+11)
MacKinnon: 45G + 62A = 107 PTS (+31)

Kucherov: 30G + 64A = 94 PTS (+21)
Crosby: 32G + 59A = 91 PTS (+8)
Makar: 24G + 67A = 91 PTS (+27)
Point: 48G + 42A = 90 PTS (-2)

Malkin: 31G + 52A = 82 PTS (+3)

Kane: 30G + 49A = 79 PTS (+2)
Ovechkin: 39G + 37A = 76 PTS (+2)

Marchand: 29G + 43A = 72 PTS (+16)

Stamkos: 32G + 33A = 65 PTS (-7)

I don't think Matthews / Marner have played enough playoff games to merit fair comparison, but for what it's worth, they would look like this:
Matthews: 34G + 37A = 72 PTS (+3)
Marner: 16G + 56A = 72 PTS (+14)

I wonder why Matthews and Marner haven't played enough playoff games

 

[Silky Johnson]

People saying McDavid are daft.

Fourth most points in a playoff run alltime.

3rd highest playoff points per game alltime.

Conn Smyth trophy.

I'd say Edmonton Oilers not named McDavid or Draisaitl have something to prove.

 

[Silky Johnson]

Leafs entire roster. If they fail against the Sens, you can't keep this core together, it would be Insanity

When not if.

It's too perfect a story not to happen.

 

[Breakers]

Marner AINEC

 

[Miller Time]

Marner easily...

A conn Smythe PO's & he'll get 14M$+ offers on a max term deal.

Another PO dud and he'll be lucky to get any offers matching Rantanen's 12M$, and have far fewer suitors.

Easily a 10M$+ swing in contract value depending on how well he performs in these playoffs, let alone the reputation impact and what may well be his best shot at a cup with the Laffs

 

[JianYang]

Matthews and marner have one playoff round under their belts, and they have been in many playoffs now.

They would benefit the most from a long playoff run with respect to their reputation.

 

[Skidooboy]

Hellebuyck

The guy is a complete playoff dud.

.911 Sv%
2.85 GAA
career playoffs

He got torn up by a Vegas squad two years ago that won the cup…

and hung out to dry by one of the worst d corps in the league against a Stacked Avs.

This year or top 4 is waaay better
and team D is waaaay better.

and Jets are faster stronger and bigger than last year.

and TBH Helle has been playing with a huge chip on his shoilder.

don’t be fooled into thinking that the Jets will be an easy out.

 

[landy]

McDavid - If he leaves EDM without a Cup, it is a massive dissappointment. I dont care if he puts up a billion points, unless it is in the clinching game where they win, thats all that matters.

Hellebuyck - He won the Vezina last season only to put up a 5.23 .870 in the playoffs.

The TOR core - obvious reasons

Rantanen - Was it all MacKinnon or not?

Landeskog - Nothing to prove success wise, but this is obviously the trial run for being a consistent NHLer again.

 

[JKG33]

Leafs entire roster. If they fail against the Sens, you can't keep this core together, it would be Insanity

It was insanity keeping them together after the Montreal loss in the covid cup. That was their 5th playoff failure together, and working on #9 now. We're well past the point of insanity.

 

[JKG33]

Hellebuyck was in net when the Jets went to the conference final in 2018.

One good playoff run 7 years ago? lmfao

 

[MiscBrah]

McDavid - If he leaves EDM without a Cup, it is a massive dissappointment. I dont care if he puts up a billion points, unless it is in the clinching game where they win, thats all that matters.

Hellebuyck - He won the Vezina last season only to put up a 5.23 .870 in the playoffs.

The TOR core - obvious reasons

Rantanen - Was it all MacKinnon or not?

Landeskog - Nothing to prove success wise, but this is obviously the trial run for being a consistent NHLer again.

McDavid has performed in the playoffs and won a conn smyth while being on the losing team. He can't play 60 mins a night...

 

[Skidooboy]

One good playoff run 7 years ago? lmfao

9 guys from that team are on this team including 2/3 of the top line, our #1 D #2/3 C a multi veznia caliber tender. and some glue / energy guys. the whole team has petty much been developed together. they have also won a series here and there along the way. and had to rebuild their back end basically from scratch.

over the last two years they are the best team in the NHL reg season.

Go see where Florida has been in the playoffs over the last five years
go see where Winnipeg is.

this isn’t the past.


Sure. they could easily be out in four.
but I wouldn’t bet on it.

 

[JKG33]

over the last two years they are the best team in the NHL reg season.

Over the last 2 years Hellebuyck has been the worst goalie in the playoffs that's played more than 1 series.

 

[behemolari]

easy one

Jesse Puljujärvi

 

[eviohh26]

McDavid has been the best playoff performer of our generation and all these idiots want to say he has something to prove? Actual morons. I hate the Oilers with a passion but there is so much more to the game than a player or 2.

If anything the rest of the team has a lot to prove.

 

[trojansoilers]

Skinner

Both Stuart and Jeff.

Stuart proving he's not a liability
Jeff playing in his first ever playoffs after 1000+ regular season games

 

[winnipegger]

If Matthews and Marner are ineffective and the leafs lose early it will be really terrible for their careers. Especially Marner obviously because this is likely his last big payday.