The Stanley Cup Playoffs are upon us. The stars are expected to shine and usually the game’s best players are determined to be the deciding factor on whether or not their teams advance.
But many times, it becomes the depth players that make a difference. Players you’ve rarely heard of that change the game. Maybe not every game or in every round, but enough for you to sit up and ask, “Who the heck was that?” or “How did they get him?”
Take last year for example. At the 2015 trade deadline, Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman acquired Andrew Desjardins from San Jose. Desjardins played in 21 playoff games last season, and while scoring only once, was a factor in helping the Hawks win their third Cup in six seasons. In Los Angeles, young players like Kyle Clifford, Trevor Lewis and Dwight King filled depth positions and have now developed into core players for Darryl Sutter’s Kings.
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Here’s five players that you may not have heard of (or noticed), but will get to know in the next few weeks during the playoffs:
Joonas Donskoi, San Jose Sharks:
Donskoi was originally a Panthers draft pick, but after not reaching terms with Florida on time, he signed as a free agent with the Sharks. He’s another one of those young Finnish players that appear (See: Aleksander Barkov, Patrik Laine, Jesse Puljujarvi) to be invading the NHL.
Donskoi seems to be involved in almost as many offensive rushes as San Jose’s big stars. At six foot, Donskoi isn’t overly large, but he’s also not afraid to go to the net or use his frame to move bodies. Doug Wilson glowed about the 24-year-old’s maturity and calmness earlier this season when I asked him about Donskoi.
His 11 goals, 25 assists and 14 minutes of ice time don’t really indicate his value to the Sharks, but of his 36 points, 32 of them were in games San Jose got points. He appears to be on the brink of greatness.
Radek Faksa, Dallas Stars:
Faksa played junior hockey in the OHL, so the Czech Republic native understands North America well. He played in 42 Stars games this season as the team battled through injuries on the way to winning the Central Division.
When I asked GM Jim Nill about Faksa a few weeks back he said, “Faksa has added size to our lineup and has been part of an improved PK. He’s matched up well against top centres. He is everything that you want for the role he is playing and a character young man, also.”
At six-foot-three, Faksa appears to be able to fit into the Stars’ open attack, all the while knowing he is expected to contribute on the defensive side of the puck. And while he isn’t a gifted goal scorer, Faksa is adroit at doing the right thing at the right time. He may not be spectacular, but he certainly has become effective for Lindy Ruff, and for that reason alone he can be a quality depth player for Dallas.
Alex Petrovic, Florida Panthers:
Living in the shadows in Florida is nothing new for Alex Petrovic. On the Panthers’ defence, Aaron Ekblad, Brian Campbell and Erik Gudbranson (and Willie Mitchell, when he’s healthy) get all of the attention. All Petrovic does is use his six-foot-four frame in front of the Panthers’ net to keep the opposition away.
He is a perfect example of the patience and knowledge that Dale Tallon has been preaching since becoming the Florida GM in 2010. The former Red Deer Rebel played two seasons in the AHL before getting a full time stint with the Panthers this season.
His plus-17 was second only to Ekblad among Florida defenceman this season while his 76 blocked shots was third on the team. He has quickly matured into a player Gerard Gallant can rely on in many situations.
Tom Kuhnhackl, Pittsburgh Penguins:
Kuhnhackl is one of those new breed Penguins. Drafted in the Ray Shero era, Kuhnhackl spent time in both the ECHL and AHL after his OHL career. He joins a new age group of players that have contributed to the Pens success this season.
The likes of Conor Sheary, Bryan Rust and Kuhnhackl have given Mike Sullivan’s team some new young blood. They’ve also taken the pressure off some of the veteran depth players in Pittsburgh’s lineup. The physical play Tom brought to the team helped energize the third and fourth lines down the stretch while also taking the pressure off the Crosby and Bonino lines. Kuhnhackl’s father, Eric, was arguably the best player ever produced in the German hockey system.
And while many expected Kuhnhackl’s dad to play in the NHL, it’s the son that is leaving the family mark in North America.
Shea Theodore, Anaheim Ducks:
Theodore played just 19 games in the NHL this season. That’s the problem when you have an entry level contract on a deep blue line like the Ducks. When Bob Murray needed to send someone to AHL San Diego, it became easy to send the former Seattle Thunderbird back because he didn’t have to go through waivers. But there is little doubt Theodore belongs in the NHL full-time and there is less doubt that he will be a star.
Theodore could be a factor for the Ducks, who always seem to have injuries to their defensive corps. He can pass the puck as well as any veteran and has unbelievable vision up the ice. Theodore gives Anaheim another dimension from the blue line. For a team that leads the league on the power play, Theodore becomes that extra piece every team dreams about.
So if you’re a fan of the Sharks, Stars, Panthers, Penguins and Ducks and are saying “We already knew that” when the above players were mentioned, I understand.
But it’s playoff time. Time to watch some other teams — other than your own — and say “Who the heck was that?”
Enjoy the playoffs, folks. It’s the best time of the year!