Top five rookies who could have the biggest impact during Stanley Cup Playoffs

Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

In the salary cap era, Jake Guentzel’s 2017 playoff run is considered to be the gold standard among rookie playoff performances.

He had 13 goals and 21 points in 25 games alongside Sidney Crosby to help the Penguins win its second Stanley Cup, doing so in a year that saw him play almost as many games in the AHL as he did in the NHL. Matt Murray was also a massive part of that team, earning his second Stanley Cup despite after his improbable run the year before.

Brad Marchand (19 points in 2011), Denis Gurianov (17 points in 2019-20) and Quinn Hughes (16 points in 2020) are among the highest-scoring first-year players in recent NHL history. Ken Dryden’s play during the 1971 playoffs made him an instant legend, while Dino Ciccarelli started his Hall of Fame career with 14 goals and 21 points in 1981 with the Minnesota North Stars.

Playoff experience is a popular talking point among pundits each year, but, sometimes, it’s what you don’t know that can make you so dangerous. Rookies have something to prove, and if you can shine when it matters most and earn the trust of your coaching staff, it’s huge.

Will we see a huge performance from this year’s rookie crop? Many of the game’s top first-years – Connor Bedard, Logan Cooley, Leo Carlsson, Luke Hughes, Brock Faber and Marco Rossi – will follow from the sidelines. That means we could see someone outside of the Calder Trophy race steal the spotlight instead:

Logan Stankoven, RW (Dallas Stars)

After staying within one game of losing his Calder Trophy eligibility for 2023-24, it’s time to see what Stankoven can do as Dallas’ top young forward. The skilled dual-threat winger had 14 points in 24 games as the Stars found a way to manage his ice time and maximize his potential output. Given he only played a fraction of the season, it’s impressive to see him sitting at 7.3 goals above replacement (sixth). Connor Bedard (2.72) was the only player with at least 20 games to have a higher points-per-60 at all strengths than Stankoven’s 2.39 among first-years. While he hasn’t done anything at the NHL level yet, he has plenty of big-game experience with two gold medals at the World Junior Championship and a trip to the 2023 Memorial Cup. With Dallas possessing one of the deepest lineups in the league, Stankoven has a chance to be a significant piece of Dallas’ Cup push.

Matthew Knies, LW (Toronto Maple Leafs)

The Leafs need Knies to step up here in a big, big way. Perhaps more than any team needs anyone else on this list. He entered Game 1 riding a five-game pointless streak, with his ice time fluctuating between the 10-13 minute marks throughout that time. Knies was one of Toronto’s better players before his concussion in the postseason last year, partly due to how rested he was, having come from a shorter college campaign. The full-season grind seemed to have taken its toll on Knies’ numbers this year, but he still put up 15 goals and 35 points in 80 games. He’s a competitive forward who can play physically and contribute defensively, but they’ll want him to give the Leafs some reliable secondary scoring.

Luke Evangelista, RW (Nashville Predators)

Evangelista never leaves anything on the table. He was one of the NHL’s more underrated freshmen after scoring 16 goals and 39 points in 80 games—just under a 0.50 point-per-game average in Nashville’s middle six. No postseason rookie had a better goals above replacement during the regular season than Evangelista, who finished second among all first-years behind Tyson Foerster (12.3) at 10.9. The winger is energetic, works hard, and is a great playmaker who continues to show strength as a shooter. Evangelista was a standout during the Calder Cup Playoffs with Milwaukee last year and should be one of Nashville’s better wingers in the postseason, especially after registering a pair of two-point efforts near the end of the regular season. Evangelista is riding high with confidence, and he showed that in a good Game 1 effort against the Canucks.

Hendrix Lapierre, C (Washington Capitals)

Currently handling third-line duties for the Caps, Lapierre has split the season between the NHL and AHL and has looked good doing it. The playmaking forward had 22 points in 51 regular season NHL games and had a decent defensive impact in Game 1 against the Rangers, albeit on the losing side of things. He doesn’t always play a lot, but he works as hard as anyone and has shown he can play alongside big names like Alex Ovechkin this year. Lapierre is a responsible two-way center with good hockey IQ and has noticeably done a better job of handling the physical aspect of the NHL as the season has worn on. Expect him to get some challenging assignments as the Caps look to avoid a first-round exit.

Matt Rempe, RW (New York Rangers)

Rempe’s impact will have to come a bit differently. He scored the Rangers’ first goal of the playoffs, which helped send Madison Square Garden into a frenzy. But he’s there to bring toughness and create havoc in the offensive zone. So far, so good early on for the 6-foot-7 big man who hadn’t registered a point since Feb. 25. Rempe boldly proclaimed that he’s “built for the playoffs” after Game 1, likely due to his aggressive, energetic nature and his penchant for getting the fans riled up. He might not be an everyday player if the Rangers go the distance, but you need momentum disrupters, and that’s what he does as well as anyone.

Other notables: Pavel Dorofeyev, LW (Vegas Golden Knights), Spencer Stastney, D (Nashville Predators), Will Cuylle, LW (New York Rangers), Alex Laferriere, LW (Los Angeles Kings), John Beecher, Boston Bruins

The most complete choice for shaving and beard care. Made in Italy since 1948.