Five notable NHLers struggling to score in the second round of Stanley Cup Playoffs

May 14, 2025, 10:00 EDT

Five notable NHLers struggling to score in the second round of Stanley Cup Playoffs

Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

We’re at the part of the second round where teams are close to saying goodbye.

Every series has played at least four games, with the Vegas Golden Knights and Washington Capitals currently on the brink of elimination. Those two teams in particular have a couple notable names who need to pick it up to avoid going home early.

With that in mind, here’s a look at five NHLers who need to start scoring after some quiet efforts in the second round:

Mason Marchment, LW (Dallas Stars)

Marchment’s biggest contribution to the Stars’ run against Winnipeg was when he slashed an official after a play. Not ideal, given he played at an 82-game regular season pace of 62 points, marking the best season of his career had he remained healthy.

For whatever reason, Marchment has never been able to carry over his regular season form to the playoffs. He had 11 points over 31 games over the past two playoff runs and has a goal and three points this year. He hasn’t registered a single point against Winnipeg and is averaging just one shot a game. At his best, the 6-foot-4 forward has shown to be a big-bodied, versatile goal-scorer who gives the team extra middle-six help. But offensively, he’s completely dry right now.

Ivan Barbashev, LW (Vegas Golden Knights)

Barbashev has been invisible on the scoresheet this year despite registering 51 points for the second time in his career. He’s tracking at just 0.39 points per 60 at 5-on-5 after posting two points in 10 games – and they both came in Game 4 against Minnesota in the first round. Barbashev is still playing around 18-20 minutes a night, so it’s not like he’s being sheltered, but his inability to produce hasn’t helped Vegas in the slightest.

Away from the puck, Barbashev is still playing a decent game. He’s a hard-hitting, physical forward who will crash and bang all over the ice to regain the puck. In close, Barbashev is a hard forward to contain and that’s what makes him so intriguing in Vegas’ bottom six. But given his offensive output in the regular season, it’s a bit surprising to see him going cold against Edmonton.

Tomas Hertl, C (Vegas Golden Knights)

Hertl was so good during San Jose’s last playoff push in 2019, but then went nearly half a decade without another appearance. He struggled a year ago with just one point in seven games, but was great against Minnesota with five points in six games. In fact, with Vegas’ top stars starting off slow, it was good to see Hertl taking the load off as the team ultimately won the series.

So expectations were high for him heading into the fight against Edmonton. Instead, while playing around 17 minutes a night, Hertl has failed to put up even one point. He had six shots against Edmonton in Game 3 – Vegas’ lone victory – but he has otherwise come up empty-handed for the Golden Knights. With the team on the brink of elimination, that’s not going to cut it. Hertl’s frustration has been evident, as shown when he accidentally hit one of Vegas’ staff members on the bench. It’s time for him to start punishing goaltenders instead.

Connor McMichael, LW (Washington Capitals)

McMichael was excellent against Montreal, scoring twice in Game 2 and tallying five points in five games overall. It was a perfect result for the second-line winger, who proved to be a nightmare matchup for the Canadiens. But through four games against the Hurricanes, McMichael has just one goal and two shots total. He went from getting around four shots on net a game to not generating noteworthy, and he really struggled in the 5-2 loss to the Hurricanes on Monday.

The Capitals now sit a game away from elimination in the same season they finished first place in the East. By all accounts, a second-round exit would be heartbreaking for a team that had so much to celebrate this year. He’s not alone, though – the Capitals’ offense has simply dried up. They need to win three games to save their season, so it would be a great time for McMichael to channel the same energy that made him so good against Montreal.

Alex Ovechkin, LW (Washington Capitals)

There was always a concern of this happening, right? Now that Ovi has the all-time goals record, many wondered how much more he had in the tank for a playoff run. The 39-year-old has five goals in the playoffs, but just one against Carolina. He’s averaging more than two shots per game, and he’s had plenty of good looks. But he just hasn’t played as well as he did against Montreal, especially when he had two goals and three points in the playoff opener.

It’s not that Ovi is playing poorly, per se. But the magic that made him so dangerous throughout the year just isn’t there right now. Washington’s top line, as a whole, hasn’t done enough to create high-danger chances, as the Hurricanes have done a great job of shutting them down. So there’s a ton of credit due there. But if the Capitals fall flat in Game 5, it’ll feel like a wasted opportunity given how well Ovechkin played all season long.

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