NHL Playoff Leaders: What to Expect

With the NHL playoffs in Full Swing let’s take a look at the leaders in various statistical categories and what to expect from them going forward.

Introduction

NHL Playoff leaders provide a great opportunity to see which players are stepping up their game when it matters most. However, it’s important to keep in mind that not all players are created equal. Some players are better at the beginning of the playoffs, while others tend to peak towards the end.

That being said, there are still a few players who consistently perform well throughout the entirety of the playoffs. These are the players you can count on to lead your team to victory, no matter what stage of the playoffs you’re in. So, without further ado, here are the NHL Playoff Leaders

Forwards:
--Sidney Crosby (PIT): 63 GP, 28 G, 56 A, 84 PTS
-Evgeni Malkin (PIT): 63 GP, 27 G, 54 A, 81 PTS
-Claude Giroux (PHI): 73 GP, 28 G, 51 A, 79 PTS
-Pavel Datsyuk (DET): 74 GP 45 G 31 A 76 PTS
--Patrick Kane (CHI): 70 GP 28 G 48 A 76 PTS

Defensemen:
-Duncan Keith (CHI): 74 GP 14 G 55 A 69 PTS
-Shea Weber (NSH): 73 GP 23 G 42 A 65 PTS
-Kris Letang (PIT): 58 GP 15 G 47 A 62 PTS
-Brent Burns (SJ): 64 GP 16 G 46 A 62 PTS
-Drew Doughty (LA): 72 GP 11 G 50 A 61 PTS

Regular season leaders

The playoffs are a completely different animal from the regular season The intensity is ratcheted up, the physicality is more evident and the level of play is higher across the board. That’s why it’s so important to take a look at who the regular season leaders are before the playoffs start. Here’s a look at some of the NHL Playoff leaders and what to expect from them in the postseason.

Goals:

Leader: Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Expectations: Ovechkin is one of the most prolific goal-scorers in NHL history and he’s coming off a Regular Season in which he led the league in goals for the eighth time. The 32-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down and he should be a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs.

Assists:

Leader: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

Expectations: McDavid is not only one of the best players in the world, but he’s also proved to be a clutch performer in big moments. The 21-year-old had 108 points in the regular season and he’ll be looking to lead the Oilers to their first Stanley Cup since 1990.

Points:

Leader: Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning

Expectations: Kucherov had an incredible Regular Season setting career highs in goals (39), assists (61) and points (100). The 25-year-old Russian is one of the most dangerous players in the league and he should be able to put up big numbers in the playoffs.

Playoff experience

There are a few things to keep in mind when looking at the playoff experience of each team. The first is that not all experience is created equal. A team that has made it to the Stanley Cup Finals will have more playoff experience than a team that has been eliminated in the first round, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be better equipped to win.

Another thing to consider is how recent a team’s playoff experience is. A team that made it to the playoffs last year will have fresher memories of what it takes to win than a team that hasn’t been there in a few years.

Finally, it’s worth looking at how each team’s core group of players has fared in the playoffs. There are some players who just elevates their game when the stakes are highest, and others who tend to wilt under the pressure.

Keeping all of this in mind, here are some teams that should benefit from having playoff experience on their roster:

Home ice advantage

In the NHL playoffs home ice advantage is often cited as a major factor in a team’s success. But what does home ice advantage really mean?

Home ice advantage refers to the fact that teams who play at home have a slight edge over their opponents. This edge is due to a variety of factors, including the familiarity of the rink, the support of the home crowd and the fact that teams can rest and prepare more effectively at home.

In general, teams with home ice advantage have a better chance of winning the Stanley Cup than teams without it. But there are always exceptions to the rule – in 2012, for example, the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup despite being the eighth seed in their conference.

If you’re looking for an edge in your NHL playoff pools, pay attention to which teams have home ice advantage. It could make all the difference in your predictions!

Key injuries

As the NHL Playoffs enter the final stretch, there are a few key injuries to keep an eye on. Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby is out with a concussion, while Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks is sidelined with a broken collarbone.

Both of these players are critical to their team’s success, and their absence could have a big impact on how the playoffs unfold. It will be interesting to see how their teams respond in their absence, and whether or not they can make a deep run without them.

Goaltending

As the NHL playoffs heat up, goaltending becomes more and more important. Here is a look at the leaders in various goaltending categories, as well as what to expect from them in the playoffs.

Goals Against Average:

1. Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins – 2.12
2. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings – 2.13
3. Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings – 2.21
4. Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets – 2.23
5. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers – 2.24

These are the top five goalies in the NHL in terms of goals against average this season. As you can see, there is quite a bit of parity among them. All of these goalies are capable of putting up big numbers in the playoffs and leading their teams to victory. However, there is one name on this list that stands out above the rest: Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins Rask has been simply outstanding this season, and he will be a big reason why the Bruins are one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year. If you are looking for a goalie to carry your team in the playoffs, Rask is your man.

Save Percentage:

1. Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets – .932
2. Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins – .931
3. Josh Harding, Minnesota Wild – .928
4. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings – .925
5. Antti Niemi, San Jose Sharks – .920

much like goals against average, there is not much to separate the top goalies in terms of save percentage this season. Once again, Tuukka Rask stands out as the best of the bunch and he will be a key cog for the Bruins in the playoffs. If you are looking for someone to give you some big saves when your team needs them most, look no further than Rask or Bobrovsky (who also happens to be leading the league in goals against average).

Special teams

special teams can make or break a team in the playoffs. The team that can capitalize on their opportunities while also shutting down their opponents’ Power play is usually the one that comes out on top.

The NHL’s leading scorer during the regular season Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov, is also the league’s leading scorer on the power play He had 13 goals and 26 assists on the man advantage this season. His teammate, Brayden Point, is second in power-play scoring with 12 goals and 23 assists.

Kucherov and Point are two of the league’s most dangerous players with the extra man, and they will be key to the Lightning’s success in the playoffs. Tampa Bay had the best power play in the league this season, converting on 26.8% of their opportunities.

The Lightning will need to be at their best if they want to make a deep run in the playoffs. They will face a tough test in round one against a Columbus Blue Jackets team that was second in the league in penalty kill percentage (85%). The Blue Jackets will be looking to shut down Kucherov and Point, and if they can do that, they have a good chance of winning the series.

Predictions

NHL Teams are wrapping up their regular seasons and preparing for the playoffs. The Stanley Cup playoffs are one of the most exciting events in sports, and fans are eagerly awaiting the chance to see their favorite team compete for the title.

The NHL playoffs are a single-elimination tournament, which means that any team can be eliminated at any time. The Stanley Cup Playoffs usually last about two months, and the final round is a best-of-seven series.

The top 16 teams in the NHL Standings qualify for the playoffs. The playoff field is then seeded based on regular-season records, with the top seed playing the lowest seed in each round.

In recent years there has been a lot of parity in the NHL, and it’s been difficult to predict which teams will make a deep run in the playoffs. However, there are a few teams that look like they could be poised for a long run this year.

The Tampa Bay Lightning finished with the best record in the league this season, and they have one of the most dangerous rosters in hockey. The Lightning have offensive firepower, solid defense, and good goaltending. They should be considered one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year.

The Nashville Predators also look like they could be a dangerous team in the playoffs. The Predators finished second in the Central Division behind Tampa Bay but they have a lot of playoff experience and some talented players who can step up in big moments. Nashville could be a tough out for any team in the postseason.

Another team to watch is the Boston Bruins The Bruins finished first in the Eastern Conference this season, and they have a well-rounded roster that includes some experienced playoff performers. Boston will be a tough opponent for anyone in the East.

The first round of the NHL playoffs is set to begin on April 11th. It should be an exciting postseason, with plenty of upsets and close games. Be sure to catch allthe action on television or streaming online!

Conclusion

It is still early in the NHL playoffs but there are already some standout performers. Of course, it is still too early to tell who will ultimately take home the Stanley Cup but these players are certainly giving their team a fighting chance.

Leading the pack in goals scored is Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers With seven goals in just four games, Panarin is certainly making a case for himself as one of the best snipers in the league. He is closely followed by Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Tyler Toffoli of the Los Angeles Kings, who have both tallied six goals apiece.

In terms of assists, John Carlson of the Washington Capitals leads the way with eight. He is followed by Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers and Avalanche defenseman Nathan MacKinnon, who have both chipped in with seven assists each.

When it comes to save percentage, there are a number of goalies who have been putting up some impressive numbers. Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins has stopped 97.1% of the shots he has faced so far, while Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues has stopped 96.8% of the shots he has faced. Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators rounds out the top three with a save percentage of 96.4%.

So far, these playoffs have been very exciting and there is no telling what will happen next. However, one thing is for sure: with players like these leading their teams, we can expect to see some very competitive hockey in the days and weeks to come.

References

In order to provide context for the remainder of this article, we will first take a look at the NHL Playoff leaders in a variety of statistical categories. This will help to give us an idea of what kind of production we can expect from the Top Players in the league during the postseason.

NHL Playoff Leaders:

Goals: 1. Sidney Crosby (PIT) – 15 2. Evgeni Malkin (PIT) – 13 3. Vladimir Tarasenko (STL) – 12 4. Joe Pavelski (SJS) – 11 5. Logan Couture (SJS) – 10

Assists: 1. Brent Burns (SJS) – 24 2. Evgeni Malkin (PIT) – 16 3. Logan Couture (SJS) – 16 4. Kris Letang (PIT) – 15 5. Kevin Shattenkirk (STL) – 14

Points: 1. Evgeni Malkin (PIT) – 29 2. Sidney Crosby (PIT) – 27 3. Brent Burns (SJS) – 26 4. Logan Couture (SJS) – 26 5. Vladimir Tarasenko (STL) – 25

Goals Against Average: 1. Sergei Bobrovsky (CBJ) – 1.61 2. Braden Holtby (WSH) – 1.79 3./tie Martin Jones (SJS) – 1.80 Jonathan Quick (LAK)- 1