Guys who elevate their game

[Chainshot]

Daniel Briere and JP Pageau both seemed to elevate in the playoffs. Pageau not of late, but with the Sens? Oh yeah.

 

[Jee]

Ah, the Fernando Pisani thread.

 

[K1984]

Brett Kulak has elevated from being a pretty good bottom pair D man to an impact Top 4 three playoffs in a row now.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Brett Kulak hits another gear come playoff time.

EDIT - ^^^^ Beat me to it K1984 ^^^^

 

[CN8]

Lehkonen. 15 goals and 27 points in 31 playoff games with the Avs, many of those goals being clutch while also doing his usual PK and forchecking demon stuff. He’s basically been Nuke but in a smaller package.

Fun fact: Lehk and Nuke have 12 even strength goals apiece the past three playoffs. This is more than MacKinnon or Rantanen. It cannot be understated just how good these two have been for the Avs - both regular season and even more in the playoffs. I still see people thinking Lehkonen is some middle six player…he’s been an excellent first line forward in usage by the Avs for a couple years now. Nuke is a flat out star. Both are absolute core pieces of the Avs franchise.

HM “not my team mention”…Verhaeghe. Yes, he’s basically a 40 goal, PPG regular season player but in the playoffs…he has 17 EVEN STRENGTH goals in the last 3 seasons (36 games). This leads the NHL by 3 over second place. He’s just remarkable and seemingly keeps getting better.

Vergaege came to my mind

 

[ScottyMascotty]

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Going with not my own team -

Connor McDavid. He's like a perpetual motion machine - just when you think he's hit his best, he finds another gear.

Honorable mentions to Verhaege, Tkachuk, Draisaitl, and - I LOATHE to say it - Marchand.

 

[BB79]

Daniel Briere and JP Pageau both seemed to elevate in the playoffs. Pageau not of late, but with the Sens? Oh yeah.

Briere was clutch, both with Buffalo and Philadelphia

 

[Sentinel]

Would Marchessault fit the bill?

 

[eartotheground]

<<---- this guy. mr. wyatt johnston. just a baby and has a couple series and game winners under his belt. been the best forward on the ice for dallas.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Considering how bad his first few games were it's shocking that Shesterkin is. 0.929 career playoff save %. He has a 0.921 over the regular season so it's not a huge difference, but he's only had two seasons of 0.920+ in the regular season, one was his rookie season that was short.

 

[nyrallday]

Weirdly enough, Barclay Goodrow.

Not weird at all. When we signed him, all the talk was about how he is a guy you want on your team in the playoffs when things get tighter and that's exactly what he is.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

He goes from Rattata to Raticade when the games matter.

Raticate*, I assume some auto-correction.

I’m still mad my “NHLers as Pokemon” got shut down. Important thread, that one.

Anywho- good names so far, I’ll just add Trochek as a guy playing very well.

 

[Nicko999]

Kotkaniemi, and I'm not even joking. Regular season, he was a healthy scratch passenger. But this year and last year in the playoffs, he's been one of our more consistent performers. Hits heavy, gets involved in the forecheck and backcheck, get himself into some greasy areas to get surprising shots on net. Pretty much the exact kind of glue guy you want in the playoffs.

Not surprised one bit. Habs fan hate on the guy but they will admit he was a good playoffs performer. He always played better in the playoffs than during the regular season.
Game 6 OT winner vs Toronto comes to mind.

 

[Chaos2k7]

Chucky can be better too, has another gear

 

[Huokaus]

Even though I might be slightly biased towards Finnish players (and I try hard not to be), Lehkonen really is something else in the playoffs. Hard not to love him, whether you're a fan, a teammate, or a coach.

 

[Dessert Nights]

I think Maroon is one of those players your team wants for a playoff run.

 

[River Meadow]

Kotkaniemi, and I'm not even joking. Regular season, he was a healthy scratch passenger. But this year and last year in the playoffs, he's been one of our more consistent performers. Hits heavy, gets involved in the forecheck and backcheck, get himself into some greasy areas to get surprising shots on net. Pretty much the exact kind of glue guy you want in the playoffs.

Not surprised.

He was good for MTL in playoffs.

 

[SenzZen]

John Druce

 

[HanSolo]

It's been said but Eichel. Through 4.4 series, Eichel is not only the guy who steps up and stirs the drink for Vegas, but he's the only guy who has consistently put up a high level effort in every playoff game the Knights have played since getting him. I had the misfortune of being in the building for Edmonton's blowout win in game 2 last year. After goal 3 or 4, the entirety of Vegas' roster mentally checked out except for Eichel who kept giving it his all every shift.

That willingness to battle every time he hits the ice has made him a favorite of mine over guys who have been on the team longer.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Justin Williams

 

[Fire Sweeney]

David Krejčí​

His career stats don't tell the whole picture due to mediocre linemates in the mid-2010's

 

[Eye of Ra]

Marner

 

[Kingsfan1]

Lehkonen , Nichuskin , Demko , Kempe just off the top of my head

Verhaege as well someone posted it above cant believe i forgot him . Take your pick from Floridas roster . Bennett big fan of that guy . Tkachuk

 

[Mike C]

Marner

You mean Silas?

Back in the day. Bobby Nystrom, Billy Smith