NHL.com's fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we preview the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin Saturday, with an X-factor for each team.
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Toronto Maple Leafs: Matthew Knies, F
The Toronto Maple Leafs forward set NHL career highs in goals (29), assists (29) and points (58) this season and was one of four players in the entire League with at least 25 goals and 180 hits (182; others: Tom Wilson, Brady Tkachuk, Vincent Trocheck). Knies, who has been playing mostly with elite forwards Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, ranks third on Toronto in even-strength goals (24). Knies had points in Games 5 (scored overtime goal) and 6 of the 2024 Eastern Conference First Round series against the Boston Bruins as the Maple Leafs staved off elimination in those games.
EDGE stats: Knies ranks among the League leaders in high-danger goals (22; 98th percentile), high-danger shots on goal (81; 96th percentile) and top skating speed (23.13 miles per hour; 89th percentile). -- Troy Perlowitz
Ottawa Senators: Jake Sanderson, D
The Senators defenseman set NHL career highs in points (57; tied for 10th among defensemen), power-play points (30; second behind Cale Makar) and shots on goal (195; tied for seventh). Like teammate Brady Tkachuk, Sanderson will be making his Stanley Cup Playoff debut, and the Maple Leafs are allowing the eighth-most shots on goal per game (29.3) this season.
EDGE stats: Sanderson is second among defensemen behind Makar in both 20-plus mph speed bursts (199) and miles skated on the power play (39.38). Sanderson also ranks highly among defensemen in top skating speed (23.53 mph; 10th), midrange shots on goal (41; 95th percentile), midrange goals (five; 94th percentile) and long-range SOG (94; 97th percentile). -- Chris Meaney
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Tampa Bay Lightning: Brandon Hagel, F
The Lightning forward is tied for 11th in the entire NHL in points (90) this season and ranks fifth in both even-strength goals (32) and even-strength points (72). Hagel is one of two NHL players this season to reach the 30-goal plateau without scoring any on the power play (other: Aliaksei Protas).
EDGE stats: Hagel ranks among the League leaders in high-danger shots on goal (81; 96th percentile), high-danger goals (18; 94th percentile), midrange shots on goal (82; 94th percentile) and 20-plus mph speed bursts (191; 94th percentile). -- Perlowitz
Florida Panthers: Matthew Tkachuk, F
Although the Panthers wing has been out with a lower-body injury since playing for the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off on Feb. 20, Tkachuk hopes to be ready for Game 1 of the postseason. He shared Florida’s lead with eight multipoint games during the Panthers’ first-ever Stanley Cup championship run last postseason and has 57 points (22 goals, 35 assists) in 52 games this season prior to his injury. He ranks 10th in the entire NHL in points per game over the past four seasons combined (1.22).
EDGE stats: Tkachuk was tied for third in high-danger shots on goal (29) during the 2024 playoffs and ranks in the 97th percentile in offensive zone time percentage (47.5) this season. -- Perlowitz
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Washington Capitals: Pierre-Luc Dubois, F
Acquired by the Capitals from the Los Angeles Kings in the offseason for goalie Darcy Kuemper, Dubois has set NHL career highs in assists (46) and points (66) this season. The only Washington skater with more even-strength points than Dubois (52) this season is Protas (60). Seven of Dubois’ 20 goals this season have come in the third period, and seven of his goals have given the Capitals the lead. The 26-year-old has 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 43 career Stanley Cup Playoff games over six postseasons.
EDGE stats: Dubois ranks highly at his position in high-danger shots on goal (68; 92nd percentile), top shot speed (92.81 mph; 91st percentile) and even-strength skating distance (200.52 miles; 90th percentile). -- Perlowitz
Montreal Canadiens: Ivan Demidov, F
The rookie forward, who signed his entry-level contract with the Canadiens late in the regular season after playing in the Kontinental Hockey League, comes with high expectations after being selected with No. 5 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Demidov, who is expected to play a top-six role for Montreal in the postseason, has a goal, an assist and five shots on goal over his first two NHL games.
EDGE stats: Although it’s a small sample size, Demidov ranks in the 98th percentile in average shot speed (71.64) over his first 10 shots attempts and joins a Canadiens offense that is tied for fourth in the League in midrange goals (87) this season. -- Pete Jensen
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Carolina Hurricanes: Frederik Andersen, G
The Hurricanes goalie is 82-35-5 with a 2.27 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and nine shutouts over the past four seasons and 11-7 with a .910 save percentage in the playoffs over that span (since 2021-22). After he and the Hurricanes fell short against the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Second Round last year, Andersen will be relied upon even more heavily after they traded high-scoring forwards Martin Necas and then Mikko Rantanen this season. Andersen was 4-0 with a .918 save percentage against the New Jersey Devils in the 2023 playoffs.
EDGE stats: Andersen is among the leaders in high-danger save percentage (.829; 84th percentile) and percentage of games with a save percentage greater than .900 (63.6; 90th percentile). -- Jensen
New Jersey Devils: Dougie Hamilton, D
The Devils defenseman played 23:42 on Wednesday (Apr. 16) in his first game back since sustaining a lower-body injury on Mar. 4. Hamilton has 40 points (nine goals, 31 assists) in 64 games this season, including 15 on the power play. He has 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) in 66 career playoff games and faces the Hurricanes, one of his former teams, this postseason.
EDGE stats: Hamilton is in the 97th percentile among defensemen in midrange shots on goal (46), 93rd percentile in long-range SOG (86), 89th percentile in midrange goals (four), 94th percentile in offensive zone time percentage (45.8), 95th percentile in power-play offensive zone time percentage (62.7) and 92nd percentile in total miles skated on the power play (26.89). -- Meaney
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Winnipeg Jets: Gabriel Vilardi, F
The Jets wing has not played since March 23 because of an upper-body injury but could return for the playoffs. Vilardi played mostly on the top line and first power play with elite forwards Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele and had the best points-per-game average (0.86; 61 in 71 games) of his career this season. With wing Nikolaj Ehlers (foot) out week to week, the Jets may need Vilardi back and producing to the level he was prior to injury to match the depth of the St. Louis Blues; Vilardi scored two goals in three games against the Blues this season.
EDGE stats: Despite being limited to 71 of the Jets’ 82 games this season, Vilardi ranks highly among forwards in high-danger shots on goal (74; 94th percentile) and high-danger goals (22; 97th percentile; tied for ninth in entire NHL). -- Jensen
St. Louis Blues: Jordan Binnington, G
Since the 4 Nations Face-Off, when Binnington led Canada to victory in the championship game against the United States (against Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck), the Blues goalie is 13-3-1 with a .910 save percentage in his past 17 NHL games. Binnington won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019; he was 16-10 with a .914 save percentage and one shutout during that run. With his team turning its season around after the coaching change to Jim Montgomery and trade for veteran defenseman Cam Fowler, Binnington looks to not only go toe-to-toe with Hellebuyck again but also contain the Jets’ high-octane offense; Winnipeg has the best power-play percentage this season (28.9), while St. Louis is tied for the fourth-worst penalty kill percentage (72.4).
EDGE stats: In terms of goals for average since the 4 Nations Face-Off, only Capitals goalie Logan Thompson (4.16 in 12 games) has seen more goal support per game than Binnington (3.86 in 17 games) among the 44 NHL goalies who have played at least 10 games over that span. -- Jensen
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Dallas Stars: Thomas Harley, D
The Stars defenseman broke out in his fourth NHL season with NHL career highs in goals (16), assists (34), points (50 in 78 games), shots on goal (171) and average ice time (23:23 per game) this season. Since defenseman Miro Heiskanen sustained an injury on Jan. 28, Harley is tied for fifth in the NHL at the position in points (27) and ranks third among D-men in power-play points (12) in 30 games over that span.
EDGE stats: Harley ranks among the defenseman leaders in total skating distance (271.98 miles; 95th percentile), 20-plus mph speed bursts (73; 89th percentile), high-danger goals (four; 97th percentile), high-danger shots on goal (11; 93rd percentile), midrange goals (six; 96th percentile), midrange SOG (38; 93rd percentile), long-range goals (four; 92nd percentile) and long-range SOG (86; 93rd percentile). -- Meaney
Colorado Avalanche: Valeri Nichushkin, F
The Avalanche are 29-14 when Nichushkin (34 points in those 43 games) has been in the lineup this season, and he faces the Stars, his former team, this postseason. Nichushkin has left the Avalanche on two occasions during past postseasons (NHL/NHLPA player assistance program last season; personal reasons in 2023) but has an enormous offensive ceiling considering he had 15 points (nine goals, six assists) in 20 games during their 2022 Stanley Cup run. The Stars are allowing the most shots on goal per game (33.3 in 27 games) since the 4 Nations Face-Off break (Feb. 20).
EDGE stats: Nichushkin is among the forward leaders in top skating speed (23.13 mph; 89th percentile) and high-danger goals (13; 84th percentile) this season. -- Jensen
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Vegas Golden Knights: Pavel Dorofeyev, F
The Golden Knights wing has NHL career highs in goals (35), points (52 in 82 games), power-play points (17), shots (254; 11th in League) and average ice time (16:32 per game) this season. Dorofeyev led Vegas in goals and shots on goal, and his center linemate Tomas Hertl finished second on the Golden Knights in goals (32) and led them in power-play goals (14; one ahead of Dorofeyev). In three games against the Minnesota Wild this season, Dorofeyev had four points (two goals, two assists) and 14 shots on goal (third-most SOG he had against any team this season). Vegas has the second-best power-play percentage in the NHL this season (28.3), while Minnesota has the third-worst penalty kill percentage (72.4).
EDGE stats: Dorofeyev is in the 97th percentile among forwards in midrange goals (14) and midrange shots on goal (95) and ranks among the leaders at the position in power-play offensive zone time percentage (64.0; 95th percentile), high-danger SOG (58; 85th percentile) and high-danger goals (13; 84th percentile). -- Meaney
Minnesota Wild: Joel Eriksson Ek, F
The Wild center scored five goals on 17 shots in four games since returning to the lineup and finished the season playing on the top line with elite wing Kirill Kaprizov (1.37 points per game; 5th in NHL) and wing Matt Boldy (leads team with 27 goals, 73 points). Eriksson Ek has 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) in 46 games this season and reached the 60-point mark in the consecutive seasons prior.
EDGE stats: Eriksson Ek finished in the 82nd percentile among forwards in high-danger shots (54) despite missing 36 games this season (ranked fourth in NHL with 130 high-danger shots last season). He also ranks in the 83rd percentile in long-range SOG (16) and among the leaders in power-play offensive zone time percentage (63.9; 94th percentile) this season. -- Meaney
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Los Angeles Kings: Darcy Kuemper, G
The Kings goalie has had a bounce-back season in his first year with the team; he’s 31-11-7 with a 2.02 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and five shutouts in 50 games. Kuemper’s home numbers have been even better (20-3-2, 1.67 GAA, .933 save percentage, four shutouts). Since Jan. 1, Kuemper is tied for second among goalies in wins (22), ranks first in GAA (1.81), first in save percentage (.928) and is tied for first in shutouts (four). The Edmonton Oilers are averaging the most shots on goal per game (32.0) this season.
EDGE stats: Kuemper leads the NHL in high-danger save percentage (.863) this season and is second in percentage of games with a save percentage greater than .900 (68.0). -- Meaney
Edmonton Oilers: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, F
The Oilers forward scored at least 20 goals in a season for the sixth time in his NHL career (all with Edmonton), one of 10 players in their history to achieve that feat. Nugent-Hopkins, who ranks ninth in the entire NHL in points over the past three postseasons combined (47 in 53 games), trails only elite forwards Leon Draisaitl (16) and Connor McDavid (nine) in power-play goals (seven) on Edmonton this season. The Oilers went 25-7-3 in games in which Nugent-Hopkins had at least one point this season.
EDGE stats: Nugent-Hopkins ranks among the forward leaders in high-danger shots on goal (71; 94th percentile), long-range shots on goal (20; 90th percentile) and total skating distance (235.73 miles; 90th percentile). -- Perlowitz
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More NHL EDGE stats: Team comparisons
