Stanley Cup Playoffs 2025: Players Facing the Most Pressure in the NHL Playoffs

The NHL playoffs are in full swing, and there have been no surprises after the first couple of days.

Only time will tell whether there are any upsets in the first round, but there are plenty of players whose legacy will be built over the Stanley Cup chase.

With that in mind, here is a six-pack of players most under the microscope.

Mikko Rantanen, Dallas Stars

Game 1 of the series was a disaster for all of the Stars — a 5-1 shellacking that already has them in a deep hole. Dallas is in real danger with Game 2 Monday night at home. Another loss will have the Avalanche looking for a sweep when the series moves to Denver.

Despite their Stanley Cup hopes, the Avalanche opted to trade away Rantanen back in January instead of possibly losing him via free agency. After a brief stop with the Carolina Hurricanes, he was traded to Dallas and signed to an eight-year, $96 million extension that kicks in next season.

With that deal comes the expectation of being a difference-maker, but Rantanen was a non-factor in the series opener for a Dallas team that is missing its top goal scorer in Jason Robertson and top defenseman in Miro Heiskanen.

This is a tipping point for the big winger to prove he was worth the fuss.

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

Hellebuyck will win his third Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender — and deservedly so. He is the backbone of the team that claimed the Presidents’ Trophy as regular-season champions.

What is missing from Hellebuyck’s résumé is championship success. The closest Winnipeg has come was the 2018 playoffs, when the Jets were eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in the conference finals.

Hellebuyck has achieved so much, but leading the Jets to glory would send him on a path to the Hall of Fame.

Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs

The other members of Toronto’s Core Four — Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares — also are facing intense scrutiny this spring.

Toronto has never won more than two rounds of the playoffs and has only one series victory in the past 20 years, beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round in 2023.

Marner, who led the team in the regular season with 102 points, is a pending unrestricted free agent. A successful playoff run is paramount to the Maple Leafs keeping this group as intact as possible.

Marner started the playoffs on a fantastic note, scoring once and adding two assists in a 6-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Let’s see whether that is a springboard to a championship run.

Pierre-Luc Dubois, Washington Capitals

The regular season was one for the ages in Washington. The headlines were mainly about Alex Ovechkin’s run to surpass Wayne Gretzky as the league’s all-time goal scorer, but the team claimed the Eastern Conference crown with a 51-win, 111-point campaign.

Now, to prove their mettle in the playoffs. Washington proved to be a potent offensive force, but a huge key was the team’s defensive game. Dubois was a huge reason for that — not only netting 20 goals but also serving as the second-line center facing the opposition’s top lines.

Aside from their 2017 Stanley Cup win, the Capitals have a history of flaming out come playoff time when heavy favorites.

Quinton Byfield, Los Angeles Kings

The Kings are up against the Edmonton Oilers for the fourth consecutive season. Los Angeles lost the last three meetings.

Will this year be different? The Kings, who have home-ice advantage, have a strong crew of forwards, especially on their top three lines, and must keep Edmonton’s offense in check.

This season is the chance for Byfield, the second overall pick of the 2020 draft, to elevate his status in a huge way.