NHL Playoff Predictions 2012: Rookies Ready to Contribute to a Stanley Cup Run

Looking for an X-factor (or three) who could potentially swing the Stanley Cup playoffs one way or another? Don't worry about the star veterans, the Sidney Crosbys and the Henrik Sedins and the Alexander Ovechkins of the NHL.

Those guys are important, to be sure, but they've been around hockey long enough for everyone involved to know what they're going to contribute to the case.

Rather, for wild cards ready to tilt the balance of power, look no further than the rookies partaking in the postseason. Relative unknowns out of the running for the Calder Memorial Trophy, like these three up-and-comers, could make all the difference for their respective teams once the pushing and shoving starts to mean something this week.

Carl Hagelin, New York Rangers

The New York Rangers don't score all that often, but when they do, they prefer that Carl Hagelin be involved in some way.

A sixth-round pick in the 2007 NHL draft, Hagelin has added depth to the decidedly shallow crop of forwards at John Tortorella's disposal. His speed and agility have proven to be rather valuable assets for the Blueshirts, particularly when paired with Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards on the top line.

New York's success will always be predicated on the play of its defense and the performance in goal of Vezina Trophy favorite Henrik Lundqvist, though an extra scoring opportunity created here and there by Hagelin could mean the difference between a merely "nice" playoff run and one that puckheads in the Big Apple will remember forever. 

Matt Read, Philadelphia Flyers

Perhaps no rookie appears as prepared to play a significant role this postseason as Matt Read does for the Flyers. The 25-year-old is a versatile contributor who can score goals and keep the puck moving, especially when Philly's down a man on the penalty kill.

Read is as mature a rookie as you'll find, one who figures to play a key role in the Flyers' attempt to upend the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team's Keystone State rivals, in the first round.

Slava Voynov, Los Angeles Kings

The Kings are going to need help from all over to vanquish the Vancouver Canucks in the first round, with Slava Voynov among the most likely to step up. The 22-year-old has done a marvelous job of filling in as a top-four blueliner since the Kings shipped Jack Johnson to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Jeff Carter deal.

The Russian sensation has "star" written all over him and could explode onto the scene much sooner than expected if/when he makes his presence felt against the top team in the Western Conference.

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