NHL Playoffs 2012: 5 Worst Players During Kings vs. Canucks Series

On Sunday night, the top-seeded Vancouver Canucks became the fourth team eliminated from the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs when they lost 2-1 in overtime to the Los Angeles Kings.

After a trip to Game 7 of the finals last year and a second consecutive Presidents' Trophy during the regular season, a five-game first-round defeat is nothing less than crushing.

There are plenty of options when making a list of the five worst players in this series. Here, the focus will be on players who underperformed most dramatically compared to the expectations going in. That means the goaltenders are off the hook—for once. And Mason Raymond will be spared, as he's been a whipping boy all season long.

But almost every other Canuck...and even a couple of Kings...could be considered fair game.

Chime in with your own suggestions in the comments.

5. Jeff Carter

The Kings were huge underdogs in this series and there were plenty of LA players who performed above expectations.

It might not be fair to target even one member of their team, but for a player who just completed the first year of his 11-year, $58 million contract, Jeff Carter's impact in the series was minimal.

Carter returned from a five-game absence with an ankle injury in time for Game 1 of the series. He logged an average of almost 20 minutes of ice time a game, but over the course of the series, he was probably the least visible forward on the Kings' top three lines. His offensive output consisted of two assists in Game 1 and he finished the series a minus-one, with a dismal 38.9 percent in the faceoff circle.

Carter was dogged with questions about his character when he played with the Flyers and pouted his way through his tenure in Columbus this season, forcing a trade after putting up just 25 points in 39 games.

Despite being reunited with his BFF, Mike Richards, Carter has yet to show that he's an impact player during his tenure with the Kings.

4. David Booth

When the Canucks acquired David Booth from Florida in an early-season deal, it was hoped that Mike Gillis and company had uncovered a hidden gem—a skill player with good wheels and good hands coming into the prime of his career.

Booth had his moments with Vancouver during the regular season, putting up 16 goals in 56 games. His breakaway style led to him being named the Canucks' Most Exciting Player, and after he received that accolade before the final game of the regular season, he exploded for 11 shots on goal.

It looked like Booth's enthusiasm for his first playoff appearance would yield great results. Instead, the Kings' close-checking style limited him to just seven shots and one assist during the entire series.

Booth ended the series riding shotgun with Daniel and Henrik Sedin; based on his performance, it's highly unlikely he'll be granted that honour again next year.

3. Chris Higgins

Chris Higgins had a rough year, health-wise. He missed 11 games during the regular season with two mysterious and scary staph infections, but still put up 43 points, including four game-winning goals.

During the stretch run, Higgins generated points consistently and was named the Canucks' Unsung Hero for the season. Since he was a clutch performer in last year's playoffs, it was expected that he'd raise his game again for this postseason.

Instead, we got nothing. Higgins didn't register a single point in the series and ended up tied with Mason Raymond and Sami Salo for the team's worst plus/minus, at minus-three.

Plenty of higher-profile players also failed to deliver, and maybe his health is not quite right once again, but, Chris, we expected more from you.

2. Alex Edler

In the end, more than one Canuck blueliner made enough defensive gaffes to be the whipping boy in this series. Sami Salo finished tied with a team-low minus-three and usually-reliable Dan Hamhuis got fleeced a couple of times for big goals, including the series-winner.

But Alex Edler stumbled early and stumbled often, and he'll be remembered as the most disappointing Canucks defenceman in this series. Edler set his tone for the series by being on the ice for three of the Kings' four goals in their dominant Game 1 performance. He looked tentative and gave the puck away with disturbing regularity.

After a similar performance in Game 2, the mistakes started to diminish. By then, the damage was done, both to the Canucks' chances and to Edler's reputation.

The Big Swede enjoyed a breakout regular season. He received the Walter "Babe" Pratt award for the first time after being voted the team's top defenceman by the fans. He was also named to the All-Star Team for the first time and recorded career-highs in goals and points.

Edler did score two big goals against the Kings, but that won't be enough to erase the bad taste left by his defensive blunders throughout this series.

1. Ryan Kesler

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

In 2010-11, everything went right for Ryan Kesler. He logged a career-high 41 goals, finished with a plus-24 and won the Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward. He followed that up with a heart-and-soul performance in the playoffs, carrying the Canucks on his back until he was slowed by a hip injury in the late rounds.

Canucks fans waited patiently for Kesler to return to that form after offseason surgery to repair the hip. During the regular season, it seemed that he'd lost some of his explosive speed. Many were hoping Kesler would be able to turn it on again once playoffs rolled around.

It didn't happen. Kesler didn't score in the series, putting up just three assists and a minus-one. He was outmatched by Mike Richards in Game 1 and if he's remembered for anything in this series, it'll be his somersault dive and other attempts to curry favour with the officials.

This summer, there will be lots of talk about whether or not Kesler can ever be the same player he was. Knee-jerk fans will likely call for him to be moved.

At age 27, it's probably too early to throw Kesler on the scrap heap, but here's hoping that a solid summer of rest and rehab will see him return next season with the fire in his belly.