NHL Playoffs 2015: Ranking the 15 Best Performances This Year

Now that the Chicago Blackhawks have captured their third Stanley Cup championship in six years, it's time to reflect on what transpired during the 2015 NHL Playoffs—everything from Duncan Keith's three-point game against Nashville to Tyler Johnson's hat trick in the conference finals.

The NHL playoffs were once again filled with tons of outstanding individual performances—this great montage from Hockey Night in Canada serves as proof—so narrowing them down to the top 15 wasn't easy.

Ultimately, it came down to which players came through in the games and series that meant most at significant moments. How much did these accomplishments impact the landscape of the playoff bracket? All of this was taken into consideration when compiling the list.

Check out who made the cut, and please share your thoughts in the comments section.

Honorable Mentions

Derick Brassard, New York Rangers: Derick Brassard's hat trick in Game 6 helped force a Game 7 against the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, but the play of his goaltender outshone him.

Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild: Goaltender Devan Dubnyk played better than his stats indicated in the Wild's second-round series loss to the Blackhawks. He suffered a hard-luck 1-0 defeat in Game 3, and the Wild just couldn't hang with the Chicago on their way to getting swept.

Craig Anderson, Ottawa Senators: Craig Anderson came up huge for the Senators in a Game 5 win over the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, stopping 45 shots to stave off elimination. The Senators, however, dropped Game 6.

15. John Tavares Helps Keep the Islanders Alive

John Tavares made sure the last New York Islanders game at Nassau Coliseum was a victory for the home team.

With the Islanders on the verge of elimination, Tavares played like the face of the franchise that he is, catapulting New York to a 3-1 victory and forcing a seventh game against the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

The Coliseum erupted when Tavares ripped a goal past Braden Holtby to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead. He also chipped in with an assist later in the game.

"At the end of the day, if you have a chance to succeed and win the Stanley Cup, your best players have to be your best players," Islanders head coach Jack Capuano said, via NHL.com's Brian Compton. "Johnny's been there for us all year long."

Tavares couldn't carry the Islanders past the first round, let alone the Stanley Cup, but at least he provided the Islanders faithful with one last moment of jubilation at the arena they love so dearly.

14. Andre Burakovsky Scores 2 Goals in Game 4 Against the Rangers

Hard as it may be to remember, there was a point in the playoffs when the Capitals had a 3-1 series lead on the New York Rangers. Rookie Andre Burakovsky was a big reason why.

Burakovsky scored two goals in Game 4, the only two goals the Capitals needed in a 2-1 win.

He tied things at one in the second period, poking the puck away from Chris Kreider then sniping one past Henrik Lundqvist.

In the third period, he fooled Lundqvist with a deke and put Washington ahead with a backhand goal.

These were Burakovsky's first two playoff goals, but judging by Capitals head coach Barry Trotz's comments, there may be more to come.

"The elements are there for a very talented young player who has speed and skill and awareness and a lot of courage, and he's got a lot of confidence," he said, via Zac Boyer of the Washington Post. "I don't know what the ceiling is for a player like that."

If Burakovsky reaches this potential of which Trotz speaks, we may look back at this Game 4 performance as the birth of a very good NHL career.

13. Jiri Hudler Helps Calgary Eliminate Vancouver

The Vancouver Canucks got off to a 3-0 first-period lead in Game 6 of the first round, but Jiri Hudler made sure there wouldn't be a Game 7.

Calgary had already cut the lead to 3-1 when Hudler was credited with an assist for the Sean Monahan goal that made it 3-2. He then made a great pass to Johnny Gaudreau in the crease in the buildup to the tying goal—his second assist of the game.

After Vancouver regained the lead, Hudler scored the first of his two goals of the evening on a putback off a rebound. He would later add an empty-netter that put the game away.

"Things happen so quickly out there and even when i get home, I'll probably blink my eyes and still have to pinch myself to realize what happened," Matt Stajan of the Flames said, according to Justin McElroy of Global News. "That's why we play the games."

Hudler didn't let the series go another game. He ended Vancouver's season that night and didn't allow a big deficit to stop him.

12. Petr Mrazek Steps Up Against the Lightning

Rookie Detroit Red Wings netminder Petr Mrazek had himself a magnificent game against the eventual Eastern Conference champions.

Mrazek made 44 saves in Deroit's 3-2 win over Tampa Bay in Game 1 of the first round.

The Tampa Bay Lightning had more than enough chances to score, but Mrazek usually kept the puck in front of him. He showed extremely quick reflexes on a glove save in the second period to keep the Red wings in front. 

"Some nights you have to pick up the goalie when he doesn't play good, but [that night] the goalie picked us up," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said, via Josh Cooper of Yahoo Sports. "He was unreal."

Mrazek's showing against the Lightning was just one of many great goaltending performances in the playoffs.

11. Ben Bishop Leads Tampa Bay to Game 1 Victory

Ben Bishop went on to have some really bad games in the next round against the Rangers, but he played the game of his life in the second-round series opener against the Canadiens.

The netminder finished with 43 saves, even though Montreal applied constant pressure on him. The Lightning eventually won the game 2-1 in double overtime.

"It's nice, but it doesn't mean much." Bishop said at the time, relayed by CBC Sports. "You've got to put it out of your mind pretty quickly. We have to get ready for the next one."

Bishop came away from his poor performances with the same mindset, using that short-term memory to help the Lightning reach to the Stanley Cup Final.

10. Tarasenko's Big Series

Vladimir Tarasenko had about as good a postseason a guy who didn't make it out of the first round can have.

The right wing scored six goals in the Blues' series loss to the Wild and put on a show—earning a hat trick—in a 4-1 St. Louis win in Game 2.

Though he needed an empty-net goal to seal his hat trick, three goals are three goals.

He demonstrated great concentration to put the Blues ahead 1-0 and scored from an almost impossible angle to extend their lead to 2-0.

"For us to have success, our best players have to be significant and that was a big step today." Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said, per USA Today. "We needed more of that and we got it."

Tarasenko didn't do enough for the Blues to win the series, but he did about all he could.

9. Dale Weise Ties and Wins Game 3

Dale Weise fulfilled ever hockey player's childhood dream in a Game 3 Montreal Canadiens win over the Ottawa Senators in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

With under six minutes to go, Weise scored the tying goal, catching the puck in mid-air and quickly putting it down to fire a shot.

But Weise wasn't done with his late-game heroics.

He scored the game-winner in overtime, giving Montreal a 3-0 lead in the series. There was some debate as to whether the puck hit the glove of another Canadiens player on its way to Weise, but the goal stood.

"Anytime you score a winner like that it's pretty special," Weise said, according to Michael Traikos of the National Post. He continued:

"I got pretty excited about that first one too it was a big goal. I just felt like we were pressuring and pressuring and we needed a good bounce like that to put the puck in the net. And thank goodness it was me."

8. Jonathan Toews Scores 2 Goals in Less Than 2 Minutes

It looked as if the game was over and Anaheim had itself a nice 4-2 win in regulation, but Jonathan Toews had other ideas. 

Toews found the back of the net twice in the span of 72 seconds to force overtime and give Chicago a chance to go up 3-2 in the Western Conference Final.

"Most guys, if not everybody in this room, definitely believe that that's when we play our best when our backs are against the wall," Toews said according to USA Today's Hemal Jhaveri. 

It doesn't get more clutch than that, but unfortunately for Chicago, Anaheim scored first in overtime. 

Had the Blackhawks gone on to win the game, this would have been much higher on the list.

7. Scott Darling Relieves Corey Crawford

You can't pull your starting goaltender in the middle of a potential series-clincher, can you?

Not only can you do so, but it can be the right move too.

The Blackhawks' Scott Darling came on for Corey Crawford in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal against the Nashville Predators after the starter surrendered three goals in the first period. Darling did better than the Blackhawks could have asked or hoped.

The rookie didn't allow a single goal the rest of the way, making 42 saves and giving his team a chance to come back and win it in double overtime.

He was particularly impressive in the third period, coming up with numerous clutch deflections. 

"I think everybody on the bench got an immediate lift there, like, 'Ok, we dodged a bullet there,'" Duncan Keith said, according to Brian Hedger of NHL.com. "He saved us big-time."

Crawford eventually got his starting job back, but Darling was the reason Chicago won its first game of the postseason.

6. Jonathan Toews Sets the Tone in Game 7

In a Game 7 on the road, you can't overstate the importance of quieting the crowd early on, and that's exactly what Toews did in the Western Conference Final against the Anaheim Ducks.

About two-and-a-half minutes into the contest, Toews—positioned near the crease—opened the scoring, which was especially important because the team that scored first won each game in this series. 

Later in the first period, Toews silenced the Honda Center crowd with a bullet past Frederik Andersen's left mitt. Before the first intermission, Ducks fans went from potentially impacting the outcome of the game, to sitting quietly on their seats, as Chicago clinched the Western Conference with a 5-3 win.

It wasn't that close, though. Toews' first-period goals gave the Blackhawks all the momentum and they ultimately got off to a 4-0 lead, but Anaheim did convert on some harmless scoring chances late once the game was out of reach.

Toews did what captains are supposed to do in big games, serving as the catalyst for a series-clinching victory.

"He's just an amazing player," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said of Toews, according to ABC7.com. "He just seems to excel in big moments, big stages, and shows he's as good a leader as in any sport."

5. Henrik Lundqvist Comes Up Big in the Semis

The Rangers found themselves with their backs against the wall in the Eastern Conference Semifinal against the Capitals, but Henrik Lundqvist saved them from an early playoff exit.

With his team down three games to one, Lundqvist came up with three marvelous performances in a row to help New York reach the conference final.

The Rangers won Game 5 in overtime behind a 28-save effort from their netminder.

They also took Game 6, but the three goals they allowed in the 4-3 victory are no indication of the kind of game Lundqvist had. He was under pressure from Washington's attack all night and finished with 42 saves, making up for the poor defense in front of him.

The highlight of the game came on a great pad save that robbed Alex Ovechkin of a game-tying goal in the third.

Returning home for Game 7, Lundqvist—who tallied 35 saves—was stellar as the Rangers prevailed 2-1 in overtime again. He turned a potential go-ahead goal away in the second period and did more of the same in overtime before Derek Stepan won it for New York.

"He's amazing," Rangers defenseman Keith Yandle said, via Sports Illustrated's Sarah Barshop. "He comes to work every day and it trickles down throughout our whole group. To see the best goalie in the world doing that every day, it really helps us, and helps us get through it."

He certainly was amazing during the final three games of that series, carrying New York to a conference championship appearance. 

4. Tyler Johnson Starts and Finishes Comeback over Red Wings

Playing on the road in Game 4 of the Quarterfinals, with the Red Wings about to take a commanding 3-1 series lead, Tyler Johnson gave Tampa Bay new life in the third period and won it in overtime.

With under six minutes to play, Johnson cut Detroit's lead to 2-1, giving Tampa Bay hope down the stretch.

A little over a minute later, Ondrej Palat tied things up, which ultimately sent the game to overtime, when Johnson completed the comeback.

After the game, Johnson gave some credit to Victor Hedman, who set him up with the pass on the winning goal.

"He made an unbelievable play to me, and I was able to get enough on it to get it in there" Johnson said, via ESPN.com. 

With a little help from Hedman and a lot of help from Johnson, the Lightning evened the series at two.

3. Corey Crawford's 60-Save Game

It took them six periods, but the Blackhawks tied the Western Conference Final with the Anaheim Ducks at one game apiece with a 3-2 triple-overtime Game 2 win thanks in large part to the play of goaltender Corey Crawford.

Crawford conceded just two goals on 62 shot attempts, overcoming numerous scoring threats by the Ducks.

The 30-year-old was an absolute force in net, deflecting every puck that came his way from the third period all the way through the third overtime.

"He was outstanding. Our best player tonight," Chicago's Andrew Shaw said after Game 2, per Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times. "We needed that from him. He stood on his head. He won us that game."

The Ducks had plenty of chances, but Crawford was unrelenting. With just under 13 minutes to go in the second overtime, he maintained his composure after a shot off the stick of Sami Vatanen ricocheted off the post and regrouped to make a couple of high-pressure saves.

In the waning minutes of the second overtime, he diverted a blazing one-timer from Cam Fowler and exhibited his outstanding reflexes and flexibility with an unbelievable pad save on Corey Perry seconds later. 

Facing the possibility of going down 2-0 in the series, Crawford repeatedly extended the game with as good a performance as you'll see by a goaltender.

2. Tyler Johnson's Hat Trick Saves Tampa's Season

With the Lightning trailing 1-0 in the series, Johnson single-handedly evened the Eastern Conference Final against the Rangers.

Going down 0-2 would have put Tampa Bay in a dubious position, but Johnson didn't allow that to happen, putting the puck past one of the best goaltenders in the NHL three times on one evening.

That he scored in three different manners is testament to the myriad ways he can make plays. Furthermore, one goal was short-handed, one was on a power play and one at even strength.

The center gave his team an early 1-0 lead with a goal on a breakaway that just sneaked past Lundqvist. Later in the first period, with the score knotted at one, Johnson scored on a slap shot.

He didn't cap off his hat trick with an empty net goal—he completed the feat with a goal off a rebound, never giving up on the play. The goal gave Tampa Bay a 3-1 lead it would never relinquish, as it played with confidence the rest of the way in a 6-2 victory.

"The bigger the game, the better he plays," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said, according to Joe Smith of Tampa.com. "That Tyler Johnson. To do it in the greatest league in the world, on the biggest stage, in the world's most famous arena, it's pretty impressive. It doesn't get any bigger than that. It's been unreal to watch."

The Lightning went on to beat the Rangers in seven games, but had it not been for Johnson's exceptional showing in Game 2, it's fair to wonder if they would have even made it to the Stanley Cup Final.

1. Duncan Keith During Chicago's Entire Playoff Run

There's nothing left to say about Duncan Keith and the job he did over the last two months, helping Chicago claim its sixth Stanley Cup.

As if there was ever any doubt, he was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy—which you can see in the video above—for his consistency throughout the playoffs.

Keith did it all for the Blackhawks, and he played 715 minutes in the process, per ESPN, making him the fourth defenseman to surpass the 700-minute mark since it became a statistic in 2001. 

He finished tied for fourth in points, with 21—three goals and league-high-matching 18 assists. Equally impressive is the +16 plus-minus with which he ended up, five more than second-place Hedman of the Lightning.

Not known for his goal scoring, Keith put the puck in the back of the net to give Chicago a 1-0 lead in the Stanley Cup-clinching Game 6.

"We all know he's going to go down as one of the great players to play the game," Toews said, via NHL.com. "In our room, we knew that before the playoffs, but he keeps proving it time and time again. So I couldn't be happier for a guy like that. It's really incredible."

It was fascinating to watch Keith elevate his play when his team needed him most, and he did it from their first playoff game of the season against the Nashville Predators, scoring the game-winner in double overtime.

He doesn't score often, but he makes it count when he does.

One of his more memorable performances came in Game 6 of that Quarterfinal against the Predators, when he again scored the winning goal and grabbed a couple of assists to boot.

Then, of course, there's Game 6 of the Western Conference Final, when he assisted on three of Chicago's five goals, making game-changing, high-IQ plays.

Playing on a team with a number of superstars, Keith stood out, leading the way for the world champions.