NHL Playoffs 2011: The Unsung Heroes of All 16 Playoff Teams
At this time of year, you hear it all the time. Role players, role players, role players. The big names get the headlines, but it is the meat and potatoes guys that do the necessary grunt work to advance in the playoffs. Last year it was guys like John Madden, Blair Betts and Hal Gill.
Who will emerge this year as a vital piece of the post-season puzzle? Will it be the same usual suspects blocking shots and creating momentum with big hits?
Let's take a look at the likely candidates...
Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks
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Vancouver Canucks
Jannick Hansen
Manny Malhotra might have garnered all the headlines with his stellar defensive play this year, but now that he is out, the attention needs to be redirected to Jannick Hansen. When the playoffs start on Wednesday night, a lot of the important play will come from the third lines and on the penalty kill. This is where many games are won and lost despite what the media might tell you.
And in this area Hansen shines. He has taken his game to another level this season. His giveaway-takeaway ratio is impeccable at 16-42. He plays an average of 2:24 on the PK every game, and leads the team in hits with 149. Not bad for a so-called no-name.
Chicago Blackhawks
Niklas Hjalmarsson
One of the underrated studs on the Chicago Blackhawks blueline is Hjalmarsson.
The organization thinks so highly of him that they matched the RFA offer he received from San Jose in the offseason. The decision wasn't even difficult despite the cap crunch they were under at the time. He is the perfect compliment to Brian Campbell and is versatile enough to pair up with someone else without missing a beat. He plays over two minutes a game on the penalty kill, is a good puck mover, and leads the team in blocked shots (166).
San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings
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San Jose Sharks
Douglas Murray
Another impressive defenseman that often goes overlooked is Douglas Murray.
He plays a solid defensive game and is considered a vital cog in the Sharks machine. When the playoffs kick up a gear, players like him become indispensable. Who would replace his 203 hits if he was out of the lineup? That kind of physical play can wear down opposing lines over the course of a long series. He is second on the team with 140 blocked shots and plays a regular shift on the penalty kill.
Los Angeles Kings
Jarret Stoll
If the Los Angeles Kings have any hope in the first round, guys like Jarret Stoll are going to need to step up in a big way. Then again, if anyone can become an unsung hero it's Jarret Stoll. His overall game is irreplaceable. To go along with 20 goals and 23 assists this year, he has a 164 hits, kills penalties, and has an amazing 57.5 winning percentage in the faceoff dot.
Detroit Red Wings vs. Phoenix Coyotes
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Detroit Red Wings
Darren Helm
Pavel Datsyuk might get all the Selke Trophy glory and limelight, but the best checking center on the team comes in the form of Darren Helm.
He has really made a name for himself this year after injuries gave him an opportunity to play more minutes and carve out a permanent role on the team. He leads the league in penalty-killing minutes with 3:03 and is among the Red Wings leaders in hits with 128. His giveaway-takeaway ratio is the best on the team (yes better than Datsyuk's) and boasts an impressive 52.4 percent on faceoffs.
Phoenix Coyotes
Lauri Korpikoski
Much like Helm, Lauri Korpikoski has had a breakout season of sorts in Phoenix. He is second only to Helm in penalty killing time per game with 3:01. His plus-17 rating is impressive considering his role on the team. In fact, he is much more than a one-way checking forward. This season he upped his point total to 40 with 19 goals. A large part of his offensive success is his shooting accuracy. He is among he league leaders in that department at 18.4 percent.
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Anaheim Ducks vs. Nashville Predators
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Anaheim Ducks
Toni Lydman
Once again we have another great player that never gets the press he deserves. The media love the flashy household names, but where would teams like Anaheim be without the likes of Lydman? He blocked a boat-load of shots this year (178), hits everything in sight (141) and plays a whopping 3:43 on the penalty kill (most on the team). He is easily Anaheim's most unsung hero.
Nashville Predators
Nick Spaling
A lot of casual hockey fans can't even name five players on the Predators, but one name they should know going into this series is Nick Spaling.
What he has done this year is simply amazing given where he came from and how young he is. He is only 22 and doing things that 10-year vets do. He averages 2:40 on the penalty kill and is one of the primary reasons why Nashville ranks so high in this category. He has he highest giveaway-takeaway ratio on the team (15-41) and should be a key piece of the playoff puzzle for Nashville this season.
Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers
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Washington Capitals
Karl Alzner
The defensive corp in Washington is loaded with names that people are familar with—John Carlson, Dennis Wideman, Mike Green, etc etc. However, one name that has been tremendously unheralded this season is Karl Alzner.
Alzner is not getting nearly enough credit for his play alongside John Carlson this year. The pair have easily been the team's most consistent and steady grouping and Alzner's play allows Carlson to join the rush and take offensive chances. Alzner blocked 132 shots this year and also plays vital minutes on the penalty kill. Boudreau also sends him out to close out a game in the final minutes.
New York Rangers
Dan Girardi
For some teams it's difficult narrowing it down to one unsung hero. For the New York Rangers the choice is easy. Dan Girardi has quietly become a monster on the back end and along with Marc Staal, combine for one of the more formidable duos on the blueline this season. His stats back up his nomination. 195 hits, 236 blocked shots, 3:12 PK, 2:01 PP and 24:34 total ice time. Wow.
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Buffalo Sabres
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Philadelphia Flyers
Darroll Powe
I wrestled between Blair Betts and Darroll Powe, but I ultimately went with Powe.
His stats play has been that good this year and when you play for a team like the Flyers, players like Powe need all the recognition he can get. However, if you look at what he does for this team it's not hard to see why he deserves it. He has 196 hits under his belt, over three minutes per game on the penalty kill and only 12 giveaway in 81 games played.
Buffalo Sabres
This 5'9" inch firecracker has been nothing short of sensational this season.
From the very start of the season Lindy Ruff has had him shifting from line to line and regardless of his linemates or how many minutes he gets per game, he continues to produce. In his first full season he put up 20 goals and 30 assists.
One might think that a player his size and his amount of experience could be a liability defensively. Think again. Ruff trusted him in all game situations this year and Ennis finished with a 25-45 giveaway-takeaway ratio. At 21 years of age, he has already become one of Buffalo's unsung heroes.
Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens
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Boston Bruins
Dennis Seidenberg
Very simply, Dennis Seidenberg was an absolute steal from the Carolina Hurricanes.
What he gives the Bruins on a nightly basis is remarkable. He leads the team in hits (167) and blocked shots (174). On top of this, he is trusted in all game situations with over two minutes each on the power play and penalty kill. This fearless leader plays 23-plus minutes a game and will no doubt be one of Boston's unsung heroes this postseason.
Montreal Canadiens
Travis Moen
Last season Montreal was littered with unsung heroes. It would have been difficult to pick just one. Collectively their heart beat as one as they blocked shots, played through pain, and willed themselves to the conference championship.
This season feels a little bit different, but one guy who we can count on to give it his all is Travis Moen. He's only given the puck away seven times all year despite playing 79 games and is second on the team in hits (129). The Habs will need every ounce of his abilities on the penalty kill and with a little luck, Moen might even pot a goal.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
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Pittsburgh Penguins
Paul Martin
After the Montreal Canadiens ousted the Pittsburgh Penguins in shocking fashion last year, the Pens didn't waste much time upgrading their defense.
Everyone remembers Sergei Gonchar standing flat-flooted giving up a short-handed goal in Game 7 and Ray Shero wasn't about to let that happen again this year.
The media is in love with Kris Letang, but Paul Martin has been a huge factor in changing their defensive fortunes this season. He has 129 blocked shots, a great giveaway-takeaway ratio and plays monster minutes on the ice—2:44 PK, 3:02 PP and 23-plus overall.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Adam Hall
Choosing an unsung hero from the Lightning was easy, but it's a guy that most people don't really know about due to the fact that he plays on the same team as Martin St Louis and Steven Stamkos.
When the team needs a big hit and an energy shift, Adam Hall is the one who gets the tap on the shoulder. He leads the team with 152 hits and is the number one penalty killer with 2:44 per game. A lot of the pundits are picking the Penguins to take care of the new-look Lightning, but if there is an upset in the cards, Hall will be a driving force.
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