16 Sleepers: A potential unsung hero for every 2025-26 playoff team
The Stanley Cup Playoffs provide the biggest stage for an NHL player. With all eyes on them, some see the spotlight and wither, whether that be star players or depth players. But some take the bright lights and thrive. The superstars usually hog that spotlight, but every now and then, a player further down the lineup gets it and builds a name for themselves (and sometimes, a big pay day along with it).
Today at Daily Faceoff, we’ll dive into one player on every team who has the potential to be this unsung hero for their respective teams and could be an underrated driving force if they go on a deep playoff run.
Anaheim Ducks: Ryan Poehling
The Ducks went for substance over style when they swapped Trevor Zegras out for Poehling and a couple of draft picks last summer. One year later, it feels like both the Ducks and the Flyers got exactly what they wanted in that deal. Zegras has been a great fit in Philadelphia, but Poehling has thrived in a different way in Anaheim while flying under the radar a little bit. Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville has relied heavily upon Poehling as his No. 3 center for much of the year; meanwhile, Pat Verbeek rewarded the 27-year-old pivot with a new four-year contract extension last month. Poehling has never skated in a playoff game during his career, but his no-nonsense approach should translate effortlessly to the postseason grind. — MIKE GOULD
Boston Bruins: Mark Kastelic
The Bruins leaned heavily on star goalie Jeremy Swayman and a killer power play to make it back to this stage, but good luck convincing their fans that a return to the Big, Bad ways of old had nothing to do with it. Kastelic was in the middle of that identity shift, finishing 14th in the NHL in hits (214) and T-20th in blocks by a forward (64), all the while finding time for heavyweight tilts with Mathieu Olivier and Kurtis MacDermid, to name a few. Kastelic might not find any willing dance partners in the playoffs, given the stakes. Still, don’t be surprised to see him use his physicality to ramp up the intensity level, especially in games that aren’t going well for the B’s. This blurb could just as well have described linemate Tanner Jeannot, though Kastelic has shown more value between the whistles this season (12 G, 60.8 FO%). – ANTHONY TRUDEAU
Buffalo Sabres: Zach Benson
Benson’s season-long stat line doesn’t wow because he missed 17 games, but he’s been a fantastic facilitator when in the lineup. He’s just so versatile, second on the team in assists per 60 at 5-on-5 yet also third in individual high-danger scoring chances per 60 and third in takeaways per 60. No Sabre with at least 10 games played has a better 5-on-5 on-ice shot attempt share, either. If teams are keying on the bigger stars such as Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Rasmus Dahlin, Benson can hurt them, especially if he’s playing on the third line and potentially drawing easier matchups. – MATT LARKIN
Carolina Hurricanes: Alexander Nikishin
The big, talented Russian blueliner was an afterthought in Rod Brind’Amour’s lineup last spring, still green in his first taste of the NHL, but he’s now a trusted member of Carolina’s D-corps. Nikishin does so many things well; he can shoot the puck, create offense for others and play a physical game. He’s particularly dangerous as a 5-on-5 two-way threat; if you look at the pairings with the best expected goal share in the NHL this season, Nikishin occupies three of the top 10 spots – with three different partners. He hasn’t gotten a ton of exposure in a relatively obscure market and under the shadow of other sensational rookies this season, but if the Ottawa Senators sleep on him, he’ll make them pay. – MATT LARKIN
Colorado Avalanche: Gabriel Landeskog
Their captain? Really? Hear me out, though. Injuries limited him to just 35 points in 60 games. He might have been able to hit 50 points in a full season, but nobody really expected him to play close to all 82 games after missing three straight regular seasons. He hasn’t played more than 60 games since 2018-19. But, man, we know what he’s capable of when the going gets tough. He’s been through so much the past few years that he simply hasn’t been close to the same, dominant force we remember him to be. Consistency has been a bit of a mixed bag for Landeskog this year, but when he’s feeling it, he can be a big-time shot generator in high-danger areas. If he can find another gear in his game, the Avalanche are going to be downright lethal. – STEVEN ELLIS
Dallas Stars: Nils Lundkvist
For far too many years of this Stars almost-dynasty, their biggest issue has been their depth on defense. While Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell have been mainstays, and Thomas Harley has emerged in recent years to give them at least three competent defenders in their top-four, the fourth has been a consistent vacancy. They’ve tried with Ryan Suter, Ilya Lyubushkin and Cody Ceci, and only really found success there in 2024 with deadline acquisition Chris Tanev. While Tyler Myers was Dallas’ deadline acquisition this year, he’s mostly played in a bottom-pair role, with Harley instead playing alongside Lundkvist. The two have played at their best alongside each other and complement each other both in terms of moving the puck and defensively. We all know Harley can show up in the postseason, but Lundkvist was consistently in Peter DeBoer’s dog house come playoff time, so we don’t know what he truly is yet unter Glen Gulutzan. If Lundkvist can maintain his form, the Stars will be tough team to crack defensively. – SCOTT MAXWELL
Edmonton Oilers: Vasily Podkolzin
The Oilers rightfully took a lot of flak when they lost Dylan Holloway to the St. Louis Blues two summers ago, but they might not have gotten enough credit for how they pivoted to Podkolzin shortly thereafter. It’s hard to believe the Moscow product is still only 24, but he’s really showing why the Vancouver Canucks were so keen on him with the No. 10 overall pick in 2019. Podkolzin has been such a perfect fit on a line with Leon Draisaitl since coming to Edmonton, and if No. 29 returns to action at any point in the postseason, expect that chemistry to come right back with him. After scoring 10 points in 22 playoff games last spring, Podkolzin could be even more productive this time around if the Oilers can go on another run. — MIKE GOULD
Los Angeles Kings: Scott Laughton
For almost two decades of Kings hockey, the shutdown option and top scorer at center was the same person. Anze Kopitar’s defensive impacts have slipped ever so slightly with age (38), though, and now that the future Hall-of-Famer is skating with offensive dynamo Artemi Panarin, it’s that much more unlikely L.A. hard matches him to other teams’ stars. Enter Scott Laughton, who’s done an underrated job replacing Phillip Danault on the Kings’ third line. Laughton’s offense has been trending in the wrong direction for a couple of years, but he still moves well and limits chances. He’s a faceoff demon (57.7 FO%) since returning to the center position full-time, and Laughton’s ability to pester opposition stars will be crucial if the Kings plan on making any noise out west. –ANTHONY TRUDEAU
Minnesota Wild: Danila Yurov
A lot has been made about the Wild’s depth (or lack thereof) down the middle, but maybe it will be just good enough to get by. Joel Eriksson Ek is the Swedish Mikko Koivu with his two-way prowess, and Ryan Hartman has proven to be a strong complement to Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello. But another intriguing option the Wild have down the middle is Yurov. The rookie didn’t produce out-of-this-world numbers with 27 points in 73 games, but where he’s excelled this season is defensively with a -0.069 5v5 regularized adjusted plus-minus expected goals against per 60 minutes. And still with a first-round pedigree at only 22 years old, there’s plenty of offensive upside. He’s worked well to give the Wild more forward depth on a third line alongside the physical Yakov Trenin and the rejuvenated Vladimir Tarasenko, and should injury come to either Eriksson Ek or Hartman, Yurov may have an even bigger chance to shine. – SCOTT MAXWELL
Montreal Canadiens: Oliver Kapanen
Kapanen was one of just a handful of rookie forwards to crack the 20-goal mark this season. The Canadiens need their secondary scoring to step up if they’re going to go deep. The Finnish forward has struggled recently, with just two points since March 26 (both in a 4-1 victory over Nashville on March 28). His ice time started to fall a bit, with him even getting separated from Ivan Demidov and being moved to the wing on the third line. Having Kapanen as the No. 2 center always felt a bit forced – he projects more as a solid bottom-sixer. We’ll see if he can find his mojo again this spring, because he’s very effective in tight quarters. – STEVEN ELLIS
Ottawa Senators: Jordan Spence
Spence is more of a well-known commodity than a well-kept secret after a rash of defensive injuries led him to average more than 26 minutes during the six contests the Sens were without both Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot. That Ottawa won three of those games shows how comfortable the former King has become in top-four minutes. His clean exit passing and high IQ have been critical to Ottawa’s continued evolution into an elite defensive club. Spence has cleared every hurdle in the Canadian capital so far, but the next step is the most important; we’ve often seen smaller defenders who aren’t dominant scorers struggle to distinguish themselves during this time of year. Can the 188-pound Spence buck that trend against a nightmare Carolina forecheck? – ANTHONY TRUDEAU
Philadelphia Flyers: Tyson Foerster
An analytic darling who brushed shoulders with Nathan MacKinnon at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, Foerster is already highly regarded by those in the know. Still, missing more than 50 games with hand and elbow injuries has made him feel like an added late-season bonus more than a key man for the upstart Flyers. If the club’s 51-win pace with the brawny Steelheads alum in the lineup is anything to go by, he won’t be a forgotten man for long. Foerster’s elite ability to win battles on the wall keeps the puck moving in the right direction for the Orange and Black, and when they get their preferred brand of offense from the cycle working, his team-best shot really shines. Expect opposition fans to ask “where’d this guy come from?” a few times this spring about the sniper who fired Philadelphia back into the postseason after six years away. – ANTHONY TRUDEAU
Pittsburgh Penguins: Ryan Shea
More than half this Penguins roster could apply for this spot, as their season has been nothing but watching unsung heroes step up and play to their maximum potential. But none has seen a bigger jump than Shea. I broke down a bit more of Shea’s breakout season last month, but he’s been a completely different player for Pittsburgh this season, and he added more defensive depth beyond the veterans in Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang. It’s usually been in a bottom-pair role, but when injuries have called upon it, Shea’s been just as good in the top four and could see this breakout season come to the forefront in the playoffs. – SCOTT MAXWELL
Tampa Bay Lightning: Corey Perry
No need to overthink this one. On the vibes alone, the pick for Tampa has to be Perry, right? Not only is he as effective as ever at irritating opponents – he sits in the 92nd percentile in penalties drawn per 60 this season – but, even at 40, he can come up big in high-stakes moments. He scored 10 goals in 22 games last postseason with the Edmonton Oilers and even led the playoffs in power-play goals with five. He’s more support player than key contributor in Tampa, but that’s precisely what makes him dangerous. All eyes will be on the Nikita Kucherovs and Jake Guentzels of the world while ‘The Worm’ sneaks up and buries the knife in his opponent’s back. – MATT LARKIN
Utah Mammoth: John Marino
Clayton Keller, Dylan Guenther, and Logan Cooley rightfully get much of the credit for Utah’s ascent, but Marino has been an incredible find for Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong. While the 6’1″ righty has always been a capable defensive defender, he’s found another level in his second year in Utah, setting new career highs with 32 assists and 36 points while posting a downright unfathomable +43 rating, by far and away the best on the team. For reference: Mikhail Sergachev is a +3, while Sean Durzi is a -12. The Mammoth added MacKenzie Weegar at the deadline to strengthen their blueline, but that doesn’t mean they should stop feeding Marino big minutes. — MIKE GOULD
Vegas Golden Knights: Reilly Smith
You’d be forgiven for forgetting that Smith was back in Vegas, although you might not have even realized that he’d left in the first place (without looking it up, try naming the two teams he played for in the meantime). The 35-year-old winger is firmly into “veteran depth” territory after winning the Cup with Vegas as a top-sixer back in 2022. It’s hard to say exactly how much playing time Smith will get for Vegas in these playoffs, but this Knights team will need as much help as it can get against a pretty deep Utah squad. Smith has 83 playoff points in his career, including 70 with Vegas. — MIKE GOULD
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