Which NHL players need to step up down the stretch, whether it’s to ensure their place in their team’s future, earn spots on playoff rosters or prove they can be counted on to lead the way when the postseason rolls around?
With a bit less than a month left in the regular season, The Athletic posed this question to its NHL staff this week. Here’s what our writers said: one player from each team with the most to prove the rest of the way.
John Gibson: This might seem like an odd choice given how long Gibson has had a stranglehold on the Ducks’ No. 1 goalie job, but he’s slumped badly of late after posting some strong underlying metrics earlier this season and is facing a push from understudy Lukáš Dostál. The 23-year-old Dostál has worked more consistently since the All-Star break and has gotten the call eight times in the past 13 Anaheim games. He’s also authored the highest moments in this Ducks season, with a valiant 55-save effort in an overtime loss to Toronto and a 52-stop showcase that included foiling a last-second Jack Hughes penalty shot to beat New Jersey. Now he’s coming off his first NHL shutout in beating Chicago. Gibson has had the task of playing behind a leaky Ducks team for years. Dostál is in the same boat, but he’s becoming the better one at plugging holes. — Eric Stephens
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Karel Vejmelka: Vejmelka started the season as the Coyotes’ No. 1 goalie but essentially lost the job to Connor Ingram, who has posted a credible 19-18-3 record, with a 2.87 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. By contrast, Vejmelka won his first game of the season on Oct. 21 against Anaheim and didn’t record another victory until mid-December. He’s 10-17-2 overall but has shown signs of life lately, with a modest 4-2 run in March. With playoffs for the Coyotes out of reach, Vejmelka needs a strong finish to play himself back into the conversation for more responsibility next season. — Eric Duhatschek
Jake DeBrusk: DeBrusk is on an expiring contract. He is still negotiating with the Bruins. But it remains to be seen whether they can solve their divergent opinions regarding his long-term value. If DeBrusk can emerge as a go-to scorer in the rest of the regular season and the playoffs, perhaps he can get closer to the payday he has in mind. That might be with another organization, though. — Fluto Shinzawa
Peyton Krebs: The Sabres traded Casey Mittelstadt at the deadline, which opened up more opportunity for Krebs to play a third-line role after spending most of the season on the fourth line. But the Sabres need to decide what their offseason plans are at center and whether they include Krebs playing in the top nine. The rest of the season is an audition for Krebs, who has three goals and 11 assists. — Matthew Fairburn
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Dustin Wolf: The Flames’ top prospect will get more opportunities in the NHL now that backup Dan Vladar is out for the rest of the season. Wolf is still getting acclimated to being around NHL shooters, but he needs as much time as possible with the Flames in order to properly develop. His performances between now and the end of the year will help indicate to the team how close he is to being the goalie of the future. — Julian McKenzie
Evgeny Kuznetsov: The early returns are promising, and Kuznetsov could be the X-factor in getting the Hurricanes over the hump this postseason. He’s also undoubtedly a reclamation project who has had his struggles on and off the ice. He’s been welcomed by the Hurricanes — particularly longtime friend and former Capitals teammate Dmitry Orlov — and embraced the opportunity. There will surely be some adversity along the way, and how Kuznetsov reacts to it will likely determine the perception of his time with Carolina. —…
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