Stanley Cup contenders build around homegrown superstars, but they need skaters throughout the lineup to provide significant support. By filling a variety of valuable roles, these seven players make their teams deeper and more dangerous.
Mikko Rantanen, Stars
Rantanen is the ultimate in-season addition. His arrival at the trade deadline and extension through 2033 for the bargain annual price of $12 million supercharged the present and future potential of Dallas' core. Rantanen's current tear made him the third NHLer to tally nine goals and 18 points in the span of seven playoff games, per Stathead. Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri scored at the same scorching rate for the 1980s Oilers.
Brad Marchand, Panthers
Marchand is thriving as a rental. The Panthers will happily trade a first-round draft pick as a condition of reaching the conference finals if the ageless pest propels them past Toronto. The former Bruin and pending unrestricted free agent will always plague the Maple Leafs. Marchand had four points in Games 1-3, including a pinballing overtime winner, and he played 22 minutes on his 37th birthday in Game 4 as Florida protected a series-tying lead.
Thomas Harley, Stars
Miro Heiskanen's long absence should have been disastrous for Dallas, but Harley saved the day with his Herculean minute-munching efforts. He averaged 24:53 of ice time over the final 30 games of the regular season and is up to 27:06 in the playoffs as a go-to puck-mover and temporary power-play quarterback. The tireless 23-year-old defenseman, a 4 Nations injury replacement, is gaining the inside track to make Canada's Olympic team on merit.
Jaccob Slavin, Hurricanes
Slavin's a tremendous penalty killer. The rangy, intelligent defenseman leads Carolina in PK minutes (3:31 per night) and wasn't caught on the ice for an opposing goal until Game 4 against the Capitals. The Canes, who stifled the Devils' power play in Round 1, have outscored New Jersey and Washington 10-2 on special teams. In the regular season, no NHL defender with a remotely similar workload suppressed PP goals and dangerous chances like Slavin.
Adam Lowry, Jets
The Jets captain, an expert in the faceoff circle, ranks second in won draws (112) behind Toronto's Auston Matthews. Lowry's 53.9% win rate dwarfs his 51.4% career average and counterbalances the struggles of Winnipeg's other three centers (combined 42.8% in the postseason). Outside of the dot, Lowry's forechecking and cycling led to his fabled overtime clincher against the Blues and allowed him to roof a rebound in Game 2 versus the Stars.
Matthew Knies, Maple Leafs
Knies is an entry-level difference-maker. The second-year power forward with five playoff goals and a $925,000 cap hit accounts for less than 4% of his talented line's price tag. His emphatic impact as the designated finisher alongside Matthews and Mitch Marner is guaranteeing Knies a steep raise in restricted free agency. He's invaluable to the Leafs, who get inconsistent scoring from the cheap veterans they shoehorn into depth roles to be cap compliant.
Connor Brown, Oilers
The 31-year-old Brown is a cheap, quality veteran. He re-upped with Edmonton for a year and $1 million to continue rediscovering his game after ACL surgery. The winger has scored in three playoff wins, and he's deked and pickpocketed Golden Knights defenders to create offense for himself and linemate Adam Henrique. Two of the Oilers' most affordable forwards - Brown and fellow shrewd vet Corey Perry - picked an excellent time to heat up.
Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.
