The rookies in the Eastern Conference have been eye-catching in these Stanley Cup playoffs. The Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres are receiving contributions from youngsters, while the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins would like more.
In the first week of the Stanley Cup playoffs, we’ve seen plenty of unlikely storylines. Amongst the rookies in this post-season, some are just getting a taste of what it’s like, while others have hit the ground running and delivered.
Storylines we didn’t see coming were Porter Martone’s immediate comfort level in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers or the fire that's roaring with the Buffalo Sabres.
However, with good times come hard times. That's the case for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ben Kindel, as well as the silence of James Hagens despite his limited role with the Boston Bruins.
There’s a ton of pressure in asking a first-year pro to play in the most intense games of the season, but this is where they earn their money. Let’s see how the rookies are faring so far during the playoffs.
Hot: Porter Martone, RW, Philadelphia Flyers
Since losing out with Michigan State in the quarter-final of the NCAA tournament, Martone jumped right into the Flyers' top six and was an immediate burst of energy for an already determined playoff contender.
Martone went bar down for the game-winning goal in the Flyers' 3-2 win in Game 1 over the Penguins, and opened the scoring in Game 2 with a backhand shot from a rebound.
In Philadelphia's 3-0 series lead, Martone’s two goals lead the team, and his three points tie the team high. Martone averages three shots per game and has a plus-four rating, earning a plus in every game.
Martone plays a perfect playoff style to be able to give, take, and avoid hits while making plays up and down the ice. His point streak is now at nine games dating back to the regular season, where he has six goals and 12 points in that span.
Porter Martone (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)Cold: Ben Kindel, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
After a surprising year of making the team out of camp and manning his own line, Ben Kindel has been point-less and slapped with a minus-3 in the first three games of the series against the Flyers. In the regular season, Kindel put in a bid for the Calder Trophy this year, scoring 17 goals and 35 points in 77 games.
Pittsburgh has been dry altogether this post-season with only six players recording a point. But, they're missing depth scoring from Kindel, as well as Anthony Mantha and Justin Brazeau, who have all been shuffled around in the bottom six.
Kindel’s playing time has reduced from 15:04 in the regular season to 12:22 this post-season.
Although he has never been relied upon for faceoffs, every little bit matters in the playoffs, and Kindel’s 42.9 percent in the last three games is similar to his 43.6 percent over the regular season. Neither of which is enough for his line to dominate shifts.
After going 0-7 in the first two games, Pittsburgh’s power play scored two in Game 3. Kindel scored 10 points on the power play this year and can be a key contributor if the power play gets going.
Hot: Noah Ostlund, C, Buffalo Sabres
With the absence of Josh Norris in Game 3, Noah Ostlund stepped in and delivered in a pivotal series split against the Boston Bruins. Ostlund recorded a goal and an assist, as well as two shots in 14:18 of ice time after missing the last 12 games with an upper-body injury.
Ostlund also recorded a plus-2 rating and the Sabres took a 2-1 series lead over the Bruins.
Ostlund played a big part in that win with the primary assist on the tying goal and an empty-netter to seal the win for Buffalo. After starting out the year with the Rochester Americans in the AHL, Ostlund recorded 27 points in 60 NHL regular-season contests with a plus-11 and an 18.3 shooting percentage.
Ostlund has walked in and picked up right where he left off on the third line with Josh Doan and Zach Benson, although both are looking for their first point of the series.
Cold: James Hagens, C, Boston Bruins
The seventh overall pick in last year's draft spent most of his year with Boston College in the NCAA, but after the National tournament, Hagens got in his first two games prior to playoffs, where he had two shots and an assist, along with a plus-one.
Hagens looked comfortable, but there was still some question whether he would have made the lineup for the playoffs. The 19-year-old signed an amateur tryout deal with the American League's Providence Bruins before being called up after six games and found a spot in the middle six on the Bruins.
After recording over a point per game in college this season, Hagens is minus-two in two games in the post-season with an average of 10:50 of ice time, which is down from his 14:33 in the regular season.
The Bruins' power play has two goals on 12 attempts, running at 16.7 percent, which is down from their regular-season conversion of 23.4 percent.
It’s been tough sledding for Hagens, but more ice time and with his offensive skills on the power play may be just what the Bruins need to get him going.
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