Who's Hot And Cold In The NHL Playoffs: Mitch Marner Heats Up
Mitch Marner set a new personal playoff standard with the Vegas Golden Knights this past week.
With 63 points in 70 career playoff games before joining Vegas, Marner wasn't necessarily shutting off his production when the post-season arrived. But when the Toronto Maple Leafs had a chance to win their series during Marner's time with them, he wasn't the same all-star. He either recorded an assist or no points.
That was not the case on May 1 against the Utah Mammoth.
Marner has been one of the NHL's hottest players of the last week, and he'll look to keep it going on Game 2 of Vegas' second-round series versus the Anaheim Ducks Wednesday evening.
Golden Knights vs Ducks Game 1 Analysis: Hart, Marner Dominant in Controversial 3-1 Win
The Anaheim Ducks and the Vegas Golden Knights entered the Second Round as two of the top teams in the league when it comes to goals per game. The Ducks were second in the league with an average of 4.33 goals per game; the Golden Knights were fourth with 3.83. And yet, in a series promising offense, this was a 1-0 game with eight minutes remaining in the third period.
Cold: Cole Caufield, RW, Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens outlasted the Tampa Bay Lightning in Round 1, although Caufield was held off the scoresheet in Games 5, 6 and 7.
After a strong start to the post-season that included four points in his first four games against the Bolts, Caufield's offensive production vanished.
Caufield's ice time fluctuated greatly this past week. He logged only 13:13 of ice time in Game 5 as the Habs defended their lead late. He then logged 19:41 in Game 6, which went to overtime, and in Game 7, he played only 14:29.
Montreal needs more consistently strong performances out of the 51-goal scorer if they're to beat the Buffalo Sabres in Round 2.
Canadiens' Top Line Must Break Through
The Montreal Canadiens' top line should play a much more offensive role in the second round.
Hot: Quinn Hughes, D, Minnesota Wild
The Wild trail the Avalanche 2-0 in their series, but you certainly can't lay that at the feet of star defenseman Hughes, who posted three goals and six points in three games since last Wednesday.
Hughes also averaged a stunning 28:40 of ice time, which trailed only Philadelphia Flyers D-man Travis Sanheim (28:43) among players who appeared in three games this past week.
Hughes, 26, has been everything Minnesota GM Bill Guerin hoped he'd be when he acquired the Vancouver Canucks captain.
When July 1 hits, however, Guerin will try to ensure Hughes remains in Minnesota. He's eligible for a contract extension and could become a UFA in the summer of 2027.
If the Wild win a Stanley Cup or continue to show lots of promise, Hughes may choose to remain in Minnesota over the long haul.
In any case, Hughes has been spectacular for the Wild in the post-season, and if Minnesota comes back in this series against the Avs, it will be because Hughes helped them get there.
Wild Facing 2-0 Hole With A Major Goalie Decision Looming
Trailing 2-0 against Colorado, Minnesota faces a high-stakes crossroads. With the season slipping away, the Wild must choose between their struggling $34 million veteran and a heralded rookie.
Cold: Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning
After another excellent regular season, Kucherov went without a point in the Lightning's final three games against Montreal.
Kucherov exited the post-season with only five assists and six points in seven games – numbers that would be great for 99 percent of the league. But for a consistent Art Ross Trophy front-runner like Kucherov, they aren't nearly so impressive.
The Lightning have failed to get beyond the first round for the past four years. In that span, Kucherov has played 23 games while putting up 21 assists and 23 points. Ideally, the Lightning want Kucherov to be as dominant in the post-season as he's been in the regular season, and that hasn't happened.
NHL Rumor Roundup: Could The Lightning Move Kucherov? Will The Stars Peddle Robertson?
Early playoff exits by the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars have raised questions about the futures of Nikita Kucherov and Jason Robertson.
Hot: Martin Necas, RW, Colorado Avalanche
Fine, we could have gone with Nathan MacKinnon, who had two goals and six points in just two games this past week. But we wanted to shout out another forward for the Avs who had just two points in the first round.
In Games 1 and 2 against the Wild, Necas had four assists and five points, giving him six assists and seven points in six playoff games.
The 27-year-old has 42 points in 72 career post-season games, but he's now producing at a point-per-game pace in these playoffs.
Inside The Trust Shift: How Jared Bednar Unlocked Martin Nečas In Denver
A high-end offensive talent arrives in Denver, where Jared Bednar believes structure, trust, and buy-in have already turned Martin Nečas into a fully complete player.
Necas could be headed toward a Stanley Cup showdown against his former team, the Carolina Hurricanes. The Avalanche and Hurricanes are undefeated through six games, leading their second-round series 2-0 after sweeping their opponents in the first round.
But his Grade-A playmaking skills are one of the reasons why the Avalanche are arguably the deepest, most skilled team in the league. Necas is entering his prime.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Hockey News
This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 4:11 PM.