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NHL.com identifies players to watch in fantasy hockey and props with EDGE stats insights for upcoming games during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. For more coverage, visit NHL.com/Fantasy.
EDGE stats: X-factor for each playoff team
Daily projected lineups, starting goalies
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Player to watch for goal, point and/or shots on goal in Game 1: Martin Necas, F, COL (at DAL)
The Colorado Avalanche forward, who was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes earlier this season, had NHL career highs in points (83 in 79 games) and assists (56) during the regular season. Since the Jan. 24 trade, Necas is among Colorado’s leaders in goals (11; third), points (28 in 30 games; third), power-play goals (five; tied for second), power-play points (15; second) and shots on goal (81; third). Necas had four points (two goals, two assists) and 12 shots on goal in three games against the Dallas Stars this season, including one goal on eight SOG against them as a member of the Avalanche on March 16. The Stars are allowing the most shots on goal per game since the 4 Nations Face-Off break (33.3 in 27 games since Feb. 20). — Pete Jensen
Player to watch for a point in Game 1: Alex Iafallo, F, WPG (vs. STL)
The Winnipeg Jets wing has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past seven games and scored a goal on six shots in a 3-1 win against the St. Louis Blues on Apr. 7. Iafallo, who had 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists) in 82 games this season, averaged 13:17 ice time per game and 18:24 in eight games in April with wing Gabriel Vilardi sidelined due to an upper-body injury. Iafallo was promoted to the top line and first power-play unit with wing Kyle Connor (97 points; seventh in entire NHL) and center Mark Scheifele(87 points; 17th in NHL), who both finished in the top 10 in goals scored (Connor 41; tied for seventh, Scheifele 39; tied for ninth). The Jets led the NHL in power play percentage (28.9) and the St. Louis Blues were tied for the fifth-worst penalty kill percentage in the NHL this season. Per NHL EDGE stats, Iafallo is in the 84th percentile in high-danger goals (13) and 78th percentile in high-danger shots (50). — Chris Meaney
Player to watch for a point and/or goal in Game 1: Wyatt Johnston, F, DAL (vs. COL)
The Dallas Stars forward had career highs in points (71), goals (33), assists (38), power-play points (25) and average ice time (18:56 per game) in 82 games this season. Johnston had 24 points in his final 27 games since the 4 Nations Face-Off (Feb. 22) and led the Stars with 17 goals over that span (tied for third in entire NHL). With Jason Robertson considered week-to-week due to a lower-body injury, Johnston is expected to skate on a line with wings Mikko Rantanen and Jamie Benn in Game 1 against the Colorado Avalanche. Johnston had five points in three games against the Avalanche this season and had 16 points (10 goals, six assists) and averaged 20:38 in 19 games in the Stanley Cup Playoff last season. Per NHL EDGE stats, Johnston ranks sixth in the League in high-danger shots (100) and is tied for 10th in high-danger goals (22). Johnston also ranks highly in skating distance (252.73 miles; 94th percentile), midrange shots (65; 90th percentile), midrange goals (eight; 85th percentile). — Meaney
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Others to consider for point separately or together:
Nathan MacKinnon, F, COL (at DAL)
Mark Scheifele, F, WPG (vs. STL)
Mikko Rantanen, F, DAL (vs. COL)
Robert Thomas, F, STL (at WPG)
Others to consider for goal and/or SOG:
Kyle Connor, F, WPG (vs. STL)
Valeri Nichushkin, F, COL (at DAL)
Matt Duchene, F, DAL (vs. COL)
Pavel Buchnevich, F, STL (at WPG)
Others to consider for assist:
Cale Makar, D, COL (at DAL)
Thomas Harley, D, DAL (vs. COL)
Josh Morrissey, D, WPG (vs. STL)
Others to consider for SOG separately or together:
Nino Niederreiter, F, WPG (vs. STL)
Artturi Lehkonen, F, COL (at DAL)
Tyler Seguin, F, DAL (vs. COL)
Line combos to consider:
WPG: Kyle Connor — Mark Scheifele — Alex Iafallo
COL: Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
DAL: Mason Marchment — Matt Duchene — Tyler Seguin
STL: Jake Neighbours — Robert Thomas — Pavel Buchnevich
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Players to consider to lead series in goals:
Alex Ovechkin, F, WSH (vs. MTL)
Kyle Connor, F, WPG (vs. STL)
Pavel Dorofeyev, F, VGK (vs. MIN)
Matthew Knies, F, TOR (vs. OTT)
Jackson Blake, F, CAR (vs. NJD)
Adrian Kempe, F, LAK (vs. EDM)
Jake Guentzel, F, TBL (vs. FLA)
Matt Duchene, F, DAL (vs. COL)
Players to consider to lead series in points:
Connor McDavid, F, EDM (vs. LAK)
Nikita Kucherov, F, TBL (vs. FLA)
Nathan MacKinnon, F, COL (vs. DAL)
Sebastian Aho, F, CAR (vs. NJD)
Mitch Marner, F, TOR (vs. OTT)
Tomas Hertl, F, VGK (vs. MIN)
Dylan Strome, F, WSH (vs. MTL)
Robert Thomas, F, STL (vs. WPG)
Players to consider for Conn Smythe Trophy:
Nathan MacKinnon, F, COL
Jack Eichel, F, VGK
Aleksander Barkov, F, FLA
Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, TBL
Alex Ovechkin, F, WSH
Wyatt Johnston, F, DAL
Anthony Stolarz, G, TOR
Darcy Kuemper, G, LAK
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More: NHL EDGE Puck & Player Tracking Statistics
