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Montr\u00e9al Canadiens’ Ivan Demidov, right, takes a shot past the reach of Philadelphia Flyers’ Jacob Gaucher during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n
Derik Hamilton\/AP<\/p>\n
Philadelphia Flyers right wing Porter Martone (94) skates during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington.<\/p>\n
Nick Wass\/AP<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Ben Kindel (81) celebrates his goal during a shootout in an NHL hockey game against the Ottawa Senators in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (Adrian Wyld\/The Canadian Press via AP)<\/p>\n
Adrian Wyld\/AP<\/p>\n
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) stops a shot by Boston Bruins center Fraser Minten (93) stops a shot by during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Tampa, Fla.<\/p>\n
Chris O’Meara\/AP<\/p>\n
Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (45) tries to keep control of the puck while under pressure from Calgary Flames center Martin Pospisil, center, during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif.<\/p>\n
William Liang\/AP<\/p>\n
It looked like this would be the spring of the past two No. 1 draft picks, Matthew Schaefer and Macklin Celebrini, making the NHL playoffs at 18 and 19 years old. Then Schaefer’s New York Islanders and Celebrini’s San Jose Sharks fell short.<\/p>\n
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There is plenty of youthful talent in the NHL postseason anyway, including rookies and players 21 and under getting their first taste of playoff hockey in the best league in the world.<\/p>\n
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Montreal\u2019s Ivan Demidov, Pittsburgh\u2019s Ben Kindel, Boston\u2019s Fraser Minten, Philadelphia\u2019s duo of Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov, and Anaheim\u2019s Bennett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson are among the young stars to watch in the chase for the Stanley Cup.<\/p>\n
\u201c(This will be about) showcasing some of these young players that are on the rise that maybe haven\u2019t had that experience,\u201d retired Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger said. \u201cNow they get a chance to kind of understand what it\u2019s all about and what it means to play in the playoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ivan Demidov, Canadiens<\/p>\n Game 1 against Tampa Bay won’t be Demidov’s NHL playoff debut after he played in the first round a year ago against Washington. But the skilled, fast-puck-moving winger has gained some real experience since then; with 19 goals and 43 assists this season, he is a big reason Montreal is a legitimate contender.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s just gotten better over the season at understanding the NHL game and understanding our systems and where he can be effective,\u201d captain Nick Suzuki said. \u201cHe\u2019s still a young kid in the league, and he\u2019s going to keep getting better.\u201d<\/p>\n Demidov, the fifth pick in the 2024 draft when Celebrini went first, is still only 20, and yet coach Martin St. Louis \u2014 himself a Hall of Famer \u2014 has entrusted him with an important top-six role.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s really using his speed, using his skills and he creates a lot on the ice,\u201d linemate Alex Newhook said. \u201cFun to play with. We play a fast game, and I think it suits his style a lot. He sees the ice really well. He plays fast himself. Sure, he can slow it down, but he fits that style and he\u2019s built for what we\u2019ve got going here.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Ben Kindel, Penguins<\/p>\n Schaefer making the leap to the NHL right away was expected. That was not necessarily the case for Kindel, whom Pittsburgh selected with the 12 pick in the draft. Kindel was so good in training camp that he gave the organization little choice but to keep him around.<\/p>\n “For him it was just continuing to check boxes,” first-year coach Dan Muse said. \u201cFor a younger player, it\u2019s just continuing to work with him and continuing to help his game evolve at the things that do go well and then over the course of the season, this is a game of mistakes. It\u2019s also seeing how you adjust and how you adapt when maybe things don\u2019t go as perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n Kindel put up 35 points in 77 games. Game 1 on Saturday against Philadelphia comes two days before he turns 19.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s been a lot of fun,\u201d Kindel said. \u201cIt\u2019s been a whirlwind, but I love going out there and competing.\u201d<\/p>\n Fraser Minten, Bruins<\/p>\n Mintent is the top prospect Boston got for trading Brandon Carlo to Toronto at the trade deadline last year. He was not expected to make the team right away at 21, but the 6-foot-2 center forced the coaching staff to make a decision.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was more up to him, so I give him a lot of credit,\u201d coach Marco Sturm said, adding that he has seen Minten’s confidence grow in his rookie season. \u201cWhen you have that, I think it automatically gives you more boost. It could be his skating. It could be his just calmness on the ice, playing a two-way game. He\u2019s still growing. He\u2019s still becoming a man and he\u2019s just taking really good strides right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Minten has played up and down the lineup and shown he can handle it.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat impressed me is his ability to play in all three zones,\u201d teammate Casey Mittelstadt said. \u201cAs a young guy, I had my troubles with that, so to see him do it is very impressive.\u201d<\/p>\n Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone, Flyers<\/p>\n This is Michkov’s second season after Philadelphia got him out of his contract in the KHL a year after taking him with the seventh pick in the 2023 draft. Michkov’s point total decreased, but he has become a better all-around player at 21.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s really taken the information and applied it,\u201d coach Rick Tocchet said. “He\u2019s always been a team guy, but it\u2019s just about the team. And then whatever we can do to help him, we\u2019ll help him.\u201d<\/p>\n Martone, 19, joined in March after his college season at Michigan State ended. He gives the Flyers a power forward to contrast with Michkov’s offensive flashiness.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re just a little bit different,\u201d Tocchet said. “It\u2019s good to have different flavors in your lineup.\u201d<\/p>\n Bennett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson, Ducks<\/p>\n General manager Pat Verbeek and his staff took a little heat for drafting Carlsson second in 2023 ahead of Adam Fantilli and for taking Sennecke third, long before his projection, in 2024. They have made Anaheim\u2019s scouting department look smart.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Sennecke could be a Calder Trophy finalist for rookie of the year, and Carlsson is the most important player for the Ducks as they’ve returned to the playoffs under coach Joel Quenneville.<\/p>\n Carlsson was nearly a point-a-game player with 67 points in 70 games around the injury that sidelined him before the Olympics. Sennecke\u2019s 60 points were two shy of Demidov for the most among rookies.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/a>
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