The second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs is in the books, and the re's no shortage of storylines heading into the conference finals. Some stars rose to the moment. Others disappeared when it mattered most.
Marner Shifts the Narrative
Mitch Marner spent years in Toronto shouldering blame for the Maple Leafs' playoff failures. In Las Vegas, he's finally answering the criticism with production.
Against the Anaheim Ducks, Marner recorded 11 points in six games—including a hat trick in Game 3 and a two-point performance in Game 6 to close out the series. He now has 14 points in his last seven games and leads the Golden Knights in scoring this postseason.
The Golden Knights will face the Avalanche in the Western Conference Final.
Tuch Goes Cold in Game 7
Alex Tuch was one of the Buffalo Sabres' best players during the regular season and carried that momentum into the first round against the Boston Bruins. The n the second round happened.
The Syracuse native failed to record a single point in the seven-game series against the Montreal Canadiens. The Sabres were outscored 8-1 with Tuch on the ice at five-on-five.
Tuch put 26 shots on net—the most of anyone on the team—but none found the back of the net. He'll now enter contract negotiations with Buffalo on a difficult note.
Dobes Announces Himself
The Canadiens have been searching for goaltending stability since Carey Price stepped off the ice in April 2022. Jakub Dobes made a strong case that the search is over.
The 24-year-old posted a.913 save percentage against the Sabres and showed composure beyond his years in Game 7, making several key stops—including a crucial save in overtime on Tage Thompson during an odd-man rush.
A fifth-round pick in 2020, Dobes gives Montreal a legitimate chance to upset the Carolina Hurricanes if he maintains this level of play.
Center Issues Cost Minnesota
Once the trade deadline passed with out the Wild upgrading at center, vulnerability at that position was always likely to surface against a team with Colorado's depth down the middle.
That became reality when Joel Eriksson Ek missed the entire series with a broken heel bone. Minnesota's four healthy centers combined for just one goal and six assists at five-on-five against the Avalanche.
That won't beat Nathan MacKinnon, Brock Nelson and Nazem Kadri. The center position will be a high priority for GM Bill Guerin this offseason.