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NCAA Players to Watch in the NHL Playoffs from Columnist Luke Ravitz |
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NCAA Players to Watch in the NHL Playoffs
As the NHL postseason begins, a trio of standout NCAA stars are jumping straight into the
madness of playoff hockey. With high-end talent and a history of big-game experience, these
recently signed prospects could be dangerous in the NHL playoffs.
Ryan Leonard (Washington Capitals – Boston College)
Leonard joined the Capitals after a dominant sophomore season at Boston College, where he
won the Hockey East scoring title and was a Hobey Baker Finalist. Well-known for his clutch
goals and physicality, Leonard led the country with thirty goals and nine game-winners. He was
the first NCAA player to score thirty or more goals in back-to-back years since 2011. Leonard is
a proven leader, captaining one of his two gold medal-winning performances in the World Junior
Championships. He brings elite hockey IQ and a shoot-first mentality that could give
Washington’s offense a serious boost in the playoffs. Currently, he is slotted on a line with
Andrew Mangiapane and former Stanley Cup champ Lars Eller. If the Caps need a spark or
timely goal, Leonard might just be the guy to deliver it and be a clutch player down the line. He was held pointless in game, one of the series versus Montreal and only played 11 minutes. The Capitals are doing the right thing by allowing him to not be under too much pressure in these playoff games.
Zeev Buium (Minnesota Wild – University of Denver)
Fresh off a Frozen Four loss, Zeev Buium arrives in Minnesota with as much poise as any
defensive prospect in the world. As the NCHC Player of the Year and a Hobey Baker finalist,
Buium racked up 48 points in 41 games—an elite rate for a defenceman at any level. Being
relied on heavily, averaging 27:03 of ice time per game, Buium quarterbacked the power play on
Denver and proved his ability in big games on both sides of the puck. His skills and awareness of
the ice give him a chance to play meaningful playoff minutes.With his confidence, Buium’s transition into the big leagues should be smooth. As of right now, he is on a pair with veteran defenseman Zach
Bogosian. If the Wild are looking for quick transitions and offensive punch from the back end,
Buium is ready to provide it. He is one of the first rookie defenseman ever to play his first NHL game as a playoff game, and the Wild have been smart to bring him in slowly in the first game with roughly 12 minutes a game. He has no points yet. He is a minus one to date. Who is that key piece OK so
Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis Blues – University of Minnesota)
The Blues added a key piece of their future with the signing of Jimmy Snuggerud, the former
Gopher captain where he was a consistent offensive threat. With back-to-back fifty-point seasons and twenty play goals each year, Snuggerud is a sniper with a nose for the net. He was also a 2024 World Junior Champion and Hobey Baker top ten finalist. Snuggerud has seem time paired up with former Stanley Cup champ and captain Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou on the second line. For a Blues team in search of their second Cup in seven years, Snuggerud’s goal-scoring ability could quickly make an impact. He has always shown he can be a difference-maker in the clutch when it counts. Of the three players mentioned in this column, the Blues seemed to be much more comfortable putting Snuggerud on the ice from big minutes. In Game 2 he proved himself worth the risk scoring the Blues only goal while playing over 20 minutes.
With these NCAA stars stepping into the spotlight, don’t be surprised if youth makes a major
impact on the path to the Cup. These three young American superstars can put themselves in the
history books only a month into their careers. As veteran legs wear out, all three players could be
the spark that shifts momentum in a series and pushes their teams deeper into the postseason.
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