MADISON, Wis. – While the NHL regular season reaches its end, its playoffs are moving into full swing and nine former Badgers are on the teams vying for the 2021 Stanley Cup.
Leading the way is Ryan McDonagh, who helped Tampa Bay win the 2020 title back on Sept. 28. He helped the Lightning began their title defense with an impressive shot block and then pass to teammate Brayden Point for the overtime game-winning goal in the first game of their series with Florida.
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Tampa took a 2-0 series lead with a second victory on Tuesday.
Three Badgers are facing off in the Boston-Washington series with Madison's-own Craig Smith and Trent Frederic skating for the Bruins against two-time Stanley Cup champion Justin Schultz and the Capitals.
Smith boasts one assist through two games of the series, while Schultz is pointless and Frederic looks for his first appearance of the series. Each squad owns a victory in the best-of-seven series.
Jake Gardiner's Carolina Hurricanes lead Luke Kunin's Nashville Predators, 1-0, with Game 2 set for Wednesday evening on CNBC.
Madison native Ryan Suter and the Minnesota Wild are 1-1 in their series against Vegas.
Finally, Wisconsin's former top-15 picks Kyle Turris (Edmonton Oilers) and
Cole Caufield (Montreal Canadiens) await their first playoff games of the year when the NHL's Scotia North Division that includes the league's Canadian teams began their series.
Turris was recently named one of the 31 team nominees for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy that goes annually "to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community." One of the league's major awards, former Badger goaltender Curtis Joseph took home the honor in 2000 while with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Former Wisconsin goaltender and longtime NHL front office veteran
Dave McNab called it a career for the Anaheim Ducks at the end of the regular season. The franchise's senior vice president of hockey operations and original member of the organization retires after 28 years with the Ducks and 43 years of NHL experience. He helped the team win the 2007 Stanley Cup and reach the final in 2003.
He was a member of UW's 1977 NCAA championship team.
Three other former Badgers already own league championships as former UW teammates John Ramage and Mark Zengerle captured the Deutsche Eishockey Liga title with Eisbaren Berlin in Germany.
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Former Badger goaltender
Jack Berry was part of the Pensacola Ice Flyers SPHL championship, finishing off the Macon Mayhem this past Saturday in the best-of-three series.
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