MADISON, Wis. – Nine former Badgers across seven different teams are set to begin their quest for the Stanley Cup in the 2024 NHL playoffs.
Among NCAA schools, UW's nine skaters are tied for the third most to start the playoffs.
All time, 14 Badgers have their names etched on the Stanley Cup as winning players a total of an NCAA-best 22 times.
The Badgers boast players on the top-seeded team from each conference with one player on the Eastern Conference's New York Rangers and three on the West's Dallas Stars.
Defenseman K'Andre Miller and the New York Rangers head into the playoffs as the top overall seed, finishing the season with 114 points and earning the President's Trophy, given out annually to the NHL team with the best record in the regular season. Miller earned eight goals and 30 points in 80 games played during the regular season and he currently owns eight points in 27 playoff games played from 2021 to 2023.
The Metropolitan Division top-seeded Rangers will take on the Washington Capitals, who clinched the Eastern Conference's second wildcard spot, in their first-round series which begins on Sunday, April 21, at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN.
Trent Frederic and the Atlantic Division two-seed Boston Bruins begin their playoff run with a series against fellow former Badger Jake McCabe and the Atlantic Division three-seed Toronto Maple Leafs with game one being played on Saturday, April 20, at 7 p.m. CT on TBS.
Frederic, a forward, played in all 82 regular season games, notching career highs with 18 goals and 40 points.
Defenseman McCabe also earned career highs with eight goals and 28 points in 73 games played.
In the Western Conference, Dallas Stars forwards Joe Pavelski and Craig Smith and defenseman Ryan Suter head into the playoffs as the top seed in both the conference and the Central Division. The Stars are set to face the west's second wildcard, the Vegas Golden Knights, in the first round of the playoffs. Game one will be on Monday, April 22, at 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. The Golden Knights are the defending Cup champions.
Pavelski, who recently recorded his 14th 20-goal season to rank fourth among former NCAA players for most 20-goal seasons, finished second on the Stars' roster with 67 points (27g, 40a) in 82 regular season games.
Smith skated in 75 games and notched 11 goals and 20 points, while Suter recorded two goals and 17 points after playing in all 82 regular season contests. The defenseman has played in 1,444 total NHL games which is the fourth-most NHL games played by former NCAA skaters.
Defenseman Ryan McDonagh and the Nashville Predators secured the west's first wildcard spot and will face the Pacific Division first-seed, the Vancouver Canucks. The Predators-Canucks series begins on Sunday, April 21, at 9 p.m. CT on ESPN.
McDonagh, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, notched three goals and 29 assists in 74 games, with his 32 points placing him second among defensemen on the Predators' roster.
Dylan Holloway and the Pacific Division two-seed Edmonton Oilers will line up against former Badger teammate Alex Turcotte and the Pacific Division three-seed L.A. Kings beginning Monday, April 22, at 9 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
Holloway, who spent the majority of the season on long-term injury reserve, has six goals and nine points in 38 games played. The forward has four points (2g, 2a) in his last five NHL games, and he recently recorded a hat trick in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors on April 6.
Turcotte spent the final part of the regular season on injured reserve but was recently activated from the list. The forward notched one goal and four points in 20 major league games this year and is looking to make his NHL playoff debut.
The five other Badgers that played in the NHL this season also had successful years, with multiple reaching major milestones and earning various career highs.
Though the Montreal Canadiens didn't make the playoffs this year, forward Cole Caufield shined bright, notching his third straight 20-goal season and reaching the 200-games played mark. He set career-highs with 28 goals and 65 points in 82 games played to rank second on the Canadiens' roster in both categories. Caufield put up six points in the last five games of the regular season, notching four goals and two assists.
The San Jose Sharks had a pair of Badgers on their roster – defenseman Ty Emberson and forward Luke Kunin. Emberson made his NHL debut this season, earning one goal and 10 points in 30 games played before spending the latter half of the year on long-term injured reserve.
Kunin put up 11 goals and 18 points in 77 games played, and he was recently announced as the Sharks' nominee for the NHL's King Clancy Trophy, given out annually to a player who exemplifies a leader and positively contributes to his community.
New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith put up 15 points in 63 games played, tying his career high in goals with five. Finally, Seattle Kraken Justin Schultz notched seven goals and 26 points through 70 regular season contests, earning an assist in the Kraken's final game of the year on April 18.
Several Wisconsin alumni in the AHL are also preparing to start their quest for the Calder Cup. The AHL season ends on Sunday, April 21, with the playoffs bracket and schedule still to be determined.
Former assistant captain and 2024 graduate
Mathieu De St. Phalle made his professional hockey debut with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, on April 5. De St. Phalle, a forward, has earned one point in five games, scoring his first AHL goal against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on April 7. The Penguins have clinched a Calder Cup playoff spot and have two regular season games remaining on April 19 and 20.
Fellow assistant captain and 2024 graduate
David Silye made his professional debut with the Calgary Wranglers, the AHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames, on April 6. The forward has played in two games and is still searching for his first AHL point. The Wranglers clinched a playoff berth and will finish their regular season with two games against the Abbotsford Canucks on April 19 and 20.
Defenseman
Corson Ceulemans and forward Roman Ahcan are teammates on the Cleveland Monsters, the AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Ceulemans has three goals and 12 points in 47 games played while Ahcan has eight goals and 16 points in 49 games. The Monsters earned a playoff spot and will finish in the top five of the North Division. They have three regular-season games remaining from April 19-21.
Finally, a pair of Badgers on the Rochester Americans have clinched an AHL playoff spot. Forward Linus Weissbach has 16 goals and 32 points in 53 games played, while forward and captain Michael Mersch has 16 goals and 38 points in 64 games. The Americans have two games left on April 19 and 21.
Complete list of Badgers in the NHL playoffs:
Eastern Conference
Boston Bruins - Trent Frederic (2016-18)
New York Rangers - K'Andre Miller (2018-20)
Toronto Maple Leafs - Jake McCabe (2011-14)
Western Conference
Dallas Stars - Joe Pavelski (2004-06), Craig Smith (2009-11), Ryan Suter (2003-04)
Edmonton Oilers - Dylan Holloway (2019-21)
Los Angeles Kings - Alex Turcotte (2019-20)
Nashville Predators - Ryan McDonagh (2007-10)
