NHL coaches have this one phrase in their cliche rolodex that often re-emerges come playoff time: “Your best players have to be your best players.”

This is resoundingly true. You might win a game – even a series – waiting for your top dogs to pick up the slack, but even just going down the list of former Conn Smythe winners will remind you of this fact.

You also need your up-and-coming players to play like they are becoming your best players. Watching these types blossom in the postseason is one of the most magical experiences of it all. Sometimes a breakout playoff player is a black ace, although this is less common. Usually, it’s the relatively young, high-to-mid draft picks you’ve been will-they-won’t-they-ing for a season or two. But the beauty is it could be anybody.

Before the 2023-24 Stanley Cup Playoffs kick off Saturday, let’s take a look at some eye-catching players who have stepped it up this year and may use their team’s playoff runs as an opportunity to break out for real this year.