Thirty-seven Minnesota-bred players made playoff rosters this year, giving them a chance at hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup. Many of them are playing huge roles for their teams.

On Aug. 24 Anders Lee, the 30-year-old captain of the surging New York Islanders, lit the lamp for the fourth time in the playoffs as the Islanders took a 1-0 lead over the Philadelphia Flyers. Lee is an Edina native who was a sixth round draft pick by the Islanders in the 2009 draft. Most sixth round picks never set foot on an NHL sheet much less wear the “C” on the sleeve. But he isn’t the only Minnesotan making waves for the Islanders. Brock Nelson, a 28-year-old center from Warroad, finished second on the team in scoring in the regular season (26-28-54) and has 8 points in 10 games for the Isles thus far in the playoffs. Nelson was drafted 30th overall in the 2010 draft by the Islanders. He was one of three first round picks of Minnesotans that year. Derek Forbort of Duluth was chosen 15th overall by the LA Kings and Nick Bjugstad of Blaine was taken 19th overall by Florida. 

Nick Leddy is another Minnesota-born star who is helping lead the Islanders. A steady defenseman was a first round pick by the Wild in 2009 before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks where he won a Stanley Cup in 2013. He joined the Islanders in 2014 and has played 462 games for them since. He has also netted two big goals for the Islanders in this playoff.

Trying to halt the Islanders momentum are four Minnesotans playing for the Flyers. Matt Niskanen, Tyler Pitlick, Andy Welinski and Alex Lyon are all on the Flyers playoff roster. Niskanen, a 33-year-old defenseman from Virginia, already has a Stanley Cup to his credit, winning one with the Capitals last year. Pitlick, a 2009 graduate of Centennial High School, is also in his first year as a Flyer after spending stints in Edmonton and Dallas. Welinski is a 27-year-old defenseman and a Duluth East native who spent the entire season with the Flyer’s AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley. Lyon is a goaltender from Lake of the Woods who signed as a free agent out of Yale University and has logged 16 games in the past three seasons for the Flyers.

The Flyers and Islanders are one fourth of the eight teams remaining. Tampa Bay, Boston, Vegas, Dallas, Colorado and Vancouver are the others and each has at least one Minnesotan on its roster.

Cretin-Derham Hall grad Ryan McDonagh is a steady stay-at-home defender for the Lightning. The all-star was selected 12th overall in the 2007 draft by Montreal. He is in his 11th season after being an all-star twice with the New York Rangers and also earning Team MVP honors twice. McDonagh was scratched from game two against the Bruins where former Cloquet and UMD standout Karson Kuhlman has played in three playoff games thus far. Kuhlman signed as a free agent with the Bruins and logged 25 games during the regular season.

Vegas and Vancouver are going head to head and each team has one Minnesotan on their roster. St. Cloud Cathedral graduate Nate Schmidt has enjoyed a solid career as a two-way defenseman for the Golden Knights. The 29-year-old speedster has six points through their first nine playoff games. He has played in 396 NHL games in his career. The Canucks counter with power forward Brock Boeser. Boeser is a Burnsville native who starred at the University of North Dakota and was a first round pick by the Canucks in 2015. He has eight points in the team’s 11 playoff games.

The Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche are also facing off and each have a Minnesotan on their roster. The Stars have 2017 first round pick Jake Oettinger from Lakeville, although he spent the year in the minors and looks to be their goalie of the future.

Colorado has former No. 1 pick Erik Johnson. Johnson is a 32-year-old defenseman who became the top pick of the 2005 draft by the St. Louis Blues. He played high school hockey at the Academy of Holy Angels before joining Team USA. The blue liner has played in 776 NHL games, but was injured recently and is out indefinitely after playing in the team’s first nine playoff games.

Twenty four others made playoff rosters, but there chances were eliminated with a first round loss. 

In all, Minnesotans on playoff rosters played in 1,601 games during the regular season, scoring 234 goals along with 515 assists for 749 points.

Seventeen of the 36 players are forwards, and 16 are defensemen and four are goalies.

The leading goal scorer among all Minnesotans who made the playoffs was Brock Nelson of the Islanders (Warroad) with 26. The leading assist man was Winnipeg’s Blake Wheeler (Breck) with 43. Wheeler is also the top point getter with 65.

Lakeville North led all high schools with three players. Warroad, St. Cloud Cathedral, Minnetonka, Edina and Eden Prairie each have two. Shattuck-St. Mary’s also has three former players on current NHL playoff rosters. The University of Minnesota led all colleges with 11 alumni on rosters. Thirteen of the 37 players were selected in the first round of the draft. Six players were undrafted and signed as free agents.

The average age of the players is 27.9 years. Minnesota Wild winger Zach Parise is the oldest at age 36. Montreal center Ryan Poehling is the youngest at 21 years old and born Jan. 3, 1999.

Here is a look at each Minnesotan who played or is playing in this year’s NHL playoffs: