Rink Report

Patrick Roy built his legacy on one thing above all else: being at his best when the pressure was highest.

Roy won the Stanley Cup four times, twice with Montreal and twice with Colorado. Even more remarkable, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy three times, the only player in NHL history to win the playoff MVP award that many times.

His first Conn Smythe came in 1986, when a 20 year old Roy carried Montreal through the playoffs with a 15 and 5 record, 1.93 GAA and .923 save percentage, winning the Cup in his first postseason.

Then came 1993. Roy went 16 and 4 during Montreal's championship run and won his second Conn Smythe. In the Final, Montreal won three overtime games, while Roy delivered the goaltending that helped the Canadiens complete the comeback.

His final Conn Smythe came in 2001. With Colorado facing New Jersey in the Final, Roy helped the Avalanche win Games 6 and 7 after falling behind 3 games to 2. He finished that postseason with a 1.70 GAA and .934 save percentage.

When his career ended, Roy held NHL playoff records for 151 wins, 247 games played and 23 shutouts.

4 Stanley Cups. 3 Conn Smythe Trophies. 151 playoff wins. 23 playoff shutouts.

Patrick Roy didn't just survive pressure. He became one of the defining playoff goaltenders in NHL history.

Brett Hull had one of the deadliest shots in NHL history, but his playoff résumé is what really shows how dangerous he was when the pressure was at its highest.

Hull finished his playoff career with 103 goals and 190 points in 202 games, ranking fourth all time in playoff goals. Even more impressive, he scored 24 playoff game winning goals, tied for the most in NHL history.

He wasn't just a regular season goal scorer who disappeared in the postseason. Hull repeatedly delivered big goals throughout long playoff runs, including his famous 1999 Stanley Cup run with Dallas.

That season ended with Hull and the Stars winning their first Stanley Cup, and Hull later added another championship with Detroit in 2002.

His playoff numbers put him alongside the greatest postseason scorers the NHL has ever seen.

103 playoff goals. 190 playoff points. 24 playoff game winners. 2 Stanley Cups.

Brett Hull wasn't called “The Golden Brett” for nothing. When the biggest goals were needed, he had one of the best shots in hockey history to make them happen.

Joe Pavelski never had the flashy superstar reputation of some of his generation’s biggest names. But when the Stanley Cup Playoffs arrived, he consistently found a way to make an impact.

Pavelski finished his career with 74 playoff goals and 143 points in 201 games, along with 18 playoff game winning goals, tying him for fifth most in NHL history.

His 2016 playoff run with San Jose was one of his best. Pavelski scored 14 goals in 24 games, helping the Sharks reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history.

He was also at his best in critical moments. In Game 5 of the 2016 Western Conference Final, Pavelski scored twice, including the game winning goal, as San Jose defeated St. Louis 6 3.

Pavelski later added another memorable postseason run in 2020, leading Dallas with 13 goals in 27 playoff games as the Stars reached the Stanley Cup Final.

74 playoff goals. 143 playoff points. 18 playoff game winners. 201 playoff games.

Joe Pavelski may not have won the Stanley Cup, but his playoff résumé puts him among the most productive and clutch American born players in NHL history.

Jari Kurri was never the loudest superstar of his era. But when the Stanley Cup Playoffs arrived, he became one of the most dangerous players on the ice.

Kurri finished his playoff career with 106 goals and 233 points in 200 games, ranking third all time in playoff goals. He also scored 14 playoff game winning goals, showing how often his goals came at critical moments.

His 1985 playoff run was especially remarkable. Kurri scored 19 goals in 18 games, including an incredible 12 goals in six games against the Chicago Blackhawks in the Conference Finals, still an NHL record for goals in a single playoff series.

He also scored four goals in one game during that 1985 postseason, and finished the playoffs with 19 goals and 31 points as Edmonton won the Stanley Cup.

Kurri went on to win the Stanley Cup five times, all with Edmonton, and finished his career with one of the greatest playoff scoring records in NHL history.

106 playoff goals. 233 playoff points. 14 playoff game winners. 5 Stanley Cups.

Jari Kurri may have played in the shadow of Wayne Gretzky, but when the pressure was highest, he was often the player finishing the job.

Reggie Leach was the kind of player who could completely take over a playoff series. His greatest example came in 1976, when he turned the Stanley Cup Playoffs into his own personal scoring show.

Leach scored 19 goals in just 16 playoff games, leading the entire postseason in goals and setting an NHL record at the time. He scored in 13 of those 16 games, including nine goals in five semifinal games against Boston.

Then came Game 5 against the Bruins. Leach scored five goals in a 6 3 Philadelphia victory, tying the NHL record for most goals in a single playoff game.

Philadelphia eventually lost the Stanley Cup Final to Montreal, but Leach still won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He remains the only non goalie to win the award while playing for a team that lost the Final.

That playoff run wasn't just about scoring goals. Leach scored when Philadelphia needed him most, producing two game winning goals and one overtime goal during those 16 games.

19 playoff goals. 5 goals in one game. 24 playoff points. 1 Conn Smythe Trophy.

Reggie Leach earned his nickname, “The Riverton Rifle,” with one of the most explosive playoff performances hockey has ever seen.

Joe Nieuwendyk was never the loudest superstar in the NHL, but when the games mattered most, he had a habit of showing up.

His playoff career produced 66 goals in 158 games, including 14 game winning goals. That puts him among the NHL’s all time playoff leaders in game winners.

But his 1999 playoff run with Dallas was something else. Nieuwendyk scored 11 goals in 23 games, and an incredible six were game winners. He scored at least one game winner in every round, including an overtime winner against St. Louis.

Those performances helped the Stars win their first Stanley Cup, and Nieuwendyk was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

And that wasn't his only championship. Nieuwendyk won the Stanley Cup three times with three different franchises, Calgary in 1989, Dallas in 1999, and New Jersey in 2003.

14 playoff game winners. 66 playoff goals. 3 Stanley Cups. 1 Conn Smythe Trophy.

Joe Nieuwendyk had a career built around one thing: delivering when the pressure was highest.

Before “clutch” became a modern hockey buzzword, Maurice Richard was already building that reputation on the biggest stage.

Richard finished his playoff career with 18 game winning goals, tied for the most in Montreal Canadiens history, along with 82 playoff goals and 126 points in 132 games. He also scored six playoff overtime goals, showing just how often he delivered when one goal could decide everything.

One of the most famous examples came in 1944. In Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals against Toronto, Richard scored all five of Montreal’s goals in a 5 1 victory. He was named the first, second, and third star of the game.

That same playoff run ended with Richard helping Montreal win the Stanley Cup. He scored 12 goals in just nine playoff games, leading the entire postseason in goals.

Richard eventually won the Stanley Cup eight times, including four consecutive championships from 1957 through 1960 as captain. His 82 playoff goals remain a Canadiens franchise record.

18 playoff game winners. 82 playoff goals. 6 overtime goals. 8 Stanley Cups.

Maurice Richard didn’t just score big goals. He became one of hockey’s original symbols of performing when the pressure was at its highest.

Jean Béliveau wasn't just one of the greatest players in Montreal Canadiens history. When the biggest games arrived, he had a remarkable ability to make his presence felt.

Béliveau finished his playoff career with 79 goals and 176 points in 162 games, including 15 game winning goals. That puts him among the NHL's all time leaders in playoff game winners.

Even more impressive, 9 of those game winning goals came in the Stanley Cup Final, the most in NHL history. Maurice Richard is second with 8.

His defining postseason moment came in 1965. Béliveau became the first winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy, scoring 8 goals and 16 points as Montreal defeated Chicago in the Stanley Cup Final. In Game 7, he scored just 14 seconds into the game, setting the tone for a championship victory.

And the championships kept coming. Béliveau won 10 Stanley Cups as a player, including five consecutive championships from 1956 through 1960. He finished his NHL career with 507 goals and 1,219 points.

15 playoff game winners. 9 Stanley Cup Final game winners. 10 Stanley Cups. 1 Conn Smythe Trophy.

Jean Béliveau wasn't simply a superstar.

When the biggest moments arrived, he was one of the players you wanted holding the stick.

Some players build their reputation during the regular season. Glenn Anderson built his when the games mattered most.

Anderson finished his NHL playoff career with 93 goals and 214 points in 225 games, ranking among the all time playoff leaders in both categories. He also scored 17 playoff game winning goals, tied for seventh most in NHL history.

But his biggest weapon may have been overtime. Anderson scored 5 playoff overtime goals, tied for third most in NHL history. His ability to come through in sudden death became a defining part of his reputation as a clutch performer.

He also had an incredible championship résumé. Anderson won six Stanley Cups, five with the Edmonton Oilers and one with the New York Rangers in 1994. He played 225 playoff games across his career and consistently produced deep into the postseason.

Anderson's playoff production was not simply the result of longevity. He scored 93 goals in 225 games, including 17 game winners. That combination of scoring and timely goals is exactly why he became known as a player who could elevate his game when the pressure increased.

93 playoff goals. 17 playoff game winners. 5 playoff overtime goals. 6 Stanley Cups.

Glenn Anderson may not always be the first name mentioned when people talk about the greatest clutch players in NHL history.

But when the playoffs arrived, he had a habit of being there when his team needed him most.

Mike Bossy wasn't just one of the greatest goal scorers in NHL history. He was one of the most dangerous players the league ever produced when the stakes were highest.

Bossy finished his playoff career with 85 goals and 160 points in only 129 games. His 85 playoff goals rank among the highest totals ever, despite playing far fewer postseason games than many of the legends above him.

But the most impressive number might be 17 game winning goals. That puts Bossy among the NHL's all time leaders, and he accomplished it during a relatively short playoff career.

His greatest example came in the 1983 playoffs. Against Boston in the Wales Conference Final, Bossy scored nine goals in six games, including an NHL record four game winning goals. Every one of those winners came in an Islanders victory.

That was also the year Bossy helped the Islanders win their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup. He scored the Cup winning goal in Game 4 of the Final against Edmonton, giving New York the championship sweep.

Bossy finished his career with 573 regular season goals, 85 playoff goals and four Stanley Cups. He was a superstar during the regular season, but the playoffs revealed another level of his game.

17 playoff game winners. 85 playoff goals. 4 Stanley Cups. 4 game winners in one series.

When the pressure went up, Mike Bossy didn't disappear.

He scored.