The most dangerous scorer in this year’s NHL playoffs is not Sidney Crosby, who won the Rocket Richard Trophy with 44 goals. It’s not Art Ross Trophy winner Connor McDavid or Alex Ovechkin or Evgeni Malkin.
It’s not even Phil Kessel, but rather a minor-league call-up who used to be Kessel’s “stick boy” at the University of Minnesota.
Four months ago, Jake Guentzel was a virtual nobody toiling in the American Hockey League. Heading into Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinal on Monday night, the 22-year-old rookie had become an early Conn Smythe Trophy candidate, with 10 points and a playoff-leading seven goals in his first seven games.