Australian ice hockey trailblazer Nathan Walker is banking on a strong post-season to propel him to a history-making NHL debut.
Walker -- the first Australian drafted to the NHL when the Washington Capitals selected him at pick No. 89 in 2014 -- has spent the past two seasons playing for their feeder team, the Hershey Bears, in the second-tier American Hockey League.
The 22-year-old has overcome a knee reconstruction to produce a career-best season, playing a key role as the Bears clinched the AHL Atlantic Division title.