10 X-factors in the 2018 NHL Playoffs

Most Bruins-related talk these days seems to focus on Brad Marchand, and understandably so. He is their top point producer, has a tendency to run afoul of the NHL and is arguably the league's single most hated player among opposing fans. That said, Bergeron is still, in many ways, the straw that stirs the drink for Boston in the playoffs. He is still a superb two-way force at age 32, and the kind of player whose game seems to elevate in the postseason. Boston has battled injuries all year, but if the team can stay healthy and Bergeron is able to take, say, a Sidney Crosby or an Evgeni Malkin out of a series, the B's could find themselves playing for the Stanley Cup yet again.

Semyon Varlamov was rock solid in goal for the Avalanche this year, but when he was lost to injury two weeks ago, all eyes turned to Bernier. The two had a reasonable workload split this season, with Bernier starting 34 games and posting a .913 save percentage. His numbers weren't quite as good as Varlamov's, but they were more than respectable. The Avs are middle of the pack when it comes to goal prevention and will be without Erik Johnson, a 25-minute-a-night workhorse on the blue line. If Colorado is going to make any kind of run, Bernier will have to be stellar, especially with the Presidents' Trophy-winning Predators looming in the first round.

The story with Bobrovsky is pretty simple. In the regular season, his career save percentage is .923. He's an objectively good goalie with two Vezina Trophies to his credit and two top five finishes in Hart Trophy voting. Then there is playoff Bobrovsky, who is, to put it kindly, a complete mess. His career postseason save percentage is an atrocious .887, and he has been particularly putrid against the Penguins. Columbus and Bobrovsky will start their post-season against Washington, a team with goalie tumult of its own, and it will be up to Bobrovsky to finally raise his level. Even if he does and the Jackets upend the Caps, there looms the possibility that he will have to face the Pittsburgh boogeyman again in the second round. If regular-season Bob shows up, the Jackets could make a deep run. If not? More disappointment.

There is no better story this year than the Golden Knights' explosion onto the scene and no better individual story within that larger narrative than that of Marc-Andre Fleury, who has battled concussions to post the best numbers of his career. Fleury is the heart and soul of the Golden Knights, and after a predictable, but still emotional, ending to his time in Pittsburgh, he instantly and effortlessly stepped in to the role as the face of the league's newest franchise. Fleury has battled postseason demons in the past, though he was mostly superb last year in helping the Pens weather Matt Murray's absence. If that Fleury shows up, these Golden Knights are fully capable of writing the most incredible ending of all to a surreal expansion season.

Barry Trotz has a decision on his hands. Does he stick with Braden Holtby, whose .932 save percentage in 59 career playoff games (record: 29-30) is the highest for any goalie with 50 postseason starts? Or does he play the hot hand and turn to Philipp Grubauer between the pipes? Grubauer has been spectacular over his last 25 starts, and Holtby, despite that gaudy playoff save percentage, simply hasn't been all that good this year. It wouldn't be a shock to see Trotz go with Holtby and then simply insert Grubauer if the Capitals run into their nemesis, Pittsburgh, in the second round. If and when Grubauer plays, he could make all the difference for Washington.

Hellebuyck was average, at best, for the Jets last year. Things changed dramatically for the better this season, with his save percentage jumping almost 20 points from .907 to .924, and the Jets' fortunes rose with his play. Hellebuyck, about a month shy of his 25th birthday, is still young, but his ability to hang in with Pekka Rinne, should the Jets and Predators meet in round two, might well be the determining factor in a series between the league's two highest point total teams. Conversely, if the pressure of the postseason gets to him, it isn't hard to envision the Jets falling to Minnesota in the first round.

Speaking of those Predators, they begin their quest for revenge after last year's Stanley Cup Final loss to Pittsburgh with Johansen back in the fold. He suited up for 14 games in last year's playoffs and was a force to be reckoned with for most of them, notching 13 points in those contests. His injury against Anaheim, one that cost him the rest of the postseason, is a major reason Nashville didn't fare better against the Penguins. Assuming he stays healthy throughout these playoffs, the Predators are the clear-cut favorite in the West.

Say this for Letang — things happen when he's on the ice, good or bad. Problem for the Penguins is too many of those things have been bad this season. Letang has been on the ice for 77 goals against at 5-on-5 and 54 goals for. His play simply hasn't been as consistent as it needs to be, which is a big problem, because when he is right, Letang is the kind of possession-dominating, one-man-breakout type of player who can control games all by himself. He logs over 25 minutes a game, a number sure to rise by a few minutes in the playoffs, and will be relied upon to essentially be one and a half players for a thin Pittsburgh blue line. If good Letang shows up every night, the Penguins will be a seriously tough out. If bad Letang ambles onto the ice, though, Pittsburgh will be vulnerable.

Stamkos' inclusion here is more about his health than anything else. When he's physically right, he's as much a known commodity as any player in the league. If he is in fact unimpaired or slowed by whatever lower-body injury is nagging him, Stamkos will be a lethal force on the league's most fearsome offense this side of Pittsburgh. If he's hindered, or even misses some time, the Lightning should still be strong but will be vulnerable to teams that try to take Nikita Kucherov out of the game. Tampa Bay's power play will also struggle if Stamkos is unable to go.

You didn't think a list of playoff X-factors would go by without at least one mention of the officials, did you? As always, the playoffs will be at least somewhat dictated by how tightly – or not — the games are called. Add to that the league's decision to give the Situation Room the final call on goaltender interference plays, plus the already controversial offside rule, and you have a climate where calls play a major factor in the outcome of multiple games and possibly multiple series. That said, I'm sure everyone will be happy and agree that the refs are getting it right every time, because isn't that how it always is?