Players with the most to prove...

In a more equitable sports world, stars would be assessed on their overall body of work — ideally their careers, but at the very least their seasons — rather on how they perform in the playoffs. Unfortunately, our harsh world does not function that way.

Whether they think it's funny or not, these five NHL players will either silence critics or spend the winter hearing about how they "choked" during the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Consider these four skaters and one goaltender to be the ones with the most to prove.

Auston Matthews

You could compile a list of Maple Leafs players who are feeling the heat from the blazing Toronto spotlight. If the Maple Leafs continue to dish out first-round punchlines, John Tavares and Mitch Marner will not be happy. Kyle Dubas, Sheldon Keefe, and even Brendan Shanahan might find themselves out of work.

Still, the head that wears the crown as the greatest player on a Maple Leafs team anxious to win a playoff series is the heaviest. The good news is that few people notice that Matthews followed up his Hart Trophy-winning season last year with "only" 40 goals and 85 points in 2022-23.

Connor McDavid

In Connor McDavid's skates, a typical superstar wouldn't have much to prove. This season, the unrivaled scorer accumulated an inconceivable 153 points (including an incredible 64 goals). McDavid also dominated the playoffs last year, scoring 33 points in only 16 games.

Those stats should put a stop to the swerve here: McDavid isn't your average superstar. Instead, he's already in that superhuman stratosphere where people expect you to constantly perform great feats. Non-believers now have just a lack of a Stanley Cup to cling to, and for the very lethargic, that may be enough.

Timo Meier

Timo Meier was the most talked-about target of the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline from the moment he donned on a New Jersey Devils uniform. Despite putting up good underlying stats with New Jersey, Meier may already be befuddled by those who believe his 14 points in 19 regular-season games are insufficient.

The Devils will meet a Rangers club that made its own splashy trade deadline additions in Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko in the playoffs, which will be the first true test of that massive move.

Jack Eichel

Jack Eichel is preparing to make his NHL playoff debut after eight seasons, more than $52 million in expected career earnings, and an innovative neck surgery.

It's quite amazing how many hoops the Golden Knights had to jump through, even occasionally squeezing through salary cap loopholes, to make Eichel their No. 1 center. The Golden Knights even missed the playoffs for the first time in franchise history as they struggled to make it all work.

Few will notice Eichel's recent injuries now that they've won the Pacific Division. With Mark Stone likely sidelined due to ongoing back troubles, there won't be much compassion for the shifty center. This is Eichel's chance to establish he's a $10 million player and one of the greatest centers in the NHL.

Linus Ullmark

Coming into this season, it was far from certain that Ullmark would be Boston's starting goaltender instead of Jeremy Swayman. Prior to October, many would have questioned the Bruins' decision to pay $5 million per year in Ullmark, whose prior work suggested the goalkeeper was more of a "platoon" netminder.

Instead, Ullmark has taken up the torch as the next great Bruins goaltender, following in the footsteps of Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask. Ullmark won 40 games in 49 appearances, with a.938 save percentage and rating high in more sophisticated goaltender numbers.

However, Ullmark has only played in two NHL postseason games, losing both while surrendering eight goals on 57 shots for an.860 saving percentage. Of course, that's a small sample size, but that's the point: he hasn't shown himself in "clutch" situations.

In a playoff series, goalies are easy scapegoats. If the Bruins fail to follow up their record-breaking regular season with a Stanley Cup triumph, Ullmark might be blamed (in a less pleasant way than Rask).