Eagles in the Pros: 2016 Stanley Cup Round 1

Detroit vs. Tampa Bay (Brian Boyle - TBL)

Boyle continued to be an important physical force for his team in the postseason, and helped Tampa to win the series with his skills on offense and defense. Boyle recorded a 6 hits in Game 1 and 5 hits in Game 3. (He also tried to fight Abdelkader in Game 3 and did a little chicken dance when Abdelkader wouldn't fight him. I don't know that Jerry would be too proud about that one!) Boyle has been struggling on the face-off more than usual this year, but he improved as this series went on, winning over 60% of his face-offs in Games 4 and 5. In terms of points, Boyle scored a goal in Tampa's Game 2 win (see GIF).

New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh (Kevin Hayes - NYR, Chris Kreider - NYR, Brian Dumoulin - PIT)

For Pittsburgh, Brian Dumoulin continued to be a steady defense presence. He also picked up an assist in Pittsburgh's Game 4 win.

Although his team lost, Chris Kreider had a successful series. He scored two goals - the first in NY's Game 2 win and the second in their Game 5 loss (see GIF). Kreider recorded 4 hits in Game 1, 5 in Game 2, and 6 in Game 3. Kevin Hayes had a quieter series than his teammate, but he did record 4 hits in Game 1. Hayes was scratched for the final game.

Dallas vs. Minnesota (Patrick Eaves - DAL)

Patrick Eaves continues to impress this year, providing more offense than was necessarily expected of him. He helped to propel Dallas through Round 1 with 5 points in 6 games. Eaves scored goals in Game 1 (see GIF) and Game 4. He picked up assists in Game 1, Game 5, and Game 6. Eaves also contributed with some physical play, including 4 hits in Game 5.

Los Angeles vs. San Jose (Rob Scuderi - LAK)

Rob Scuderi didn't put up any outstanding numbers, but he continued to play for a significant number of minutes every game. LA seems to be a better fit for him than the other teams he played for this season.

Washington vs. Philadelphia (Brooks Orpik - WSH)

Brooks Orpik was injured in Game 3, so he only played for two and a half games. The loss of his physicality and defensive skills certainly didn't help the Capitals, who ended up struggling to win what many assumed would be a somewhat one-sided series. In the two full games that he played, Orpik averaged 3.5 hits and 4 blocks.

Florida vs. New York Islanders (Michael Matheson - FLA)

Michael Matheson did not dress for Game 1, but he played in the remaining games. With Florida's loss, it wouldn't be surprising to see him rejoin Portland. Matheson picked up his only point of the series in Florida's Game 3 loss, with an assist. Despite not managing to score, his most impressive performance came in Game 5. He recorded 6 shots on goal and was on the ice for just over 32 minutes. This playoff series bodes well for Matheson's NHL chances next season.

Another important note is that Cory Schneider joined NBCSN as an analyst this week and he was really great at it. So he's got a solid backup career many years down the road when he retires.

The AHL and ECHL playoffs are still in round one - except to see updates on them when both leagues finish the first rounds.