NHL playoffs: Hometown players from Saskatchewan to watch for

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitchell Marner (16) protects the puck from Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel (38) during second period NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey action in Toronto on Thursday, April 27, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Saskatchewan is a hockey hub, but without a “home” team to cheer for in the NHL, here’s a list of players who have called Saskatchewan home.

Of the talent raised in Saskatchewan set to appear in the postseason, all but four play for different teams.

Los Angeles Kings - Darcy Kuemper, Saskatoon

Saskatchewan’s lone netminder in the playoffs this year, Saskatoon product Darcy Kuemper is in his first season with the Los Angeles Kings.

The 34-year-old has played in 50 games this season, posting 31 wins and five shutouts with a goals against average of 2.02 and a .922 save percentage.

Tampa Bay Lightning – Brandon Hagel, Saskatoon

Saskatoon born Brandon Hagel is no stranger to the NHL playoffs, appearing in the Stanley Cup final with the Lightning in 2022 as part of a losing effort against the Colorado Avalanche.

During the 2024/25 campaign, Hagel appeared in 82 games, with 35 goals and 55 assists for 90 total points, cracking the league-wide top ten in points.

While born in Saskatoon, Hagel was raised in Morinville, Alta. about 40 minutes north of Edmonton.

Winnipeg Jets – Haydn Fleury, Carlyle

Hailing from Carlyle, Haydn Fleury finds himself on the team closest to his hometown, the Winnipeg Jets, in a season where the team won the President’s Trophy as the NHL’s best regular season team and enters the playoffs at the top of the Western Conference.

Fleury appeared in 39 games as a Jet this season, with seven assists. He joined the team via free agency last offseason after spending time with Tampa Bay, Seattle, Anaheim and Carolina.

Winnipeg Jets - Luke Schenn, Saskatoon

Saskatoon’s Luke Schenn was acquired by the Jets in March as part of a trade deadline deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Prior to being traded to Pittsburgh, then Winnipeg in the same week, Schenn was playing for the Nashville Predators.

The veteran of more than 1,000 NHL games won Stanley Cups with Tampa Bay in 2020 and 2021. Since being drafted fifth overall in 2008 by Toronto Schenn has played for 11 teams.

This season, Schenn has one goal and seven assists.

Dallas Stars – Mathew Dumba, Regina

A first-round pick in 2012, Regina-born defenceman Matt Dumba is in his first season with the Dallas Stars.

After spending the first 10 seasons of his NHL career in Minnesota, the 30-year-old Dumba has also spent time with Arizona (Utah) and Tampa Bay last season before landing in Dallas via free agency.

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This season, Dumba played in 63 games as a Star with one goal and nine assists.

Vegas Golden Knights – Kaedan Korczak, Yorkton, Brayden McNabb, Davidson

Originally from Yorkton, 24-year-old defenceman Kaeden Korczak played in a career-high 40 games this season with 10 assists and a plus/minus of plus 15.

Playing in his fourth season as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, he was on the roster during the team’s Stanley Cup run in 2023 and has a ring from that championship – but since he did not appear in a playoff game, his name was not engraved on the cup. He’ll look to change that this postseason.

Appearing in all 82 games for Vegas this season, 36-year-old Brayden McNabb won the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023, bringing the cup back to his hometown of Davidson.

During the 2024/25 regular season, McNabb was again a staple on the Golden Knights blue line, with five goals and 15 assists for 20 total points and a plus/minus of plus 42, among the highest plus/minus ratings in the entire NHL.

St. Louis Blues – Brayden Schenn, Saskatoon

An NHL veteran at this point in his career, 33-year-old forward Brayden Schenn is the captain of the St. Louis Blues. In his sixteenth NHL season, the former fifth overall pick played in all 82 games, recording 18 goals and 32 assists for a total of 50 points.

Brayden Schenn also surpassed the 1,000 career games mark this season and won the Stanley Cup with St. Louis in 2019. He and Luke are the only brothers in NHL history to reach the 1,000 game mark in the same season. The brothers will face each other in the opening round of the playoffs.

The Stanley Cup playoffs begin Saturday.

-With files from Drew Postey