The NHL's 2019-20 postseason will feature even more superstars than usual thanks to an expanded field. But there are also several less heralded players who are primed to make an impact for their respective teams.

Here are five key contributors who have a chance to be the difference in their best-of-five series:

Kailer Yamamoto

While the Edmonton Oilers boast two MVP-caliber forwards in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, as well as a solid secondary scorer in Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the Chicago Blackhawks would be unwise to forget about Yamamoto.

The 21-year-old right-winger piled up 11 goals and 26 points across 27 games this season, thriving instantly after his December call-up and ultimately helping the Oilers maintain a playoff position.

Edmonton's play-in opponents will understandably be focused on containing the aforementioned trio. Yamamoto could capitalize on that and help his club reach the round of 16.

Jason Zucker

Zucker's production had been on the decline since his 33-goal season with the Minnesota Wild in 2017-18. But he immediately clicked with Sidney Crosby after the Wild traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins in February.

Filling the void left in the wake of Jake Guentzel's injury, Zucker racked up six goals and six assists in 15 games with the Penguins. His average ice time also increased by nearly two minutes following the move out of Minnesota.

Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang will command most of the Montreal Canadiens' attention during the play-in round, and rightfully so. But Zucker could certainly do some damage in his own right, even if Guentzel returns and retakes his top-line role.

Mikael Granlund

Given the dominant manner in which Kevin Fiala finished his season, it seems safe to say the Wild won the one-for-one trade that sent Granlund to the Nashville Predators - at least for now. The latter forward has shown he can be an effective, albeit streaky scorer, and if the Arizona Coyotes overlook him, they could be doing so at their own peril.

Granlund finished with only 17 goals and 30 points in 63 games this season, but he was on fire from late December to late February: He poured in 13 of those 17 markers over a 26-game span, including 11 after John Hynes replaced Peter Laviolette as the Predators' head coach.

Nashville isn't exactly known for its offense, but it has a host of weapons to keep Arizona preoccupied, including Roman Josi, Ryan Johansen, and Granlund's linemates, Filip Forsberg and Matt Duchene. If the Coyotes are forced to give Granlund a little extra space as a result, he could help put the Predators over the top.

Pavel Buchnevich

Buchnevich certainly benefited from playing alongside Mika Zibanejad this season, but that wasn't the sole reason for his late-campaign success. The Russian winger actually played better without his dynamic linemate, posting a superior expected goals for rate away from the Swedish star.

Like several players on this list, Buchnevich finished strong in 2019-20, netting nine goals and 21 points over the New York Rangers' final 21 regular-season games.

New York's play-in opponents, the Carolina Hurricanes, will be tasked with defending Zibanejad and another elite sniper in Artemi Panarin, which could allow Buchnevich to shine in a supporting role.

Mikael Backlund

It's well documented that the Calgary Flames possess their fair share of firepower in the form of Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, Sean Monahan, and Elias Lindholm.

In addition to that quartet, the Flames got a late-season boost from a skilled but less celebrated player. Backlund led the club in goals and points down the stretch, notching 10 and 19, respectively, over Calgary's final 14 games. He's long been a dependable two-way center, but he raised his offensive game over the latter portion of the season, producing 13 goals and 30 points over the final 33 contests.

The Winnipeg Jets will have their hands full trying to neutralize Backlund's peskier and more talented linemate, Tkachuk. That could open the door for the Swedish pivot to provide series-altering contributions.

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Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin has spoken out against racial injustice in the wake of George Floyd's death.

"RIP George Floyd. So sad to see (what's) happening everywhere and (in) DC," Ovechkin said Monday on Twitter. "It is so important for us to respect and love each other no matter what we look like! We need (to) listen and do change ... please stay safe ... take care (of) each other and family."

Protests against police brutality and racial injustice began across North America following Floyd's death Monday while he was in the custody of Minneapolis police. Derek Chauvin, the now-former police officer who pinned Floyd's neck with his knee for over eight minutes while he was handcuffed on the ground, was fired and has since been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane, who is part of the small minority of black NHL players, challenged high-profile athletes to use their platform to denounce racism.

Since then, several NHL players, including Blake Wheeler, Anze Kopitar, Jonathan Toews, John Tavares, and Kane's teammate Logan Couture have spoken out against racial injustices. Kane said Monday that it's "a small step in the right direction" to see white NHL players taking a stance against racism.

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Madison Square Garden Company chairman James Dolan sent an email to employees Monday defending the organization's decision to not release a public statement following the death of George Floyd, according to ESPN's Malika Andrews.

"This is a turbulent time in our country. The coronavirus and civil unrest have taken their toll on our way of life," Dolan wrote. "We at Madison Square Company stand by our values of a respectful and peaceful workplace. We always will.

"As companies in the business of sports and entertainment, however, we are not any more qualified than anyone else to offer our opinion on social matters. What's important is how we operate. Our companies are committed to upholding our values, which include creating a respectful workplace for all, and that will never change. What we say to each other matters. How we treat each other matters. And that's what will get us through this difficult time."

New York Knicks players and employees are furious that the team, which Dolan owns through MSG, has not released a statement, according to ESPN's Pablo S. Torre.

The New York Rangers, also owned by Dolan, have yet to release a statement despite several other NHL franchises doing so, including the New York Islanders.

Numerous sports executives, franchises, leagues, and other organizations across North America have condemned racial injustices faced by African-Americans following Floyd's death while in the custody of Minneapolis police on May 25.

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New York Rangers prospect K'Andre Miller released a statement Monday in support of the Black Lives Matter movement amid protests across the United States in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis last week.

Miller was racially abused in the comment section of a Zoom introductory press conference in early April following the signing of his entry-level contract. The team and NHL released statements condemning the behavior, but Miller says he stayed quiet because he didn't want to take the spotlight in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But in light of recent incidents, Miller, a Minnesota native, felt it was time to speak up.

"In the midst of the senseless death of George Floyd, at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, the peaceful protests and violent riots have become the focus for all of us," Miller said. "I want to express my growing concern for the safety of our citizens of color, specifically in my home state, given recent events. I support the Black Lives Matter movement."

"I struggle because I've never been fully accepted by either the black community or the white community. I struggle because for years I have been one of the only people of color on my hockey teams. I have been targeted because of my race when I was in youth hockey by some coaches, parents, and players, but I refused to give up because of my love for the game."

"You can only imagine how it felt to have an organization like the New York Rangers draft me, the hockey player. For that one moment in time I didn't have to be defined by the color of my skin but rather on my hockey skills, athletic ability, and character. This is how it should be all the time. It's time for action, time for change, and once and for all, it's time to let black people be judged based on who we are and not what we look like."

The Rangers drafted Miller 22nd overall in 2018. He's spent the past two years playing at the University of Wisconsin.

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Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is challenging himself and others in a place of privilege to approach the fight against racial injustice with compassion and empathy.

"Compassion to me is at least trying to feel and understand what someone else is going through," Toews said on Instagram. "For just a moment maybe I can try to see the world through their eyes.

"My message isn't for black people and what they should do going forward. My message is to white people to open our eyes and our hearts. That's the only choice we have, otherwise this will continue."

Protests against racism and police brutality began across North America in response to George Floyd's death Monday in Minneapolis. Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died after now-former police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground with his knee for over eight minutes while Floyd was in handcuffs. Chauvin was fired and has since been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

"I can't pretend for a second that I know what it feels like to walk in a black man's shoes," Toews wrote. "However, seeing the video of George Floyd's death and the violent reaction across the country moved me to tears.

"It has pushed me to think how much pain are black people and other minorities really feeling? What have Native American people dealt with in both Canada and the U.S.? What is it really like to grow up in their world? Where am I ignorant about the privileges that I may have that others don't?"

San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane, who is part of the small minority of black players in the NHL, challenged high-profile athletes to use their platforms to denounce injustice.

Toews joins several other players, including Kane's teammate Logan Couture, Blake Wheeler, Anze Kopitar, Kyle Turris, Brian Boyle, and Connor Carrick who have since spoken out. Kane said it's "a small step in the right direction" to see white NHL players taking a stance against racism.

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Florida Panthers veteran defenseman Anton Stralman questioned the safety of the NHL's plan to host a 24-team playoff, and isn't sure if the reward of pursuing a Stanley Cup outweighs the health and logistical concerns of playing hockey during a pandemic.

"Is it worth it?" Stralman said, per The Athletic's Joe Smith.

He continued: "I think you should be concerned. There are so many ways to look at this thing. I know everybody wants hockey back, but safety has to come first. And it’s a little bit worrisome, I can’t deny that. Even though most players are young and healthy, I’m sure there are players like me that have underlying health issues. I don’t know how my body will react if I get this virus."

Stralman is in his 13th NHL season, and first with the Panthers. He's dealt with bronchiectasis - a condition that prevents mucus from clearing in his lungs - since his time with the New York Rangers and just stopped taking medication for it this past year.

On top of concern for himself, Stralman spoke about the dangers of contracting COVID-19 in the league's proposed hub cities.

"It would be terrible if we fly into hub cities and start playing, and maybe one of the workers in the building gets it," Stralman said. "It’s not just the 50 guys on the team, there’s a lot of people that need to be there to make this work. If some of those people get sick and potentially die from that, who is responsible? And is this something I want to be part of? It's about the safety, not just for me but everyone involved. That raises a lot of questions on if we should do this thing. And if we do, would there be a price to pay for it?

"I'm not sure that's the right thing to do."

Stralman and the Panthers were three points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for third spot in the Atlantic Division when the league went on pause March 12. By virtue of the league's expanded postseason format, Florida earned the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference and are slated to take on the New York Islanders in a best-of-five series in the play-in round.

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Think you have what it takes to be the Ken Jennings or James Holzhauer of the sports world? Find out by taking our latest quiz, made up of sports-themed "Final Jeopardy" questions from the iconic game show.

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