Before you know it, the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be underway. Some teams will be scrapping for their first-ever rise to the top, while others will be fending off competition for a repeat shot at the title.

But championship runs don’t happen without some important performances from some important players.

Here are five contributors absolutely essential to their team’s respective journeys toward bringing home the Cup:

Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals

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Braden Holtby is a vital ingredient to Washington’s defensive success, especially as the season winds to a close. USATSI

His 36th win of the season came recently after a little bit of a rough patch for the veteran goalie, as it was just the second victory for Holtby in a six-start stretch. But that’s a testament to how important he is for the Caps. Washington still boasts the league’s top defense, having allowed no more than 160 goals on the season entering the midway point of this week, and their success has largely hinged on Holtby’s solid play in the net. When he slipped, the Capitals endured one of their roughest weeks of late, albeit one that clinched the team its third straight playoff berth.

Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins

No disrespect to Sidney Crosby, who very clearly remains at peak performance level and cannot be ignored as the centerpiece of the Pens’ league-leading offense. But Malkin, with a 30-goal season under his belt for the first time since 2011-12 and the first time alongside a 30-goal Crosby campaign since 2008-09, is the real X-factor here. If he can stay on the ice (and we all know that’s an “if”), he’s someone who can change a game or, better yet, a series. Crosby is powering a battered but goal-crazy Pittsburgh team, but it’s Malkin who helps take them over the top.

Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks

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As if anyone needed a reminder, Patrick Kane is part of the high-scoring unit that figures to be key to Chicago’s run at another title. USATSI

Let’s not be afraid to lump this talented duo together. Is it too easy to highlight Chicago’s top scorers as the keys to the Blackhawks’ dominance? Oh well. There’s just no denying that Kane and Toews are the lifeblood of this surging contender’s momentum. Artemi Panarin has been no slouch, of course, but it’s not only the more-than-50 combined goals between Kane and Toews that has been deadly for Chicago. As was reiterated during the team’s big hot streak early in March, the Blackhawks have won nearly 90 percent of games, including playoff contests, that feature at least one goal from both Kane and Toews.

Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

Quietly racking up points in a crowded Eastern Conference, the Rangers own a top-three offense thanks to more than 230 goals on the year. But it’s the team’s defense, particularly their recovering goalie, that could put them over the top once the real games begin. Building a 30-17 record before suffering a hip injury on March 7, Lundqvist is the obvious -- and semi-ageless -- secret weapon as New York readies itself for a postseason push. He’s got the playoff experience, and he’s clearly been a focal point of the Rangers’ rise in 2016-17, so all eyes will be on him and his hip moving forward.