Three Pats Alumni in 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Regina, Sask. – Three Regina Pats alumni are currently on NHL playoff rosters as the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs get underway on Saturday, April 20.
Chandler Stephenson (Vegas Golden Knights), Sam Steel (Dallas Stars) and Josh Mahura (Florida Panthers) will compete in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Chandler Stephenson | Vegas Golden Knights
Stephenson, 29, will take on the Dallas Stars in round one, looking for their second Stanley Cup after a 45-29-8-2 season with 98 points. In the second wild card spot, Vegas will play Dallas beginning on Monday. The Saskatoon, Sask. product tallied 51 points (16G-35A) in 75 games this past season with Vegas, compiling 50+ points for a third straight season after recording 65 points (16G-49A) in 81 games last season. He lifted the cup for a second time in his NHL career after recording 20 points (10G-10A) in 22 playoff games, helping the Golden Knights become 2023 Stanley Cup Champions.
The 6-foot, 209 lb. left-shot forward played his entire four-year Western Hockey League career with the Regina Pats from 2010-2014. In his final season with the Pats (2013-14), Stephenson tallied 89 points (30G-59A) in 69 games, and was later named a WHL East Division Second Team All-Star. He also played in the 2011-12 CHL Top Prospects Game while a member of the Pats, and was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the third round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
Sam Steel | Dallas Stars
Steel, 26, helped the Dallas Stars to the best record in the Western Conference with 113 points and a 52-21-9-2 record. The Stars will take on the Golden Knights in round one. The Ardrossan, Alta. product completed his sixth NHL season and first with the Stars in 2023-24, recording 24 points (9G-15A) in 77 games. Last season, the 6-foot, 185 lb. left-shot forward tallied 28 points (10G-18A) in 65 games with the Minnesota Wild.
The former Pats captain played for Regina for parts of five seasons from 2013-2018, recording 338 points (123G-215A) in 258 career WHL games, helping the Pats reach to the 2018 Memorial Cup Final, and later being named Memorial Cup MVP leading all players in scoring with 13 points (2G-11A) in five contests. The former Ducks 2016 first-round pick ranks seventh in Pats history in assists.
Josh Mahura | Florida Panthers
Mahura, 25, helped the Panthers to the third most points in the Eastern Conference, going 52-24-6-2 with 110 points, which was first in the Atlantic Division. The Panthers will play the Tampa Bay Lightning in the battle of the sunshine state beginning on Sunday, April 1.
The St. Albert, Alta. product had nine points (0G-9A) in 30 games this past season with the Panthers after recording 16 points (4G-12A) in 82 games last season. The 6-foot, 190 lb. left-shot defenceman also helped the Panthers reach the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, playing in 21 playoff games (0G-3A) before losing in five games to the Vegas Golden Knights. Mahura was acquired by Regina Pats from the Red Deer Rebels during the 2016-17 season. In the 2017-18 season, he tallied 69 points (22G-47A) in 60 games.
HISTORY
Exactly 166 Pats have gone on to play in the National Hockey League. In the 2023-24 NHL season, two former Pats players made their NHL debuts with Connor Bedard playing his first NHL game with the Chicago Blackhawks on October 10, 2023 at Pittsburgh and Ryker Evans making his NHL debut with the Seattle Kraken on December 7, 2023 vs. New Jersey.
In the 2022-23 NHL season, Stanislav Svozil made his NHL debut with the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 13, 2023 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
12 former Pats played NHL games during the 2023-24 season, which include;
- Kyle Burroughs (D) – San Jose Sharks (Pats, 2012-2017)
- Dryden Hunt (F) – Calgary Flames (Pats, 2011-2015)
- Nikolai Knyzhov (D) – San Jose Sharks (Pats, 2015-2016)
- Jordan Eberle (F) – Seattle Kraken (Pats, 2006-2010)
- Josh Mahura (D) – Florida Panthers (Pats, 2017-2018)
- Sam Steel (F) – Dallas Stars (Pats, 2014-2018)
- Cale Fleury (D) – Seattle Kraken (Pats, 2017-18)
- Ryker Evans (D) – Seattle Kraken (Pats, 2018-2021)
- Chandler Stephenson (F) – Vegas Golden Knights (Pats, 2010-2014)
- Connor Bedard (F) – Chicago Blackhawks (Pats, 2020-2023)
- Yegor Zamula (D) – Philadelphia Flyers (Pats, 2017-18)
- Jake Leschyshyn (F) – New York Rangers (Pats, 2014-2019)