#AskKrenner: What to look for as the playoffs get underway

We'll obviously rely on the strength (and brilliance) of our veteran players but which of the new players this season do you think will have the greatest impact in the playoffs?
There are a few good choices, but in terms of new players this season, I think Ian Cole has the potential to make a major impact for Tampa Bay in the postseason.

We know that special teams are huge in the playoffs, and Cole has been one of the Lightning's top penalty killers all season long. He's been in these situations before and brings 110 games of playoff experience to the lineup, along with two Stanley Cup championships from his time in Pittsburgh. Experience is extremely valuable this time of year and Cole brings a lot of it.
Last year, the Maple Leafs finished the regular season with their power play clicking at 27.3%, the best power-play percentage in the NHL.
Come playoff time, Tampa Bay held Toronto's power play to just 14.3%. Meanwhile, the Bolts converted on 21.2% of their power plays. It was a huge difference in the series. The Lightning penalty kill was clicking at 85.7%, while Toronto was operating at 78.8%.
Tampa Bay will miss Ryan McDonagh on the penalty kill this postseason and will need somebody to step up. Look no further than Cole, who led the Bolts in shorthanded time on ice this season
Who are you most looking forward to watching the most on the ice this playoffs?
I'm really excited to see what Brayden Point can bring to the table for Tampa Bay this postseason. Everyone saw what he was able to do on the ice during the regular season when he became just the third player in Lightning franchise history to hit the 50-goal mark in a single season.
As Jon Cooper mentioned earlier this month, Point has been the straw that stirs the drink all season long for the Bolts. His speed is a legitimate game-changer, particularly when he gets motoring through the neutral zone and gets defensemen on their heels. There aren't many players that can keep up with him in that situation.
With all the 50-goal scorers across the NHL this year, Point flew under the radar a little bit, but this is a guy that's coming off the best season of his career. On top of that, he's a gamer. He'll do whatever it takes to win, and I think he is going to play a really big role in this series for the Lightning.
What do you think is the Bolts biggest weakness that they must improve to beat Toronto?
It all starts in the defensive zone.
We've seen some really good things in the defensive zone from the Lightning this season, but we've also seen some bad things, including uncharacteristic turnovers.
The Bolts have had so much success in the postseason over these past several years by doing a couple of things - managing the puck and doing everything they can to eliminate as many mistakes as possible, particularly in their own end.
I believe we saw Tampa Bay at their very best in late March-early April, starting with a 2-1 loss at Boston. They went on to beat Carolina on the road, 4-0, before returning home for a 5-1 win over Washington and a 5-0 win over the Islanders.
There was a theme throughout these contests. The Lightning worked incredibly hard in the defensive zone. That's not just the defensemen. It's all five guys on the ice working as a unit. If the Bolts can replicate their performances from that stretch of games, I think they'll be extremely successful in the playoffs.
What was your favorite moment of the regular season?
My favorite moment(s) of the regular season was seeing Steven Stamkos get all the well-deserved recognition for all the milestones he hit throughout the year.
Stamkos has been through so much throughout his career, on and off the ice. With all the serious injuries he's fought through, it's really extremely impressive that he's accomplished everything he has. That doesn't just take physical resiliency, but mental resiliency as well.
There aren't many people out there that could get knocked down as many times as Stamkos has and continue to get back up. Not only has he gotten back up, but he's done it with a resounding spirit and almost unbelievable success. Not to mention he's done it at the highest level of his profession.
I view Stamkos as one of the best professional athletes to ever come through the Tampa Bay area. From day one as an 18-year-old, he's done everything the right way. Not only has he played hard, but he's played honest. He's stood in front of media after the most fulfilling wins and the most agonizing losses, and took time to give genuine, knowledgeable answers.
Seeing the joy Stamkos has experienced from his celebratory ceremonies and seeing him share those moments with his family has been a lot of fun to watch. In my opinion, he deserves all of that recognition and then some for everything he's brought to the Lightning organization.
Who do you think is going to be an unexpected hero for the #Bolts during the playoffs?
I think Mikhail Sergachev has a really good opportunity to make a big impact on this series. He's been elevated to the top power-play unit and has done a really good job manning the point for that talented group.
Toronto has so much talent up front and some unbelievable skaters - Marner, Matthews, Nylander and others. Sergachev is such a gifted skater and I think that's going to be a really big factor in this series.
Not only is he a gifted skater, but Sergachev is strong as well. We've seen him play physical at multiple times this year and use his strength to knock some really big, strong players off the puck. Additionally, Sergachev brings some nasty to his game that I think goes underappreciated. He's tough in the corners and in front of the net. He takes exception to anyone goes near Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Sergachev led all Lightning skaters in average time on ice this season. As I said before, if Tampa Bay wants to go far, it's going to start in the defensive zone. If Sergachev can help lock down some of those top offensive threats from the Leafs, it will help the Bolts tremendously.
Skating a pair with Darren Raddysh recently, we've seen the strong chemistry between the two defensemen. They can both jump up in the rush when they need to and help generate offense. I'm excited to see what they can bring to the postseason as a pair.