The National Hockey League started the 2020-21 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 16, and the University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey program had a few alums take part and move on to the second round. Seven former players are part of teams that were in the first-round.
 
The Winnipeg Jets will be moving on to the second round after beating the Edmonton Oilers 4-0 in their opening series. On the Jets are two former Bulldogs, forward Dominic Toninato and defensemen Neal Pionk. Toninato has seen action in two games, scoring a goal (his first career playoff game winner) with one shot and a +2 rating. He finished the regular season with two games played, grabbing an assist with two shots. Pionk has played in all four games, dishing three assists, taking six shots and sitting with a +1 rating. He finished the regular season with 54 games played, 32 points (3g, 29a), a +6 rating and 100 shots.
 
The Boston Bruins have moved onto the second round after beating the Washington Capitals 4-1 in their opening series. Former forward Karson Kuhlman has see action in one game thus far, dishing out an assist and sitting with a -1 rating. He finished the regular season playing in 20 games, scoring two goals with 31 shots and a -6 rating. The Bruins are currently tied 1-1 after two games with the New York Islanders.
 
The Minnesota Wild took on the Vegas Golden Knights, a series that went seven games. The Wild ultimately lost to the Knights, four games to three. Former Bulldog defenseman Carson Soucy saw action in four of the seven games, taking one shot, one penalty and finishing the series with a -1 rating. He finished the regular season playing in 50 games, scoring one goal with 16 assists for 17 points, a +22 rating with 47 shots and a game winner.
 
Goalie Kasmir Kaskisuo is a part of the active roster on the Nashville Predators, lost in six games to the Carolina Hurricanes. Kaskisuo has not seen action in the playoffs and saw action in one game in 2020-21. He played for 16 minutes, making saves on all 16 shots faced.
 
Defenseman Justin Faulk is with the St. Louis Blues. The Blues were taken out by the Colorado Avalanche in just four games this year. Faulk made appearances in two games, taking five shots and sitting with a -1 rating before taking a hit from forward Nazim Kadri. Faulk did not play in the final two games.
 
Former UMD goaltender Alex Stalock and the Edmonton Oilers were knocked out of the playoffs in a 4-0 sweep coming at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets. Stalock did not make an appearance and has played in eight playoff games in his career (three with San Jose and five with Minnesota).
 
Two other former Bulldogs made their NHL debuts this past season. Forwards Jackson Cates (Philadelphia Flyers) and Justin Richards (New York Rangers) each played in their first NHL games before the end of the 2020-21 NHL regular season. Cates finished the year with four games played, an assist, a -1 rating and seven shots. Richards played in one game, dished an assist, played in 10:11 of ice time and had two shots.