Hockey-speak would tell you that a team's best players must be their best players when the playoffs roll around. That's all well and good, but in today's cap world, those bargain-bin buys - players who provide that extra goal, save, hit, or blocked shot - are often the difference between winning and losing.
Here are three thrifty purchases making a difference for their teams early in these Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Reilly Smith
Completed at a time when most were still unpacking the Brandon Saad and Phil Kessel deals, Dale Tallon's acquisition of Smith (and the contract of Marc Savard) in exchange for limited forward Jimmy Hayes was understandably shifted to the back burner.
But after a full regular season slate, and Smith having provided a comparable scoring rate at a substantially lower cost while fortifying Florida's second unit, there's an argument that he's been the most impactful top-six add from last summer.
And that influence has carried into the postseason - in spades. Smith's scored four goals and tallied eight assists through nine-plus periods - or had a hand in 80 percent of Florida's offense - thus far.
Matt Cullen
Cullen, who agreed to a basement $800,000 salary after more than a month on the open market last summer, has emerged as the ultimate ancillary tool for the Penguins.
The 39-year-old has taken on a plug-and-play role, shifting up and down the lineup and filling voids whenever needed. But at the same time he's been their constant, taking on critical defensive assignments, digging in on draws, and anchoring a fresh-faced bottom six.
That isn't to say his offensive instincts haven't endured. Cullen added to his 16-goal total in the regular season with a spectacular individual effort in Game 3, scoring a goal that would stand as the game-winner.
Shane Prince
Islanders fans were disappointed when the team made what was believed to be a largely inconsequential move at the deadline, exchanging a third-round pick for a seventh to acquire Shane Prince from the Senators.
Primarily an extra body in Ottawa, Prince immediately stepped into a regular third-line role with the Islanders. He hasn't set the world on fire offensively since his add, but did ignite Barclays Center in Game 3 with one of the more critical goals this season - a marker that cut the deficit to one and spurred an eventual come-from-behind win.
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