X-FACTOR

Going into the season, there were questions about whether Steven Stamkos could rebound from essentially losing the second of the past four seasons to injury. His response has been emphatically affirmative. While he’s not scoring at a Rocket Richard Trophy pace, he’s become one of the NHL’s premier setup men and a demon in the faceoff circle, a clear sign he’s willing to put aside personal glory for the betterment of the team. He was robbed of an Olympic gold in 2014 because of injury, but there is a sense he will not be denied a Stanley Cup.