Tucson Roadrunners Alumni Across the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round

TUCSON, AZ – Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser took a pass from center Anthony Cirelli off a faceoff below the blue line, spun around Montréal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach and ripped a wrist shot past goaltender Jakub Dobeš’ glove at 12:48 of overtime to lift the Lightning to a 3-2 win in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Tuesday night, evening the series at 1-1.

The goal marked Moser’s first career goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Later that night, Utah Mammoth forward Dylan Guenther also netted his first career playoff goal, giving Utah a 2-1 lead late in the second period of a 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of the Western Conference First Round, as the Mammoth evened their series at 1-1.

Now playing for different teams in opposite conferences, Moser and Guenther were once teammates in the Arizona Coyotes organization and both spent time developing in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Tucson Roadrunners.

They are just two of 20 players on NHL rosters in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with Roadrunners experience before the 2025-26 season. The Tucson connection extends behind the bench as well, with Philadelphia Flyers assistant coach Jay Varady previously serving as the Roadrunners’ head coach before moving to the NHL.

The AHL – celebrating its 90th anniversary this season – continues to serve as a critical development path to the NHL. At the start of the 2025-26 season, 596 players on NHL opening-night rosters were AHL graduates, accounting for more than 82 percent of the league, according to the AHL. Additionally, 21 of the NHL’s 32 head coaches – more than 65 percent – previously served as head coaches in the AHL.

Tucson is one of 32 AHL clubs represented in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here’s a closer look at the Roadrunners alumni competing for the Stanley Cup.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Every First Round series in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs features at least one former Tucson Roadrunner.
• Nine of the 16 playoff teams have at least one player with Roadrunners experience.
• A total of 20 players and one coach in the Stanley Cup Playoffs have spent time in Tucson before the 2025-26 season.
• Eleven of those 20 players have appeared in at least one First Round game so far.

BY TEAM
Utah Mammoth (5), Edmonton Oilers (3), Dallas Stars (3), Buffalo Sabres (3), Tampa Bay Lightning (2), Los Angeles Kings (1), Ottawa Senators (1), Philadelphia Flyers (1 player, 1 coach), Vegas Golden Knights (1)

BY POSITION
Forwards (9), Defensemen (7), Goaltenders (4), Coaches (1)

WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND

Colorado Avalanche (D1) vs Los Angeles Kings (WC2)

Colorado (0)

Los Angeles (1)

Darcy Kuemper, G – Appeared in one game with Tucson on a conditioning stint during the 2019–20 season as a member of the Arizona Coyotes. Has yet to appear in the 2026 postseason with Los Angeles. Posted a 19-14-15 record with three shutouts, a 2.78 goals-against average and a .891 save percentage in 50 regular-season games with the Kings in 2025–26.

Over his career, Kuemper has played in 489 NHL regular-season games with Minnesota (2012–17), Los Angeles (2017–18, 2024–26), Arizona (2017–21), Colorado (2021–22) and Washington (2022–24), and helped lead the Avalanche to a Stanley Cup championship in 2022 as Colorado’s starting goaltender.

Dallas Stars (D2) vs Minnesota Wild (D3)

Dallas Stars (3)

Michael Bunting, F – Played 260 games with Tucson over five seasons (2016–21) and ranks first in Roadrunners history in assists (106) and second in goals (74) and points (180). Has played in 418 NHL regular-season games with Arizona (2018–21), Toronto (2021–23), Carolina (2023–24), Pittsburgh (2023–25), Nashville (2024–26) and Dallas (2026), including 74 combined games with Nashville (61) and Dallas (13) in 2025–26. Has five points (2g, 3a) in 13 career Stanley Cup Playoff games with Toronto and has yet to appear in the 2026 postseason.

Kyle Capobianco, D – Played 155 games with Tucson from 2016–21 and was a franchise-record three-time AHL All-Star (2018, 2019, 2020). Leads all Roadrunners defensemen in points (112) and ranks second in goals (21) and assists (91). Has played in 107 career NHL games with Arizona (2017–22), Winnipeg (2022–23) and Dallas (2024–26), along with one career playoff game, but has yet to appear in the 2026 postseason.

Ilya Lyubushkin, D – Played two games with Tucson during the 2019–20 season. Has since appeared in 486 NHL games with Arizona (2018–22), Toronto (2021–22, 2023–24), Buffalo (2022–23), Anaheim (2023–24) and Dallas (2024–26). Has recorded seven assists in 28 career Stanley Cup Playoff games but has yet to appear in the 2026 postseason.

Minnesota Wild (0)

Vegas Golden Knights (D1) vs Utah Mammoth (WC1)

Vegas Golden Knights (1)

Adin Hill, G – Played 134 games with Tucson over five seasons (2016–21) and is the Roadrunners’ all-time leader in wins (66), shutouts (10), save percentage (.909), goals-against average (2.68), games played (134) and minutes (7,551). Also holds multiple single-season franchise records, including five shutouts in 2017–18 and a .918 save percentage in 2019–20.

Has played in 213 NHL games with Arizona (2017–21), San Jose (2021–22) and Vegas (2022–present), and won the Stanley Cup in 2023 as the Golden Knights’ starting goaltender. Has yet to appear in the 2026 postseason but owns a 17-12-0 record, a 2.41 GAA and a .917 save percentage in 30 career playoff games, all with Vegas.

Utah Mammoth (5)

Dylan Guenther, F – Played 29 games with Tucson in 2023–24, leading the team with 18 assists and 28 points, and was named to the AHL All-Star Team before earning a full-time NHL promotion in January. Has 183 points (91g, 92a) in 227 career NHL games with Arizona and Utah. Set career highs this season with 40 goals, 73 points and 79 games played this season and has two points (1g, 1a) through his first two career Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Michael Carcone, F –  Played 148 games with Tucson over three seasons (2020–23) and set multiple single-season franchise records in 2022–23, including goals (31), assists (54), points (85), power-play goals (14) and points per game (1.31). Earned AHL All-Star honors that season before a full-time NHL promotion. Has played 236 NHL games with Arizona and Utah, including 79 games and 31 points (16g, 15a) in 2025–26, and has appeared in each of Utah’s first two playoff games.

Kailer Yamamoto, F – Played 54 games with Tucson in 2024–25, leading the team in points (56), assists (36) and points per game (1.04). Recorded 23 points (13g, 10a) in 59 NHL games this season and has two assists through Utah’s first two playoff games. Has 160 career NHL points (73g, 87a) in 374 games and 14 points (3g, 11a) in 36 career playoff games.

Lawson Crouse, F – Played 56 games with Tucson in 2017–18 and led the team in playoff power-play goals (2) while tying for the team lead in postseason points (8) during the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs. Has played 81 NHL games in each of the last three seasons and has one assist through Utah’s first two playoff games. Owns 259 points (139g, 120a) in 666 career NHL games and three points (2g, 1a) in 11 playoff games.

Barrett Hayton, F – Played 35 games with Tucson across parts of three seasons (2019–21). Appeared in 67 NHL games this season but has yet to play in the 2026 postseason. Has 155 points (65g, 90a) in 358 career NHL games and three career playoff appearances (2019–20).

Edmonton Oilers (D2) vs Anaheim Ducks (D3)

Edmonton Oilers (3)

Ty Emberson, D – Played 63 games with Tucson over two seasons (2020–22). Has one assist through Edmonton’s first two playoff games, recording his first career postseason point in Game 1. Has appeared in 11 career playoff games, including nine with Edmonton last season.

Connor Ingram, G – Appeared in one game with Tucson in 2024–25, making 29 saves in a victory during a conditioning stint. Has started both of Edmonton’s first two playoff games in the series against Anaheim, posting a 1-1-0 record.

His emergence as Edmonton’s starter has capped a comeback season, beginning the year with Bakersfield in the AHL before being recalled to the NHL, where he went 16-10-3 with a 2.60 goals-against average, .899 save percentage and two shutouts in 32 games with the Oilers.

Has appeared in six career Stanley Cup Playoff games with Nashville (4) and Edmonton (2), and has played in 134 career NHL regular-season games with Nashville (2021–22), Arizona (2022–24), Utah (2024–25) and Edmonton (2025–26).

Calvin Pickard, G – Played four games with Tucson in 2018–19, posting a 3-0-0 record. Has yet to appear in the 2026 postseason but has played in 13 playoff games over the last two seasons, including a career-high 10 appearances and seven starts in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, where he went 7-1-0 and earned his first career Stanley Cup Final victory in Edmonton’s Game 4 win over Florida.

Has appeared in 191 career NHL regular-season games with Colorado (2014–17), Toronto (2017–18), Philadelphia (2018–19), Arizona (2018–19), Detroit (2019–22) and Edmonton (2023–26). Like Ingram, he has split time between Bakersfield and Edmonton this season, appearing in eight AHL games with the Condors and 16 NHL games with the Oilers (5-6-2 record in 13 starts).

Anaheim (0)

EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND

Buffalo Sabres (D1) vs Boston Bruins (WC1)

Buffalo Sabres (3)

Josh Doan, F – Played 104 games with Tucson across three seasons (2022–25). In his first full professional season (2023–24), Doan set a Roadrunners rookie single-season record with 26 goals, was named an AHL All-Star, and helped lead Tucson to a franchise-best 43 wins. Earned a second consecutive AHL All-Star selection in 2024–25 before being recalled in January and finishing the season in the NHL.

In his first full NHL season with Buffalo in 2025–26, Doan set career highs in goals (25), assists (27), points (52) and games played (82). Has appeared in both of Buffalo’s first two playoff games and is still seeking his first career postseason point.

Connor Timmins, D – Appeared in six games with Tucson during the 2022–23 season. Played 39 regular-season games with Buffalo in 2025–26 and has four penalty minutes through the first two playoff games. Has appeared in 14 career Stanley Cup Playoff games with Colorado and Buffalo and has played in 198 NHL games with Colorado (2019–21), Arizona (2021–23), Toronto (2022–25), Pittsburgh (2024–25) and Buffalo (2025–26).

Michael Kesselring, D – Played 16 games with Tucson across parts of two seasons (2022–24). Recorded two assists in 34 games with Buffalo in his first season with the Sabres in 2025–26. Has yet to appear in the 2026 postseason. Owns 55 points (12g, 43a) in 190 career NHL games with Arizona (2022–24), Utah (2024–25) and Buffalo (2025–26).

Boston Bruins (0)

Tampa Bay Lightning (D2) vs Montreal Canadiens (D3)

Tampa Bay Lightning (2)
J.J. Moser, D – Began his North American professional career with Tucson in 2021–22, recording 12 points in 18 games, tied for second on the team and tied for the AHL lead among defensemen with three power-play goals, before earning a recall. Has since appeared in 338 NHL games with Arizona and Tampa Bay and seven career playoff games with the Lightning. Scored his first career playoff goal — the overtime winner in Game 2 against Montreal.

Conor Geekie, F – Appeared in two Calder Cup Playoff games with Tucson in 2024. Has since played 81 AHL games with Syracuse and 66 NHL games with Tampa Bay, along with five Stanley Cup Playoff games across the last two postseasons. Recorded two penalty minutes in Game 1 against Montreal.

Montréal Canadiens (0)

Carolina Hurricanes (D1) vs Ottawa Senators (WC2)

Carolina Hurricanes (0)

Ottawa Senators (1)

Cameron Crotty, D – Played 219 games with Tucson across four seasons (2020–24). Skated in six NHL games with Ottawa and 49 AHL games with Belleville in 2025–26. Has yet to appear in the 2026 postseason.

Has one assist in eight career NHL games with Arizona (2023–24), Minnesota (2024–25) and Ottawa (2025–26), along with 59 points (12g, 47a) in 332 AHL games with Tucson, Iowa and Belleville.

Pittsburgh Penguins (D2) vs Philadelphia Flyers (D3)

Pittsburgh Penguins (0)

Philadelphia Flyers (1 player, 1 coach)

Christian Dvorak, F – Played two games with Tucson during the 2018–19 season. Has two assists in three playoff games with Philadelphia in 2025–26. Owns 300 points (123g, 177a) in 614 NHL games with Arizona (2016–21), Montreal (2021–25) and Philadelphia (2025–26), along with seven points (4g, 3a) in 17 career Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Jay Varady, AC – Coached 194 games with Tucson across the 2018–20 and 2021–22 seasons, posting a 93-84-17 record and leading the Roadrunners to a Pacific Division title in 2019–20. Has served as an NHL assistant coach for five seasons with Arizona (2020–21), Detroit (2022–25) and Philadelphia (2025–26).

2025-26 ROADRUNNERS ON UTAH’S PLAYOFF ROSTER
Thanks to the NHL’s expanded postseason roster rules, Utah also has 11 players on its playoff roster who skated for Tucson during the 2025–26 season:

Forwards (5): Andrew Agozzino, Daniil But (rookie), Cameron Hebig, Ben McCartney, Kevin Rooney

Defensemen (4): Maveric Lamoureux, Scott Perunovich, Dmitri Simashev (rookie), Max Szuber

Goaltenders (2): Jaxson Stauber, Matthew Villalta

Nine of the 11 are serving as Utah’s “Black Aces” for the postseason – extra players added to the roster for a team’s playoff run after their season ends in the AHL, college or junior hockey.

Black Aces (9): Andrew Agozzino, Daniil But, Cameron Hebig, Ben McCartney, Maveric Lamoureux, Max Szuber, Scott Perunovich, Jaxson Stauber, Matthew Villalta