Players with local ties in NHL playoffs

The National Hockey League started its Stanley Cup Playoffs May 16, and the University of Minnesota Duluth men’s hockey program has had seven alumni take part, according to a UMD hockey posting Tuesday. Two of the seven former Bulldogs have Carlton County ties: Karson Kuhlman and Kasimir Kaskisuo.

Kuhlman, an Esko native and former Lumberjack hockey player, plays for the Boston Bruins. The former Bulldogs forward made his postseason debut Monday, registering an assist on Charlie Koyle’s first-period goal. He played on the third line for 12 minutes, 51 seconds. Kuhlman finished the regular season playing in 20 games, scoring two goals with 31 shots, and 27 hits for a minus-6 rating. The Bruins were tied 1-1 after two games with the New York Islanders after Monday.

Former Minnesota Wilderness goalie and Finland native Kasimir Kaskisuo is a part of the active roster for the Nashville Predators, which lost in six games to Carolina. Kaskisuo saw no action in the playoffs and played in just one game in the regular season, according to the UMD release. He played for 16 minutes, making saves on all 16 shots faced.

Kaskisuo played for the Wilderness in the 2013-14 season, the debut season for the Cloquet-based North American Hockey League team.