The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Wednesday (April 11th) in the NHL, and the University of North Dakota will be well represented by 12 former players and one former head coach.

There are 16 teams battling for Lord Stanley's Cup, which make for eight matchups in the first-round. Only one of those matchups won't include at least one former player from UND.

Tyson Jost enters his first playoff series with the Colorado Avalanche against the top-seeded Nashville Predators in the Western Conference. Tucker Poolman and the Winnipeg Jets will battle Zach Parise and the Minnesota Wild. The Los Angeles Kings' Derek Forbort and Paul LaDue will take on the first-year expansion Vegas Knights while Aaron Dell and the San Jose Sharks will play the Anaheim Ducks.

In the Eastern Conference, the New Jersey Devils' Drew Stafford and Travis Zajac will battle the top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning. T.J. Oshie and Shane Gersich of the Washington Capitals will play Taylor Chorney and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Carter Rowney and the Pittsburgh Penguins will take on the Philadelphia Flyers, coached by former UND head coach Ron Hakstol.

The only matchup to not include anyone formerly from UND is the Boston Bruins taking on the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Several former UND players are etched on Lord Stanley's Cup with the most recent being Carter Rowney this past year with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jonathan Toews (three Stanley Cup titles with the Blackhawks) and Matt Greene (twice with the Los Angeles Kings).

Good luck to all the former UND players along with former head coach Ron Hakstol in the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs!

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