Michigan State hockey alum Mason Appleton prepares for Stanley Cup Playoffs

Michigan State hockey alumni Mason Appleton, after having a career year, prepares for the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Winnipeg Jets.

While the Michigan State hockey season is now over, there are some things that Spartan fans can be excited about over the next few weeks. There are plenty of Spartan alumni who will be playing in the playoffs in their respective pro leagues.

It seems only right to start with the largest league, which is the NHL.

There is only one former Spartan who will be skating in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. That is Mason Appleton of the Winnipeg Jets.

Spartan career

Appleton came to East Lansing during the 2015-16 season as a sixth-round pick by the Winnipeg Jets. He played a total of two years at Michigan State and provided a great amount of offensive output while mostly being on a line with Patrick Khodorenko and Taro Hirose.

During his time with the Spartans, Appleton received the team’s Rookie of the Year award in 2015-16. In that season, Appleton produced 22 points, including a team-high 17 assists. During the 2016-17 season, he was awarded the team’s offensive and overall MVP. In that second season, Appleton led the team in all offensive categories.

Though the team did not end with a strong record in either of Appleton’s seasons with the Spartans, he did provide a bright spot on a team that struggled. This as well as his strong offensive output led Appleton to make the jump to the pros. He went on to play parts of two seasons with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL before making the jump to the NHL on December 1, 2018.

Playoff primer

The Winnipeg Jets, this year have been one of the biggest surprises in the NHL. The team finished second in the Central Division with a record of (52-24-6). Appleton has mostly played a third-line role for the team. It has also been a season of career highs for Appleton. This year, he set career-highs in goals (14), assists (22), points (36), and plus/minus (+16).

Appleton is not going to get the same attention as guys like Connor Hellebuyck or new acquisition Tyler Toffoli, but he is a solid depth forward who provides scoring. It is also worth noting that Appleton has spent most of the season on the second penalty kill unit as well. So he is not only helping offensively but is providing help defensively, too. For a former sixth-round pick, it is clear that Appleton has created a place for himself in the big leagues.

The Jets will be taking on the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of this year’s playoffs and also have the home-ice advantage in this series. The Avalanche are coming off a very timid ending to their regular season, but it would be crazy to count out a team that is only two years removed from a Cup. Also, you can never count out a team that has talent like Nathan McKinnon and Cale Makar.

The series will start with game one on Sunday, April 21, in Winnipeg. Puck drop for game one will be at 7 p.m. ET and the game will air on ESPN2.