(Ed. Note: We're proud to welcome two of our favorite bloggers, Chuck and Pants from What's Up, Ya Sieve?, to the Puck Daddy fold as they author our weekly NHL Playoff Beard Watch every Thursday.)

By Chuck and Pants from What's Up, Ya Sieve?

In this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, the fates select which beards will have a chance to realize their true potential.

Five teams remain. Five beards (OK, six) have emerged as top contenders for Beard of the Year.

None of these teams made it past the second round last season, so the promise of greater bearded glory shines bright. Some faces are familiar, some are new. All are hairy.

Karl Alzner - Washington Capitals

If you missed Movember, perhaps you didn't realize Washington's baby-faced defenseman could grow full handlebars during a pregame nap. Alzner rarely rocks more than a five o'clock shadow, which he probably has by breakfast, so his playoff beard is a sleeper agent waiting to be activated.

Science tells us that, like placing a plant in direct sunlight, playoff beards are nourished and fortified by actual time-on-ice. During the Capitals' triple-overtime marathon vs. the Rangers, Karl Alzner added almost two games worth of density and fullness to this masterpiece. It explains why his dogs trashed his house that night - the poor pups were simply trying to escape and find their dad before the bearded man came back.

Runners Up: Holtby's neckbeard shag, Jason Chimera's Metallica- inspired chinbeard.

Brandon Prust - New York Rangers



When you share a locker room with King Henrik, life is hard. Constantly fighting for space in front of the mirror is worse than standing in the crease at practice. So, how can one possibly keep up with The Most Interesting Man in the World?

Brandon Prust has the answer: grow a better beard. While Henrik promised us a full and bushy playoff beard, it's been Prust who is really delivering this postseason. His season-long handsome scruff has become a true beard commitment. It's even creeping up under his eyes. Such perfect cover, color and evenness would make the grounds crew (but not management) at Yankee Stadium happy all summer long.

Runner Up: John Tortorella - Extending the goatee to a full beard, showing kids everywhere how it's done.

David Clarkson and Andy Greene - New Jersey Devils



We have a tie for the Devils. This list needed one ginger-ish beard and David Clarkson is pretty rosy. Especially because we can't see his jersey and not yell, "Aagghhh Kelly Clarkson!", reliving that chest-waxing scene in "The 40-Year Old Virgin." He brazenly flouts this association and owns his furry features like a man.

Andy Greene, however, is putting together a bear of an effort. It's so dark and lush - with his black bucket on, he appears to be wearing a motorcycle helmet complete with face plate. He's a shoo-in for a guest spot on "Sons of Anarchy."

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