2022 Stanley Cup Final - The 10 most pivotal players in the Colorado Avalanche vs. Tampa Bay Lightning series

The Stanley Cup Final is determined by more than star players. It's also about star turns. The ones we expect, and often the ones we don't.

The Tampa Bay Lightning know that better than anyone. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions are back in the Final for a third straight season, facing a red-hot Colorado Avalanche team that hasn't appeared in a Final since 2001.

Both sides are stacked with big-name, big-time players who will play a critical role in the series outcome. There are also valuable secondary contributors in each lineup, the X factor guys who may lack for flash but have a key role in supporting what their team does best.

And of course, there's the goaltending.

Andrei Vasilevskiy is inarguably one of the best netminders in the world and he is arguably been Tampa's (and perhaps the entire NHL's) MVP this postseason.

Colorado has leaned on its depth in net, succeeding in front of starter Darcy Kuemper and backup Pavel Francouz. Kuemper suffered an upper-body injury in the Avalanche's Western Conference finals series against Edmonton, but says he's 100% healthy again. Francouz was excellent in Colorado's sweep of the Oilers though, with a .908 SV% and 2.81 GAA (including one shutout).

Kuemper returned to backup Francouz in Game 4 of that conference finals; whom Colorado taps for the Game 1 start against Tampa Bay (8 p.m. ET Wednesday, ABC and ESPN+) remains to be seen.

We know the goaltenders. We know the stars. We'll explore a few other important players who will ultimately help decide who's hoisting Lord Stanley's chalice — and who might go home disappointed.

It's not about what Cirelli puts on the scoresheet. It's how he keeps other players off it.

Cirelli has just one goal and five assists in the