Thursday, March 15, 2007
SBP's Theory of the NHL Playoffs
No matter who wins in this year's playoffs, everyone will point to the winner and say this team had the most heart, the most passion, the most desire, etc and deserved to win the Stanley Cup with no questions asked.
But the thing is, I'm of the opinion that pretty much every team in the NHL wants to win the Stanley Cup. And while there may be a handful of players that just want to cash their paycheques, I'd say 95% of the players have the desire and passion to go all the way and win it all.
Take last year's playoffs. Edmonton and Carolina played really hard. Did Carolina really have that much more desire to win it? No. I think Edmonton wanted it just as bad. Just like I think Buffalo, San Jose, Anheim, Calgary, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Montreal, Detroit, New York, Ottawa and all the rest of the teams that made the playoffs last year wanted it really bad, too.
Montreal won the first two games against Carolina in the 1st round of the playoffs, but when they lost Saku Koivu to injury from a high stick, it was over. It was an unlucky, accidental mishap that happened, and Carolina capitalized.
How fortunate were the Hurricanes when the Buffalo Sabres only had 2 regular defencemen suit up for game 7 of the Conference Final?
Or how about goalie Dwayne Roloson getting injured and the Oilers having to rely on backup Jussi Markkanen for the remainder of the Cup Final?
Some say these things don't make much difference in the grand scheme of things, and maybe they don't. But my point is, the teams are so close in their skill levels, where tons of games are decided in overtime with a result that could have gone either way, with lots of series ending in seven games, there's so little to divide the bad from the good that maybe luck plays more of a role than we think. Put it this way: If one of Anaheim, Detroit, Nashville, San Jose, Vancouver, Buffalo, New Jersey or Ottawa won the Cup, would anyone consider it an upset? No. And I just named off half of the teams that will compete for the prize this Spring!
It really is difficult to win, and expectations are high on all these teams. But really, most of the teams aren't that much better than the other. It's just a question of which pucks crosses the goal line for one team and which puck hits the post for the other.
But the thing is, I'm of the opinion that pretty much every team in the NHL wants to win the Stanley Cup. And while there may be a handful of players that just want to cash their paycheques, I'd say 95% of the players have the desire and passion to go all the way and win it all.
Take last year's playoffs. Edmonton and Carolina played really hard. Did Carolina really have that much more desire to win it? No. I think Edmonton wanted it just as bad. Just like I think Buffalo, San Jose, Anheim, Calgary, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Montreal, Detroit, New York, Ottawa and all the rest of the teams that made the playoffs last year wanted it really bad, too.
Montreal won the first two games against Carolina in the 1st round of the playoffs, but when they lost Saku Koivu to injury from a high stick, it was over. It was an unlucky, accidental mishap that happened, and Carolina capitalized.
How fortunate were the Hurricanes when the Buffalo Sabres only had 2 regular defencemen suit up for game 7 of the Conference Final?
Or how about goalie Dwayne Roloson getting injured and the Oilers having to rely on backup Jussi Markkanen for the remainder of the Cup Final?
Some say these things don't make much difference in the grand scheme of things, and maybe they don't. But my point is, the teams are so close in their skill levels, where tons of games are decided in overtime with a result that could have gone either way, with lots of series ending in seven games, there's so little to divide the bad from the good that maybe luck plays more of a role than we think. Put it this way: If one of Anaheim, Detroit, Nashville, San Jose, Vancouver, Buffalo, New Jersey or Ottawa won the Cup, would anyone consider it an upset? No. And I just named off half of the teams that will compete for the prize this Spring!
It really is difficult to win, and expectations are high on all these teams. But really, most of the teams aren't that much better than the other. It's just a question of which pucks crosses the goal line for one team and which puck hits the post for the other.
# posted by SBP : 10:31 PM
Comments:
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So your theory is that there's parity??
My theory in regards to the NHL playoffs is that Wade Redden will surely be responsible for the defensive blunder that knocks the Sens out of the playoffs.
My theory in regards to the NHL playoffs is that Wade Redden will surely be responsible for the defensive blunder that knocks the Sens out of the playoffs.
# posted by 
: 8:49 AM, March 16, 2007
: 8:49 AM, March 16, 2007
Listen, I don't think there's much difference between teams either but what's the deciding factor in the playoffs then? Luck? No, it's desire....and skill. Of course EVERY team and EVERY player wants to win the Cup. But how bad do they want it? How far are they willing to go? How many more shots will a guy block? How many more hits are players willing to throw? How much pain are you willing to play with? How fresh are your legs? Sure you can get some lucky bounces along the way but the teams willing to pay the greatest price are usually the ones who survive. That last two Western finalists, Edmonton and Calgary, were not the Conference's strongest teams but at the same time, no one wanted to play them Why? Because they refused to be outworked.
It's one thing to say it and another to show it.
It's one thing to say it and another to show it.
# posted by : 10:43 AM, March 16, 2007
: 10:43 AM, March 16, 2007
Gosh Ben, I didn't think you were going to be working on your excuses for the Sens getting bounced out already!!
# posted by : 10:56 AM, March 16, 2007
: 10:56 AM, March 16, 2007
I have another theory about the NHL playoffs, SBP surely won't win our playoff pool.
# posted by : 2:02 PM, March 16, 2007
: 2:02 PM, March 16, 2007
Why are we quibbling over this game last night. It was what it was; one of the greatest nights in hockey history!!!! How else would you label a game that featured the first NHL goal by the "Second Coming", Drew Fata.
# posted by : 2:14 PM, March 16, 2007
: 2:14 PM, March 16, 2007
That's O.K. Ben, you might as well brag now because we all know how quiet you are when the playoffs come around.
# posted by : 4:01 PM, March 16, 2007
: 4:01 PM, March 16, 2007
You mean when he quietly pounds his fists into the carpet? That kinda quiet?
# posted by : 4:17 PM, March 16, 2007
: 4:17 PM, March 16, 2007
When Alfie and Heater pass me that Stanley Cup when the parade hits Bank St, we'll see how quiet I am!
Seconds before Alfie and Heater are about to pass you that Cup SBP, Redden will drop it into the Rideau Canal.
Another SBP screw job!! Ha ha.
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Another SBP screw job!! Ha ha.
# posted by : 5:00 PM, March 16, 2007
: 5:00 PM, March 16, 2007Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
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