Flamingo kid
Everybody's hands go UP!
Buncha threads on this stuff, i wanted to give you my thoughts on a theory i have about what it takes to win the cup and where these teams sit going forward.
Last year the Wings won the cup and they had an absolutely easy time all the way thru the playoffs. In the first round, they lost 2 games to the 8th seeded Predators. This was an easy series for Detroit, even though they lost two games, they were really never in doubt to win this one. In the 2nd round, the Wings played Colorado who, to my eye, looked strong in the first round. I thought the Avs had a legit shot to beat the Wings last year. The night before the Wings/Avs series, the goalie of the Avs got sick and couldn't play....this let all the air out of the Avs sails and they basically quit on the season and let the Wings have another easy series, not a physical series at all, this was a series that Detroit just glided by with very little effort or exertion.
In the Western Conference Finals, the Wings played the Stars. The Stars got to the WCF by beating the Sharks in a really physical and draining series. I think there was one game that had 3 overtimes. This was an absolute war, the Stars were completely drained when this was over, while the Wings were rested and waiting. I was convinced that Dallas was a better team last year than Detroit and i was mad that they got drained and were really too gassed to put up much of a fight vs Det.
Head to the finals vs the Pens. Last year, the Pens completely froze in the Cup finals. They were deer in the headlights and were still somewhat competitive all things considered.
So, you fast forward to this year and the Wings have already had the toughest series they've had in a while in the Ducks. Anaheim is big and physical and this was a very tough series for the Wings...much tougher series than they had all last playoff season.
Wings play Chicago which is a really tough opponent. This is also going to be an incredibly physical series, Chicago takes shit from no one and i think they are going to really make Detroit work hard here...while Detroit was the team this year who was working hard, Chicago had the extra day or two rest.
Pitt will probably sweep Carolina, or at most go to 5 games and they'll be waiting around resting, while Detroit goes to 6 or 7 games with the angry and extremely talented Hawks.
The roles will be reversed...Pitt will be sitting around resting and waiting and i'm pretty sure they won't be deer in the lights this time around.
If it is Detroit vs Pitt, the Pens could actually be the fresher team heading into the Cup finals.
At this level, these teams are so evenly matched that how hard you have to work to get to the finals is extremely important. It could be the Pens who have the edge in that dept this season.
Last year the Wings won the cup and they had an absolutely easy time all the way thru the playoffs. In the first round, they lost 2 games to the 8th seeded Predators. This was an easy series for Detroit, even though they lost two games, they were really never in doubt to win this one. In the 2nd round, the Wings played Colorado who, to my eye, looked strong in the first round. I thought the Avs had a legit shot to beat the Wings last year. The night before the Wings/Avs series, the goalie of the Avs got sick and couldn't play....this let all the air out of the Avs sails and they basically quit on the season and let the Wings have another easy series, not a physical series at all, this was a series that Detroit just glided by with very little effort or exertion.
In the Western Conference Finals, the Wings played the Stars. The Stars got to the WCF by beating the Sharks in a really physical and draining series. I think there was one game that had 3 overtimes. This was an absolute war, the Stars were completely drained when this was over, while the Wings were rested and waiting. I was convinced that Dallas was a better team last year than Detroit and i was mad that they got drained and were really too gassed to put up much of a fight vs Det.
Head to the finals vs the Pens. Last year, the Pens completely froze in the Cup finals. They were deer in the headlights and were still somewhat competitive all things considered.
So, you fast forward to this year and the Wings have already had the toughest series they've had in a while in the Ducks. Anaheim is big and physical and this was a very tough series for the Wings...much tougher series than they had all last playoff season.
Wings play Chicago which is a really tough opponent. This is also going to be an incredibly physical series, Chicago takes shit from no one and i think they are going to really make Detroit work hard here...while Detroit was the team this year who was working hard, Chicago had the extra day or two rest.
Pitt will probably sweep Carolina, or at most go to 5 games and they'll be waiting around resting, while Detroit goes to 6 or 7 games with the angry and extremely talented Hawks.
The roles will be reversed...Pitt will be sitting around resting and waiting and i'm pretty sure they won't be deer in the lights this time around.
If it is Detroit vs Pitt, the Pens could actually be the fresher team heading into the Cup finals.
At this level, these teams are so evenly matched that how hard you have to work to get to the finals is extremely important. It could be the Pens who have the edge in that dept this season.
