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The Ten Factors a Team Must Possess to Win a Cup. Who has them? |
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Yesterday as family sat around the barbecue the question came up, "What NHL team is best positioned to win the Stanley Cup?"
It got me thinking of the question in a different way and trying to parse out what specific qualities Cup winning teams have to possess to reach their goal, and how it tends to be somewhat different than the qualities a team has to possess to win the President's cup.
So.....Here are my ten X-factors in no particular order. I would love to add/amend these with any ideas you have and then spend some time exploring which NHL team is in the best position to skate home with the hardware in 2013-14.
1. A clutch goalie capable of making momentum-changing saves and who thrives in OT.
2. Depth on defense and a solid team-defense approach. Injuries to a defense are inevitable in a long playoff run, and teams nowadays cannot score their way to the Cup. They also have to be able to win the 2-1 games.
3. The combination of wily talented veterans and young players on the top two lines. Preferably, there is also a mix of speed and power, with several solid two-way players. This makes the team tougher to match up against among a variety of different opponents and more likely to score more five-on-five goals than they give up.
4. A solid 4th line which can contribute key minutes and key points in the playoffs. If a team has to shorten the bench too often, it will run out of steam.
5. A group which has seen its share of hard times and learned how to lose before learning how to win.
6. A few key leaders who have raised the Cup in their careers and know what it takes to do that again. (These pieces can be added at the trade deadline but it's preferable when the leadership group is intact from the start of the season onward).
7. A coach capable of managing the ups and downs of a long playoff run.
8. A player or two known to be (or poised to become) a clutch playoff performer. A guy who can produce when the pressure mounts, especially in Overtime. These are NOT always the big regular-season point producers.
9. Special teams which are consistently in the top 10 in both PP and PK.
10. Favorable playoff matchups. Every team has certain opponents they are well-matched to beat and other clubs who just seem to "have their number." Having a well-balanced roster can enable a team to match up better to a variety of opponents but there are still some clubs that present more matchup difficulties than others.
What's the buzz?
1. Tell me your addition or subtractions to the list.
2. What team or teams do you feel possess the most factors on this list?
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