2025-26 OOTS: Playoffs Edition

[UWSaint]

Canes had an unbelievable run, and completely deserved this Cup.

Their approach is simple -- give the opponent no time to make a decision, whether with or without the puck. A style that comes from the Quenneville tree. If your team has speed and a high motor (which takes some depth), this is both effective and fun to watch. And they executed it nearly flawlessly for 2 months.

Vegas almost held in there, but once the series started tipping, they ran out of answers. Last night, it felt like they spent their load in the first and came away with nothing (actually down). When they made the push in the third, the hockey gods intervened and took away all their finish.

That series gets an A for entertainment. As it always should be, but rarely is.

[Cookie La Rue]

Hartford Whalers
Bob Sullivan celebrates in heaven.

[Todd Bersnoozi]

Canes had an unbelievable run, and completely deserved this Cup.

Their approach is simple -- give the opponent no time to make a decision, whether with or without the puck. A style that comes from the Quenneville tree. If your team has speed and a high motor (which takes some depth), this is both effective and fun to watch. And they executed it nearly flawlessly for 2 months.

Interesting observations UW. I have been thinking about how the Canes built their team and there is a blueprint there for the Nucks to follow going forward.

I know most of us would luv to have an ellite franchase forward and a top calibre D-man, but the Canes proved that u don't really need em. U mainly need solid depth in every position. Aho was basically EP40 like in the playoffs, but it didn't matter, the Canes depth was able to carry them through. I think it was Willie D who said back in the day, if he can roll 4 lines and 3 D pairs, coaching becomes easy. Canes proved u don't really need a McJesus up front or a Huggy43 on the backend to run the power-play, a guy like Gotsbehere to run your PP is good enuff. I know most of us would also luv a big gritty team as well, but Canes did it with speed and pressure. However a team decides to build its roster or play the game, just be fuqin close to elite in whatever u decide to do. If u want a tough, intimidating team, then Bruins blueprint. If defence and trapping, then Devils blueprint. If skill and depth, then Avalanche/Lightning blueprint. If speed and pressure, then Canes blueprint. We do know that one line offensive teams generally do not last in the playoffs. I like what Frank Servallli said about the NHL playoff, something along the lines of: it's not the best team that win in the Stanley Cup, it's the team that can play the hardest the longest.

I look at some recent Stanley Cup Champs and I do notice a trend. There are quite a few winners who didn't have that elite offensive player like Crosby/McDavid; some of those teams before the Canes would be Panthers, the Knights, St Louis Blues, LA Kings, New Jersey Devils and even that 2011 Bruins team. Yes, even though many of those teams didn't have an elite offensive forward, they did have a Norris Caliber D-man and red hot goaltending.

Basically a take a way for the Nucks, we may not get a top offensive forward like McKenna and we lost a top offensive D-man in Huggy, but that's fine. Just build a team with depth in every position. Obviously if we can find that superstar forward in the draft or get one from trade/free agency, that would great and we'll take him; however if we cannot acquire one, that's ok. Just focus on building depth, build a team that can roll 4 lines and 3 solid D pairings. The players don't have to be elite skilled individually, but we need a bunch of guys who are freakin good in whatever style they decide to play the game and be hard to play against. I know that's easier said than done.

On a bit of a side note, going back to Rod Brind'amour, there were two #19s that I always wanted to see as a Nuck back in the day. One was Burnaby Joe and the other was Brind'amour. Man, when the Blues traded Brind'amour, he could have been had, but I think after the Mighty Quinn just swindled Cliffy7, Courts14 and Sergio27 off them, they had no intention to make a deal with him again. Man, looking back at that 88 Draft, as much as we luv Trev16, there were a trio of players drafted right after him who are clearly better than him, pretty much up there with Modano: Selanne13, Roenick27 and Rod the Bod Brind'amour. Rod's passion, dedication and the luv of the game simply blows away Trev16; there is no comparison.

Also, on a Brind'amour/Jordan Stall side note. I always thought Millzy had that potential to be a like a Brind'amour. If he just focused on a being the best player he can be, be a leader on and off the ice, take out some of those lazy plays and don't worry about what a teammate is doing or not doing. If a teammate is not pulling his weight, it's not really his place to try to get the guy going. It's really on the Head Coach and mgmt to deal with that player. Just play the game as hard as he can and be a leader to his mates, whoever that may be. If he could have done that, he could have been a Brind'amour/Jordan Stall player. A player that may not be elite skilled, but is still really good, can still put up some points and be a complete pain in the ass for the best offensive players to play against. Be like a Stall who is 37 yrs old (about to turn 38) and can still put up a playoff MVP performance.