Debunking some playoff myths

[Heaton 1]

1. Calgary is not a playoff team. Every year we hear the same thing 'Calgary is built for the playoffs!' 4 straight 1st round exits.

2. The San Jose Sharks are (were) the best team in the NHL and super coach Todd McLellan was a major loss to the Wings. McLellan did a wonderful job his first year as a head coach but his rookie abilities showed in the 1st round.

3. Anaheim has the best defense in the NHL. They won the series and none of the Sharks players showed up, but they still allowed 40+ shots almost every night. That's the best defense?

[VM1138 1,921]

Forty+ shots a game? Seriously? Wow.

[edicius 3,269]

Forty+ shots a game? Seriously? Wow.

So we should be able to pepper Hiller for, what, 20 shots a period or so?

[Opie 308]

1. Very True.

2. Neither Babcock, nor McLellan are the true reasons for Detroit's greatness, Holland, Nill, Illitches, etc. are responsible, Babs and his coaches have to get them ready to play, be motivated, but they are not the architects people think they are. That is why Lewis sucked, he couldn't get the wings motivated to get on the bus let alone the ice!

3. Wrong, Detroit has the best D in the game right now. EDIT: I may have missed what you were saying, I could be agreeing with you and I think I am after re-reading your post!

Lids, Rafalski, Kronwall, Stuart, and Ericsson all showed what they could do in games 1-3, game 4 second period was one bad lapse by the wings (thinking they had already won the series) and a last ditch effort by the BJ's.

Say what you want and I know we are all supposed to be afraid of the big bad ducks, but right now the only team in the post season that gives me a scare is the Bruins.

The Ducks have one and 2/3 lines. Their D while greatly improved with the arrival or Whitney (I bet they are glad they didn't trade Pronger now huh?) but they are still not as good as the Wings D.

The Ducks looked impressive against a perennial disaster of a playoff team, lets see how they do against a team that knows how to win and how to take it up a notch in the post season!

How many times was Hiller screened last series?

How many times do you think he will see the Red Wings set up their offense and see the puck without an ass in his face?

As stated by other posters in other threads, Theodore was the hottest thing going last year in the post season, he took an undermanned Avs further than they ever should have gotten, right up until he ran into the Wings. Then it was Turco was the hottest thing going, meh. Wasn't Ellis in Nashville supposed to be the hot young netminder that gave the wings fits last year too?

Side note: I know this is going to sound like I am an asshat, well that is because I am an asshat.

But how is it that so many Wings fans are so quick to say they can't beat the next team? Is it really so that after the series you can say told you so if they lose? Is it really that much easier to think the odds will win out, than to have faith in your team (defending cup champs, 4 seasons 50 wins, 1000 season of 100 points [exaggeration])?

I don't know unless I were a C-Bus fan and was looking at a 2 v 7 matchup but even then I would still hold out hope.

This whole being realistic crap is for the birds, playoffs in any sport are a crap shoot, but to look at this wings team and what they have done in just this season, not the past 15, gives me confidence, and then add on to that the fact that some of these guys were around for the 15 years of success and know how to win, gives me even more confidence.

The fact the ducks beat the sharks gives me little confidence in the ducks, s*** everyone predicted that upset, so much so that I am not sure it was even an upset anymore.

This ducks team is a shadow of the 07 team yet people on here treat them like Sox fans treat the Yankees, afraid of them.

This ducks team is worse than 07 better than 08.

This Wings team is better than 07 and better than 08, which was better than 07.

Edited April 28, 2009 by Opie

[esteef 2,679]

^ Delete that ugly s*** Opie!

esteef

[ComradeWasabi 109]

OP mixed up saying stuff he agreed with and didn't agree with.

1. MYTH: Calgary is a playoff team FACT: Calgary has exited four years running in round one

2. MYTH: San Jose was the best team in the NHL this year and McLellan had the experience to win them a Cup. FACT: McLellan suffered like most rookie head coaches do.

3. MYTH: Anaheim's defense is the best in the NHL. FACT: They were porous in the first round, allowing a lot of shots.

Just to clarify that post... I hope I got all that right.

[SoDakWing 8]

3. Anaheim has the best defense in the NHL. They won the series and none of the Sharks players showed up, but they still allowed 40+ shots almost every night. That's the best defense?

Some of the Ducks fans I was talking with last night continued to tell me Lids would only be lucky to crack top 3 defenseman on their roster. i'd say thats the best in the league... BAR NONE...

ohhh well guess we'll just have to show Hiller and this Bobby Ryan what real playoff hockey is.

[Heaton 1]

OP mixed up saying stuff he agreed with and didn't agree with.

1. MYTH: Calgary is a playoff team FACT: Calgary has exited four years running in round one

2. MYTH: San Jose was the best team in the NHL this year and McLellan had the experience to win them a Cup. FACT: McLellan suffered like most rookie head coaches do.

3. MYTH: Anaheim's defense is the best in the NHL. FACT: They were porous in the first round, allowing a lot of shots.

Just to clarify that post... I hope I got all that right.

Correct. Thank you.

[hockey&beer 16]

It's odd to me that the "experts" call Pronger a great defenseman. For his size, and he does skate fairly well also, he should be a much better defender without having to resort to his usual dirty tactics. I guess when it comes down to it, I am surprised that the experts do not see how dirty he plays the game.

[Mors 201]

Opie take that crossed out post over to the stickied thread, I think there's a few Ducks fan who could use a lesson on our defensive capabilities