I just want to clarify what I stated earlier about "turning it on" in the playoffs. I was referring to effort moreso than success itself. The success of our system predominately depends on effort (forechecking, hitting, and backchecking). And yes, I did reference those caring about regular season success, but there's no denying the fluctuating effort that our players are putting in throughout the season. I don't necessarily think that is a bad thing but rather indicative of the player's confidence and ability to pace themselves. Contrast this team with the Hitch-Backes team that had little talent upfront outside of Tarasenko, and you'll see them sprinting throughout the regular season and ultimately getting bounced in the first or second round or getting burned out by the third round.
I don't know how far this team will go. It will largely hinge on Tarasenko, Parayko, Krug, Schwartz, and Schenn getting back into their regular form. None of those players are playing anywhere close to their potential right now, and given the lack of effort at times, it's hard to tell where the problem stems from. I'm not getting my hopes up seeing how teams that do go far require a lot of stars to line up properly, and we just haven't had that consistently throughout this season. However, I do think the effort level rises markedly once the puck drops in round 1. What that effort translates to remains to be seen.