What is the difference between this year and the last?

[odin1981]

I believe two of our best three players not being at 60% is a big reason.

Also the game 7 series gave the team some moxy.

Our leadership is also a bit more engaged this year and I believe it reflects down threwout the lineup.

Also our 3rd line is actually a scoring threat instead of only a shut down line.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

Brunner
Nyquist
Anderson
Smith
Kindl

essentially 5 rookies all contributing in one way or another

if we had dekeyser still it would be 6

thats huge, thats how you win, thats been a big difference

 

[Vladdy84]

The difference between last year?

Luck

A stronger bottom 6. Would be even better with Helmer

Jimmy has been realgud

Preds were a tougher match up than the Ducks IMO.

I believe Dats and Z are fresher and healthier than last year.

Also, Hiller and Crawford are not the same caliber of goalie as Renne was last year.

But lets not get ahead of ourselves here. If we still lose this series in 5 or 6 games it's all for naught.

Last year during that home winning streak when St. Nick and Dats were healthy I thought we were poised for a Cup run until Jimmy, Dats and Nick got hurt.

I also don't think there is as much complacency. When this team has it's backs against the wall. The best players take it to another level and the younger players follow their lead.

This team still has major issues with an inconsistent PP, inexperience on the blue line and Cleary.

Last but not least, there appears to be more accountability and consequences for poor/stupid play. Cleary not withstanding.

 

[InjuredChoker]

Also Babcock didn't know how to use Abdelscorer correctly last year.

 

[lilidk]

Vacuum was created when 5 and 96 retired. Homer was slow , but he new when to show up in front of the net , created a lot panic for defense . Lindstrom and Dats use him a lot . It took DRW time to adjust for that lost. Because of that they’re playing different hockey this year ,and team is much younger , they could play game next day ,no problem , they can play seven game

 

[14ari13]

Basically, it's what Benchy said. The 2012 Preds were designed, basically, to beat the Red Wings. Notice how they did when they had to go play the Coyotes in Round 2.

The 2012-13 roster features a lot more guys playing for their next contracts. Cleary, for example, is playing for his NHL life. Filppula, for as worthless as he can be, is trying to prove to a team that he's worth $5 million+. (And failing miserably, I might add.)

Plus, this team is playing like they want the Cup more than last year's team did.

Not having to face Pekka Rinne was a big help too.

Preds were designed to defeat the Wings, after that they failed easily. Pekka was very good too. Howard not so much.

We have absolutely nothing to lose this year. No pressure on a 7th seed who is just trying to find a rhythm after losing one of the best Dmen of all time to retirement. I think that has to be a contributing factor.

Good point. Finally the pressure is on Our opponents, not on us.

All this analysis is fun and fine, but honestly "luck" is the right answer.

Last season, 3 of the Preds wins were by one goal. This season, all of the Wings wins were by one goal, 3 in OT. A bounce, a blown call, an injury or a fluke error (Z throws a puck into the stands?!) can literally be the difference in so many of these series.

Just one or two small changes this year and these boards would be blasting Holland, Babcock and Fil/Cleary/Smith/Q for their horrible choices... well, ok, they still will.

Luck. Luck is always a part of playoff hockey. We have had it on Our side this time.

I believe two of our best three players not being at 60% is a big reason.

Also the game 7 series gave the team some moxy.

Our leadership is also a bit more engaged this year and I believe it reflects down threwout the lineup.

Also our 3rd line is actually a scoring threat instead of only a shut down line.

Brunner, Nyquist and Andersson have been great for us.

 

[14ari13]

Luck, Luck and more Luck.

Look at the Bruins. They were under 2 min from getting knocked out by the Leafs and they scored 2 goals and then won the game. Now they are 2-0 vs the Rangers and probably as good as ready for Conference finals.

 

[SoupNazi]

Bruins are rolling in this series.

New York, on the other hand, is rolling over and dying.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Honestly this team looks like they are having a lot more fun again. Maybe Babcock has stepped off the gas a little, the attitude of winning for Lidstrom might not have been the best one as he was letter perfect all the time. Seems to be they want to play even more for their friend in Zetterberg who doesn't have a God like status with the guys. Whatever it is, it looks less like a job and more like brothers playing for each other and enjoying it in a way they haven't for a couple seasons. The youth infusion has also added something for them, the middle leadership became the older leadership and teachers and the young guys have a new dynamic with them.

 

[odin1981]

Helps when you have a complete team like Boston. New York is a one goalie team as constructed basically a new age hasek led buffalo sabres. If you can score 3 goals against them 90% of the time you will win. Also I feel that torts is the type of coach who has a "hitchcock" effect. You have maybe three years or so of him to win or your team just ignores him.

 

[Frk It]

It's all about match-ups.

Nashville was the worst possible match-up of any team last year, IMO. Had the Suter-Weber pairing which just absolutely smothered us. Had Klein and Josi who played out of their minds against us. Had a group of big and fast forwards who absolutely beat us up on the forecheck. Trotz's system that is defensive and conservative by nature. And a 6'5" goalie that was very hot and stood over the top of Tomas Holmstrom like he was a little kid and saw every puck into his glove on our Power Plays. Just a terrible, terrible match-up.

 

[Run the Jewels]

It's all about match-ups.

Nashville was the worst possible match-up of any team last year, IMO. Had the Suter-Weber pairing which just absolutely smothered us. Had Klein and Josi who played out of their minds against us. Had a group of big and fast forwards who absolutely beat us up on the forecheck. Trotz's system that is defensive and conservative by nature. And a 6'5" goalie that was very hot and stood over the top of Tomas Holmstrom like he was a little kid and saw every puck into his glove on our Power Plays. Just a terrible, terrible match-up.

I'd largely agree with this. I think Nashville was a terrible matchup for us. Their defense was just too much for our forwards and they really strengthened themselves with additions like Gaustad, Kostitsyn and Radulov. I also think it's no secret that Jeff Blashill struggled at the NHL level. Tom Renney seems to be meshing well and perhaps he's been a big part of the reason why younger guys like Tatar, Nyquist, Brunner, Smith and Andersson have done well this season.

I do believe this team has fully bought into Babcock's style of play and if we can knock off the #1 seed and Presidents trophy winning team perhaps the coach will get some small amount of respect for what he's been able to accomplish over his NHL coaching career.

 

[Squirrel in the Hole]

I was going to put this in the Babcock article thread, but I think it belongs more here. Babcock has been a key difference.

My biggest rap against Babs is his failure to adapt, his tendency to stick with the same thing too long. That was prevelant in the Nashville series last year, and was true up to game 6 of the Ducks series this year. Since then, Babs has been a new man, playing, then sitting Bert and Sammy, tinkering until things work again.

I have to wonder if we'd gone to 6 or 7 against Nashville, whether this side of Babs would have come through. In any case, I think it's making a big difference now.

 

[Frk It]

I was going to put this in the Babcock article thread, but I think it belongs more here. Babcock has been a key difference.

My biggest rap against Babs is his failure to adapt, his tendency to stick with the same thing too long. That was prevelant in the Nashville series last year, and was true up to game 6 of the Ducks series this year. Since then, Babs has been a new man, playing, then sitting Bert and Sammy, tinkering until things work again.

I have to wonder if we'd gone to 6 or 7 against Nashville, whether this side of Babs would have come through. In any case, I think it's making a big difference now.

How is Babcock to blame for the Nashville series? What could he have done differently?

In my opinion with the make-up of our team last year vs the make-up of Nashville we were going to go down in 5 or 6 games regardless. No lines had any chemistry and we were getting offense from no where. Our power play was useless since Rinne is huge and could look right over Homer. They had a pairing with 2 Norris Trophy Finalists last year, a goalie playing out of his mind, and a big and fast team that forechecked well. Don't really see how Babcock is to blame. He doesn't build his roster, and the roster we had was a TERRIBLE match-up for the Predators last season.

 

[Kronwalled55]

How is Babcock to blame for the Nashville series? What could he have done differently?

In my opinion with the make-up of our team last year vs the make-up of Nashville we were going to go down in 5 or 6 games regardless. No lines had any chemistry and we were getting offense from no where. Our power play was useless since Rinne is huge and could look right over Homer. They had a pairing with 2 Norris Trophy Finalists last year, a goalie playing out of his mind, and a big and fast team that forechecked well. Don't really see how Babcock is to blame. He doesn't build his roster, and the roster we had was a TERRIBLE match-up for the Predators last season.

I think with the matchup aside, this is why Detroit struggled.

The defense had chemistry, the offense had very little. But the Wings looked flat in that series. They lacked the energy we're seeing this year.

 

[Frk It]

I think with the matchup aside, this is why Detroit struggled.

The defense had chemistry, the offense had very little. But the Wings looked flat in that series. They lacked the energy we're seeing this year.

When you have a pairing with 2 norris caliber defensemen that are playing huge minutes and Rinne playing the way he can, it can make your offense look pretty ineffective.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

As Frk It said, it's all about match ups. That said, in the unlikely instance we beat Chicago(though I am cautiously optimistic), I say facing either San Jose or Los Angeles is likely a bad match up for us.

 

[RussianBum86]

Helps when you have a complete team like Boston. New York is a one goalie team as constructed basically a new age hasek led buffalo sabres. If you can score 3 goals against them 90% of the time you will win. Also I feel that torts is the type of coach who has a "hitchcock" effect. You have maybe three years or so of him to win or your team just ignores him.


I thought that was the Babcock effect?

 

[RedWinger10]

Simply put, this team and all of its players have something to prove. Zetterberg is proving he can handle the leadership role of captain. The kids are proving they belong in the roster. This team and its players have everything to gain.