What wins cups?

[CatScrap]

The old addage is that Offense gets you to the playoffs, but defense wins cups. Over the past few seasons I think that this seems to be going in the other direction. I will avoid stating my opinion to prevent from leading the discussion. However which of these 3 do you think is most instrumental in winning a championship?

Defense?
Offense?
Goal Tending?

 

[Dupster]

1. Team health. You can have all the talent in the world, if a key forward or two or key D-man or three are unable to play, all you have is a talented team on paper.
2. Clicking special teams. Doesn't really matter what the regular season stats were. If you can get your PP clicking while shutting down the other team while you are on the PK, that's a winning game most of the time.
3. Hot goaltending. Again, throw regular season stats and past stats out the window. Not many people would take Osgood, Khabibulin, Fleury, Ward, and Niemi over Brodeur, Miller, Luongo, Kipper, and Nabby. Yet the first five have won Cups recently, the latter five have been very poor to merely average in the postseason the past five years.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

All of the above and luck. Most coaches in all sports will tell you luck is just as important.

Stay healthy and get a few bounces alone with talent goes a long way.

Even the best team if they are riddled with injuries can be put at a disadvantage.

 

[sTyLnK]

Most of it is luck IMO.

 

[CatScrap]

My honest pick would be to center a team around solid defense. If you have a solid goalie, The Miller, with 2-4 solid d-men, 2 with great point shots, and 2 who can qb a pp unit, and 2 good D-men, then pair it with 2 good forward lines, not great powerhouses, that are good 2 way players, a young energy line, and a hard checking line, all while making sure your players are defensively responsible, I think you have the makings of a Cup team without having any allstar offensive players on it.

 

[dash]

I like Dup's list, but I thought I'd add the following:

4. Scoring from unlikely sources - With line matchups being so prevalent (i.e. top lines vs. top shutdown pair of D), you need guys on the 3rd and 4th lines to chip in with some timely goals. Dave Bolland and Big Buff did this for the Hawks while Hartnell and Asham contributed for the Flyers.

 

[maddogmark25]

1. Goaltending




















Infinity: Everything else

Just ask New Jersey

 

[Dupster]

Brodeur and the Devils were beaten by many a team with lesser goaltending since Jersey's last Cup.

An average goalie who gets hot >>>>>>> an elite goalie who is not.

 

[beantownmaniac]

I like Dup's list, but I thought I'd add the following:

4. Scoring from unlikely sources - With line matchups being so prevalent (i.e. top lines vs. top shutdown pair of D), you need guys on the 3rd and 4th lines to chip in with some timely goals. Dave Bolland and Big Buff did this for the Hawks while Hartnell and Asham contributed for the Flyers.

I'll agree with you dash and add one more, team chemistry. Without team chemistry, you're not going anywhere.

 

[IPostedWhat]

I wouldn't know, I'm a Sabres fan.

 

[Dupster]

I think that's one thing Chicago had over the 29 other teams. Every single guy on Chicago was simply one of the boys, no matter their specific age. Meals together, breaks together, video game tournaments, etc etc. The chemistry factor certainly didn't hurt.

 

[scottflyers88]

health, luck, matchups, hot goalie, team chemistry, and offense. in no order. there is no set way of winning a cup.

 

[scottflyers88]

and defense.

 

[Urkie]

I think team chemistry is the most important ingredient to winning a cup.

You need to have that special team chemistry and you need your team to peak at the right time.

 

[quoipourquoi]

1. Goaltending
2. Secondary Scoring
3. Intimidation
4. Elite Offensive Talent
5. 40-Year-Old Stanley Cup Virgins

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

1. Goaltending
2. Secondary Scoring
3. Intimidation
4. Elite Offensive Talent
5. 40-Year-Old Stanley Cup Virgins

thinking back to 2006...
1. yup - Conn Smythe red hot rookie
2. yup - everyone chipping in
3. uhh... I remember Aaron Ward and Eric Cole hitting somebody once.
4. allllmost... a baby Staal (still his career year)
5. Glen Wesley, Doug Weight (not quite as old as Glen)

soooo except for # 3 - which was almost impossible on 2006 with the new rules... pretty spot on.

add team chemistry, great leadership, peaking at the right time, and a super hot goalie... and I think we have the formula.

 

[PhillyPhaithful48]

Not being named the Sabres

 

[BOSSMANPC]

Not being named the Sabres

Where is that fucking ignore button?

 

[PhillyPhaithful48]

right here - 0

^^ (by the way, that is a zero )

 

[ritari330]

here is my 3 step plan:
1. Score more goals in the regular season
2. Make the playoffs
3. Score more goals in the Playoffs

What can I say, I'm a Caps fan