brian wrote:sancarlos wrote:brian wrote:1st (Tampa) & 3rd (Vegas) team in NHL in points per game play in Vegas Tuesday in a possible Stanley Cup preview. Just like everyone predicted.
Brian, your team looks great. But, it's only December!
I think an underrated awesome thing about following hockey is that the national coverage seems to be less hot-takey* than any other sports (*for lack of a better word) because even I would probably be getting sick by now of Stephen A. Smith, Colin Cowherd et al beating the country over the head with "they just play the game the right way!"
Obviously, there's an important point to be made about the importance of having all of the guys on the roster working together and buying in, but that's just such a small part of it. (And also accurately describes most of the teams in the league, even those hovering around .500).
Some of it also is luck of course as well. And McPhee fleecing a couple of teams like Florida to not only get a guy like Marchessault, but also Reilly Smith. (See also: fleecing of Minnesota to get Tuch and Haula). And a lack of injuries outside of the goalie position (though come back soon, Sbisa!)
It's kind of a perfect storm that's building and building and hell, maybe still continuing to build. At least a half-dozen to a dozen things all had to break just right for this team to be 21-11.
and a great coach. love they they killed the Panthers last night.