NHL Playoffs: Beyond the Regular Season
In the realm of NHL playoffs, adept teams often share a common understanding: the regular season is merely a precursor to the real challenge. This notion was echoed by veteran players like Dustin Brown from the Los Angeles Kings, who recalled a time when he was asked why his team performed spectacularly during the postseason, despite a lackluster regular season. His answer revealed a strategic mindset: enduring the physicality of playoff hockey requires a different approach than that of the 82-game regular season.
“We’re a playoff team, not a regular-season team. You can’t play this way for 82 games; you’d never survive.” – Dustin Brown
This sentiment is not unique to Brown; many players express a desire to bypass the regular season altogether to avoid the mental and physical toll it takes.
Tactical Approaches and Preservation of Energy
As the experience of players such as Chicago’s Bryan Bickell and Marián Hossa suggests, slowing down during the regular season often becomes a tactical choice, accommodating the need to preserve energy for the high-stakes playoffs. Such was the case again for teams like the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers. Despite experiencing rough patches towards the end of their latest seasons, both teams remained unfazed — and for good reason.
The Panthers, who stumbled to a record of 7-10-1 in their final month, still managed to reclaim their competitive edge in the postseason. Similarly, the Oilers, amidst a tumultuous two-month stretch where they went 9-11-2, rediscovered their form just in time for the playoff run. As evidence that their preparation paid off, they faced the Panthers in the finals after dominating their earlier playoff series.
The Mental Grind of the Season
Adam Henrique of the Oilers articulated the mental strain teams endure over a long season, explaining that experiencing ups and downs defines how mature a team can be when it matters most. He succinctly noted:
“The regular season is a long, mental grind… But it’s not do or die just to have home ice throughout the playoffs.” – Adam Henrique
The respective journeys of the Oilers and Panthers underscore that elite teams, favored to win the championship, know how to navigate through less-than-perfect regular seasons with the confidence of past successes.
Historical Context and Mindset
Historical examples like the formidable Blackhawks, who often looked unimpressive in regular play yet dominated the playoffs, reinforce the insight of players like Patrick Sharp. Sharp’s reflections reveal that elite teams often do not engage with regular-season concerns the way fans or analysts do; they reserve their focus for the playoffs, where performance weeks earlier becomes irrelevant.
While victories in the regular season shape a team’s confidence, a true contender prioritizes readiness for playoff challenges.
