Four Story Lines 15 Years in the Making

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

With each step forward in the pursuit of the Stanley Cup, the challenges get steeper and the pressure mounts. At this stage in the game, any weaknesses are typically far outweighed by the strengths that enabled the competitors to get this far, making it harder and harder to advance. And although the second round of these playoffs was surprisingly pitfall-free for the four Conference Finalists — the Detroit Red Wings, Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Philadelphia Flyers — all four clubs would be wise to remember not to brim with overconfidence.

This very concern is what drives NHL general managers to pursue players with “Cup-winning experience” at the trade deadline every spring, and it’s why it often takes young teams numerous trips to the postseason before they’re able to get over the proverbial hump and win the coveted trophy.

Back in 1995, the Devils swept the talented, young Red Wings in the Cup Finals, and the Wings fell to the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Finals the following year. Though those experiences were no doubt painful, those bumps in the road played a critical part in the development of Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom and his teammates.

Since that time, Lidstrom has enjoyed the finest NHL career of any European-born player, helping the Wings to win the Cup three times while winning five Norris Trophies (he’s the overwhelming favorite to win it again this year). The experience, stability, and calming influence he provides the Wings is second to none, and his presence on Detroit’s blue line is a key reason why the President’s Trophy winners are the favorites to celebrate with Lord Stanley’s chalice this June. The Wings trounced the injury-riddled Avalanche in the last round, but their next opponents will present a different level of challenge entirely.

In 1998, the Red Wings were en route to their second consecutive Cup victory when they took on Mike Modano and the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals. Those Stars were the top-seeded team in the West that year, but the now-experienced Red Wings defeated them in six games. Much like the Wings before them, the loss helped to shape the Stars. The following season, they defeated the Buffalo Sabres to win the Cup, and they battled their way all the way back to the Finals in 2000 only to fall to the Devils.

While Modano was, and remains, the face of that Stars team, it was captain Derian Hatcher who embodied what their game was all about. Fiercely physical, the hard-hitting Hatcher was a fearsome force on the Stars’ blue line throughout their run of success in the late 1990s. Staunch defense was what the Stars were all about, with then-head coach Ken Hitchcock employing a trapping system that made the Devils look reckless by comparison.

Hatcher and Hitchcock are no longer in Dallas, but Modano remains. In the fall of 2006, Stars head coach Dave Tippett made the difficult decision to strip Modano of the captaincy and instead give the nod to young power forward Brenden Morrow. The manner in which the transition was executed was awkward, but it’s become clear this season that the move was the right one. Morrow scored the game-winning goal in the fourth overtime of Game 6 against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday night, giving the Stars a berth in the Western Conference Finals.

Though his time in Dallas has long since passed, Hatcher is still managing to make quite an impact of his own in these playoffs. Today he wears different colors, the orange and black of the Philadelphia Flyers, and is helping to carry on the Broad Street Bullies’ storied tradition.

It’s certainly been quite a long, strange trip for those Flyers. In 1997, they were swept by the Red Wings in the Cup Finals, a seemingly inevitable step toward greatness for young Flyers forward Eric Lindros and his team. But the “next one” never again got as close to the Cup, and without capable goaltending, the Flyers were never able to make good on their enormous promise.

Last season, things completely bottomed out in Philadelphia, with GM Bobby Clarke and head coach Hitchcock both getting the ax, and Paul Holmgren embarked on an aggressive rebuilding effort that turned the team’s fortunes around more quickly than anyone could have possibly imagined.

At the trade deadline in 2007, Holmgren shrewdly sent a second-round pick to the Sabres for Martin Biron, who has provided higher-quality netminding than the Flyers have enjoyed at any time since Ron Hextall backstopped them to the Cup Finals back in 1987. Holmgren followed that up with a less-publicized but equally important maneuver, sending veteran rearguard Alexei Zhitnik to the Atlanta Thrashers for Braydon Coburn. A 6-foot-5-inch, 220-pound wrecking ball with above-average skating and puck-handling ability, Coburn is one of the NHL’s best young defensemen and a future Norris Trophy candidate.

Those moves, combined with the acquisitions of veterans Daniel Briere, Kimmo Timonen, and Jason Smith, have completely reshaped the Flyers, setting them up for what should be a very compelling “Battle for Pennsylvania” with the cross-state rival Pittsburgh Penguins.

Much like Lindros in 1997, Sidney Crosby has been tirelessly promoted as the “next one.” Although he certainly possesses elite-level puck-handling skills, Crosby’s penchant for falling off his skates at the slightest contact has led many observers to wonder whether Evgeni Malkin — a Hart Trophy finalist — is in fact the Pens’ finest player. No doubt, both players are tremendous talents, and along with Marian Hossa, they give the Pens a devastating power play capable of matching the Flyers goal for goal.

With the likes of Crosby and Malkin wreaking havoc in the offensive zone, not much attention is paid to the Pens’ defense, but the Pittsburgh rearguards’ propensity for blocking shots was as much a factor in their second-round victory over the Rangers as anything their star forwards accomplished. If they have a weakness, however, it’s when opposing forwards crash the net with speed. Look for the Flyers to do so with reckless abandon, providing them with what could be a critical edge in this series.

Both series are likely to go the distance. The Stars are coming off two wins over heavily favored division rivals, the defending Cup champion Anaheim Ducks and the San Jose Sharks, and are getting Conn Smythe Trophy-caliber goaltending from Marty Turco. Look for Turco to be the difference-maker in this series as he was in the first two rounds, and for Dallas to defeat the Red Wings in seven games.

In the East, the Penguins haven’t faced much adversity as yet, winning eight of nine games to get to the Conference Finals. However, they showed some chinks in their armor against the Rangers in the last round, and they appear to be ripe for an upset at the hands of the Flyers’ aggressive forecheckers. As long as Biron continues to play at an elite level, the Flyers’ edge in scoring depth and in goal will be the difference in this series, and Philadelphia will win in seven as well.

Mr. Greenstein is the editor in chief of InsideHockey.com.


The New York Sun

© 2024 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use