Early losses in the 2014 NHL playoffs make for interesting speculation. Although some teams — such as the Dallas Stars and Columbus Blue Jackets — are content with their early bow-outs, they were not expected to be cup contenders and yet made significant progress.
It was shocking to see other teams, such as St. Louis and San Jose, get let off early, as they were expected to contend for the cup, or at least pass the first round.
The Blues are a team that seem built for the playoffs, and dominate the regular season, but when it comes to the playoffs, for some reason they fold.
There does not seem to be much reason for this. They do have some scoring issues, but that did not appear to be the problem this series (also, teams such as the L.A. Kings have certainly cruised to success without much offense).
Perhaps due to injuries on the team and the fact they were facing Chicago, their losses were seen as justified, and the team will remain largely unchanged, at least behind the scenes. Coach Ken Hitchcock has been kept on, with a one-year extension on his contract, and GM Doug Armstrong is still with the team. It is unknown what they will do player-wise, but it is unlikely they will blow up their core.
This lack of change may not be a bad thing either. They still seem like a strong team and their losses can be blamed on luck. With that being said, a dismal performance in next year’s playoffs will probably mean bigger changes. In this light, Hitchcock’s one-year extension could be seen more as a threat than a legitimate vote of confidence.
Blues coach Hitchcock’s one-year extension could be seen as more of a threat than a legitimate vote of confidence.
A 2-0, home game-won lead, like the Blues’, is fairly easy to blow.
But, a 3-0 lead is not, something us Canucks fans know all too well. Yet this is exactly what the San Jose Sharks did and, although it was against the L.A. Kings, it is an inexcusable loss for them. Year after year, the Sharks have been proven playoff chokers, nearly every year being chosen by many to actually win the Stanley Cup only to be knocked off early, always before the finals.
That makes it all the more surprising that, just like the Blues, neither the coach nor the GM of the Sharks will be shown the door. Without firing these two, not too much can be changed. Their constant failure in the playoffs speaks to a problem larger than a few tweaks, making it seem as though the core is the only thing left to change. However, with their regular season success, they probably won’t do something that bold. It seems likely they will not do anything until it is too late, and miss their chance at success.
