Quote:
Originally Posted by Bleeding Red
As I noted in a previous thread, the experience argument is BS.
Before Game 5 - COL has an average of 18 games of playoff experience (including this series). The Flames average is 17. Take away these last four games and 9 COL players have less than 10 PO games. (CGY has 10) COL hasn't even dressed their most experienced PO player - Brassard with 92 PO games - in the last two games. They have 2 guys with over 50 PO games. Flames have 1. COL has 1 player who has won a cup. So do the Flames.
Grubauer has 41 PO games - but how many of those as a spectator in the best seat in the house?
Experience in the playoffs is not the difference here.A big chunk of COL's players also saw their first playoff games. Seems to me COL - especially Mackinnon (20 playoff games - including this year) did more with their "limited" experience than the Flames.
Perhaps the "Favorite" vs the "Underdog" mentality is a heavy factor.
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It's not, though. The reason it is not is because not all players are identical in how they develop and trend and learn and grow.
For years Pavol Datsyuk was widely regarded as an excellent, highly skilled player who was just not gritty enough, big enough or tenacious enough to succeed in the playoffs. He did not start to break through in the post season until he was nearly 30-years-old, and after four playoff appearances.
Some players take longer than others to figure it out.