Quote:
Originally Posted by PepsiFree
Part of the problem in just looking at winners is that some guys get that winner “bump” in reputation, despite it being a team game. The same thing that happens to middle six wingers happens to top centres and goaltenders, but the difference is that we kind of make a joke about middling guys earning that reputation. Chicago didn’t win because of Toews alone, but Toews’ reputation certainly benefited from winning. Not saying he was a whole lot worse than his reputation, but there’s no denying the revisionist history than happens (look at O’Reilly and Ovechkin, for clearer examples).
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You are right about Toews, but Chicago's core players always lifted their game in the playoffs. Pretty much all of them. No one talked about Keith being the best dman in the league (he did win the Norris once), but come playoff time, no one was better. Bolland was an absolute beast in the playoffs, shutting down the other teams best players.
I think all those players reputations benefited from their playoff performances. Kane's first 2 hattricks were in game clinching wins, the first against Vancouver and a hapless Luongo.