What factors made Florida two time Stanley Cup Champions?

[FlamesNightmare]

I don't follow Florida, so I'm just asking anyone here what has made them such a good team compared to a decade ago? Was it good Team management, grabbing ufa players from other teams, etc??

[SutterBrother]

They played the Oilers.

[Rhett44]

Most of the players themselves actually credit Tkachuk for changing the culture. But they got a GM who was bold enough to make that trade.

They have an elite number 1 center in Barkov. And a 2nd line center Bennett who plays elite in the playoffs.

They have 2 elite wingers in Tkachuk and Reinhart. They also have an elite goalie come playoff time.

They have one of the best defense cores and goalies in the league as well. Along with amazing depth. Marchand was playing on their 3rd line this playoffs, which is crazy.

They also have a really good coach.

So the answer is pretty much a combination of everything.

[EVERLAST]

Starting with the owners and the philosophy of servant leadership. They believe sacrifice to be extremely important. Watch .....https://youtu.be/TcLX2VzKxU8?si=fjaQUGY6wEP6OMQp

They make it important to serve in the community because they dodnt always have a strong following and needed to grow relationships to obtain a fan base that would show fans the players were committed to winning off the ice as well

Bringing in Maurice a move Zito felt was necessary because Brunette couldn't take them all the way.

Then needing a player in Tkachuk who played a style Huberdeau did not. So we all know what happened there. But its Barkov that does alot for the team in his role.

They bring in big game players. Theres way more too it obviously but that team plays as a team and the philosophy, culture and pedigree cannot be easily replicated.

Im a flames fan for sure but Florida is pulling me away slowly. If it werent for CC , Iginla , Gelinas being an important part of the core management id be gone but i see what theyre committed to do.
I wish the Flames were still owned by McCaig , Hotchkiss, Seamon and Edwards wasnt as big a piece of it. Yeah , hes still invested $$ but his heart???

[Aarongavey]

They probably don’t win the Cup without Treliving. Finding a good trading partner can really help a team.

[Hockey_Ninja]

The Tkachuk trade and hiring Maurice was a game changer for them. Before they were run and gun offense but clearly that style tends to not work very well in the playoffs. They became a team with good structure and they play on the edge which can lean to some dirtiness but it works. They never seem to get flustered too even when they have a bad game. Just great resilience

[ForeverFlameFan]

Maurice is the #1 reason.

Imagine what the Flames could’ve done with competent coaching when we had Tkachuk, Bennett, Gaudreau, Monahan, Lindholm, Giordano, Brodie, Backlund, etc.

[Jason14h]

Praying on the poorly run teams and taking all their talented players for Pennies on the $

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Maurice is the #1 reason.

Imagine what the Flames could’ve done with competent coaching when we had Tkachuk, Bennett, Gaudreau, Monahan, Lindholm, Giordano, Brodie, Backlund, etc.

Even something as simple as 123 centers of Monahan Bennett and Backlund down the middle. True no brainers. Remember when Backlund was put on the wing, and he looked like a toddler thrown into a pool for the first time.

Really showed me the importance of coaching, and that hiring coaching and scouting is a massively important GM skill.

[CliffFletcher]

* Ownership that was committed to doing everything in their control to make Florida a desirable location, such as a practice rink and facility that's second-to-none.

* An executive team that includes three-former GMs (Rick Dudley, Paul Fenton, and Les Jackson) who have a wealth of experience in the league.

* A GM who is aggressive and not afraid to take big swings. Not a lot of GMs would move two star, core players in their prime, including their points leader, coming off a President's Trophy season.

* A braintrust that spots undervalued players on other teams (Verhaeghe, Bennett, Reinhart, Luostarinen, Forsling) and puts them in a position to thrive.

* A team-first culture fostered by its star players, starting with Barkov.

* The embrace of smash-mouth, win-at-all-costs hockey that came with Tkachuk.

* Hiring the right coach after a previous coach couldn't get them over the hump.


https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/...024-nhl-season

[Winsor_Pilates]

-Every player buying in to the same stye of play; relentless high pressure.
-2 elite two way centres who can shut down the best players on the other team.
-Elite goalie

They remind me of successful Sutter teams which had those same elements.

[Vinny01]

I think they made some unreal trades. This team has 3 drafted players on their roster with Barkov, Ekblad, and Lundell

Trading a 1st, Levi, 2nd, Heineman for Reinhart and Bennett helped. Turning 2 near 30 year olds with one year left into a 25 year old Tkachuk locked in for 8 years at a sweetheart deal was the move that coupled with Maurice coming in launched this team to dynasty territory

[Shazam]

Patience.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Most of the players themselves actually credit Tkachuk for changing the culture. But they got a GM who was bold enough to make that trade.

They have an elite number 1 center in Barkov. And a 2nd line center Bennett who plays elite in the playoffs.

They have 2 elite wingers in Tkachuk and Reinhart. They also have an elite goalie come playoff time.

They have one of the best defense cores and goalies in the league as well. Along with amazing depth. Marchand was playing on their 3rd line this playoffs, which is crazy.

They also have a really good coach.

So the answer is pretty much a combination of everything.

Remember when Gio and the boys didn't stick up for Tkachuk after the Leafs game? Matthew remembers.

[5abi]

Taking our best players

[dirk diggler]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

The Tkachuk trade and hiring Maurice was a game changer for them. Before they were run and gun offense but clearly that style tends to not work very well in the playoffs. They became a team with good structure and they play on the edge which can lean to some dirtiness but it works. They never seem to get flustered too even when they have a bad game. Just great resilience

The resilience you mention is so important and so true, Look at the Kings, they destroy the Oilers in first 2 games, lose a winnable game in game 3 and they were done. Wasnt hard to see that play out. Florida loses a game they should have won and they come back stronger and destroy them

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Patience.

Bull ####. How long have you been patient? 36 years? Keep being patient. That’s a great strategy.

[dirk diggler]

Bill Zito might be the only GM to have the balls to trade a 115 player because he knew you arent winning with him. Sadly the Flames were the victim of that because of a weak GM. Hope Conroy is more Zito than BT as he continues to get experience.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Bull ####. How long have you been patient? 36 years? Keep being patient. That’s a great strategy.

Overall, I think it's Calgary's impatience that keeps the team where it is.

[GreenLantern2814]

They had Sam Bennett and Matt Tkachuk on the same roster, and played them together.