The Eastern Conference finals are over, and the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers will battle it out in the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday.
Both teams already have a certain level of mental quality to reach their current level. Winnipeg Jets Obviously has missed the past two playoffs.
For any team aspiring to compete for a Stanley Cup title, avoiding serious injuries, especially to key players, is just as important as goaltending in crunch time.
While every regular player on the Oilers and Panthers may have faced some sort of physical obstacle, players on both teams have successfully overcome them.
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But what really stands out is how well these teams cope with the psychological difficulties of the playoffs.
We're talking about in-game reactions and recovering from a loss – that “refuse to lose” mentality, an unwavering belief from top to bottom.
Win the puck battle to expand the offensive zone shift on one end of the ice and get the puck out and into a less dangerous area on the other end.
Resist the temptation to make the “hope” pass, which often gives your opponent a chance to turn the ball over.
The importance of knowing when, and especially when not to retaliate.
Move your feet instead of extending your stick.
It requires a high level of concentration to consistently pass the ball dribbling, creating clean zone exits, and attacking quickly.
Win the competitive faceoff, or at least prevent the opponent from drawing the ball altogether.
The courage and determination to take the shot route.
The sum of all of these parts, or at least most of them, on a consistent basis, has been a huge confidence booster, allowing us to minimize and overcome the mistakes that cost us games and even series.
Aside from closing the analytical gap between them and perennial contenders, I think Winnipeg’s biggest hurdle to achieving all of these goals lies between the ears.
The team has plenty of physical talent, but these Jets need to find the mental fortitude to complement those skills. Just like Edmonton and Florida.
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