2001-2002(last playoff season) compared

[Raider917]

to this year:

2001-2002:

Wins - 36
Points - 87
team GAA - 2.41
shots/game allowed - 31.54
PK - 234/272 (86.03%)
PP - 45/301 (14.95 %)

2003-2004 (after 66 games):

Wins - 33
Points - 74
team GAA - 2.14
shots/game allowed - 27.53
PK - 205/250 (82.55%)
PP - 47/265 (17.74 %)


blue are significant improvements red are the significant slides

[felixd]

Strange how the numbers for PK are the same both years, but the % is worse.

[Raider917]

Originally Posted by felixd

Strange how the numbers for PK are the same both years, but the % is worse.

Sorry...u caught me b4 the corection

[Darz]

The biggest difference imo between this club and the club that made the playoffs two years ago is this club has a better coach.

[electric]

Originally Posted by Darz

The biggest difference imo between this club and the club that made the playoffs two years ago is this club has a better coach.

I don't know... Michel Therrien is an awesome coach. He gets out of hand sometimes, though... very emotional guy.

There are two main differences I can point out...

- This year's team is more talented
- The 2001-02 squad was more motivated (because of Koivu)

Also, I think Theodore is better this year than two years ago... the reason is that I find he is more consistent. Even in his Vezina/Hart year he had a good number of total breakdowns after letting in a bad goal. This year he's a lot more consistent.

And a BIG part of the team two years ago was Doug Gilmour. he didn't score a ton of points, but his intensity really lifted the team more than once. In the second half of the season and throughout the playoffs he was scoring at nearly one point per game.

[NWT Habs Fan]

Originally Posted by Darz

The biggest difference imo between this club and the club that made the playoffs two years ago is this club has a better coach.

Exactly. The 01-02 team fed off of Therrien's emotion and the emotional anticipation of the return of three key players: Saks, Audette and Souray (who all had great playoff performances by the way, so they did not disappoint).

The 03-04 team is playing under a very sound technical coach, who has instilled a sound defensively aware system, rewards good performance, but who is still seen by one and all as a "player's coach" who can be tough, but fair. He is able to get this team to bounce back from short skids, and play well as a team.

Emotion only gets you so far, and eventually it comes back to haunt you (yes, that darn double penalty against Carolina). A good system and a team playing like a team goes a long way.