The Stanley Cup is the holy grail of ice hockey. Since its inception in 1922, the cup has been held by only 12 players. The last team to win the cup was the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010. There have been so many incredible games over the years where the outcome was in doubt and then the final whistle blew. It seems like an impossible task to win the Stanley Cup.
But if you look at the roster of the Blackhawks, you’ll see that it’s not impossible. They have 48 players on their roster, including 12 goalies. So, if you’re wondering, “Is it really possible for a team to win the Stanley Cup with such a small roster?,” then the answer is yes.
To put that into context, the Los Angeles Lakers have the second smallest team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). They have 28 players on their roster, including 11 goalies. The Toronto Raptors, with 30 players, and the Boston Celtics, with 32 players, also have small rosters compared to the Stanley Cup. So, it’s possible to win the Stanley Cup with a smaller roster than the rest of the league. But how? We’re about to find out.
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Key Stats To Consider
While the number of players on a team has decreased over the years (most NBA teams have 12 to 14 players), the number of teams has increased. Since the NHL expanded to a 16-team league in 2002, there have been 32 different champion teams. That’s a lot of parity and a lot of competition.
Hockey players are known for their toughness, and not just in hockey. Consider these three NBA players: Shaquille O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning, and Tim Duncan. These are all three-time NBA champions, but they’re also three of the four biggest men in NBA history. So, it’s not just about hockey.
The Value Of A Clean Slate
The first step to winning the Stanley Cup is to get to the playoffs. And to do that, you have to be at least at a.500-.700 win-loss record. The Golden State Warriors, who won the title this year, are one of the best teams in the NBA this year, but they’ve only won 18 games all year. The Toronto Raptors, the previous year’s champion, won only 15 games and missed the playoffs.
If you look at the Chicago Blackhawks, they had one of the worst seasons in recent history. They won only 10 games in the entire regular season and missed the playoffs for only the third time in their history. But in the offseason, they were able to trade for defenseman Johnny Oduya who helped them reach the playoffs and subsequently win the Stanley Cup. So, being at a.500-win average is no small feat.
Size Matters
If you look at the average size of a hockey team, it ranges from around 13-15 players. Compare that to the rest of the NBA, which features an average size of around 10 players. This is relevant because as we’ve established, size matters in hockey when it comes to getting physical and throwing punches. And although the game has changed as far as the speed and skill of players go, the need for toughness hasn’t diminished.
Take a look at the Montreal Canadiens. They’re one of the most storied franchises in all of hockey, winning seven Stanley Cup titles (more than any other team) and appearing in 12 finals (more than any other team). But in the offseason, they let go of their entire defense and replaced them with youth and energy, which is exactly what they needed to make a run at the Stanley Cup.
The Nashville Predators, who won the Cup this year, are smaller than the Canadiens, with only 10 players on their roster. So even though they played a physical brand of hockey, which is a rarity, they still have a lot to prove. The same can be said for the Winnipeg Jets, who won the cup with a roster of only 10 players, as well. Being smaller makes a difference in many ways. First, it’s easier for a team to maintain a high energy level for longer periods of time, especially when the games become more physical as they have over the past few years. Second, players have more opportunities for one-on-one matchups, as there are fewer people to share the puck with. Third, smaller players are usually faster and more agile, which makes them more effective in open spaces.
So, if you’re wondering how a team can be competitive with such a small roster, it’s because these five factors give them an edge above the rest:
A Physical Training Program
It’s not easy getting to the NHL, especially if your entire family doesn’t play hockey. One of the prerequisites to making the roster is you have to be able to throw a punch. In today’s NHL, the average size of a player is around 6 feet and 210 pounds. So, if you want to be one of the better players on your team, you need to put in the time to develop your upper body, especially your arms and your chest. You should be doing some form of weight training three times a week, and getting in some supplemental training once or twice a week. Focus on taking care of your body and you’ll be well on your way to the top.
A Player’s Mindset
There’s a common saying in hockey: you can’t teach size. It’s very true. Many kids are born with a silver spoon in their mouth and are expected to play a certain role in life. But that doesn’t mean they’re destined to be just like their parents, or even worse. Some players will go the entire season without getting a single break, while others will do the opposite and have a fantastic season. It’s all about what’s in your head. If you believe you can and will succeed, the rest will follow.
Intangibles
All of the data in the world isn’t important if you don’t have the will to win. If you want to be great, you have to be able to appreciate great. You can’t put a value on being humble, or being hungry, or being determined. These are all things that separate the greats from the good, and the good from the rest.
Opportunities For One-on-One Matches
We already established that small players are usually more effective in open spaces. Well, the same can be said for one-on-one matchups. If you have a small player on your team, you’ll have more opportunities to go one-on-one against another player. And although it might not be pretty, these battles determine who’s going to be the predator and who’s going to be the prey. In the offseason, the Nashville Predators added a physical element to their game by signing players like Derek Fisher and Ryan Johansen because they have a lot of one-on-ones with opposing teams. Being in a battle every shift matters when your team is performing well but struggling to put together a full 60-minute effort almost every game.
More Than Meets The Eye
There’s a reason why the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010. It wasn’t just because of their small roster or even because the ice was a little bit warmer that year. It was because of all the great things that occurred behind the scenes. At the start of the year, the Blackhawks had the fewest points in the entire NHL, and yet they still found a way to win. In fact, they started the season with 15 games left to go and only 8 points. But they kept winning, and winning, and winning, and finally, the magic number to qualify for the playoffs was reached with five games left to go in the season. It was then that the Hawks went on a run that lasted the entire postseason and eventually culminated in them winning the Stanley Cup.
So, being a small player on a large team isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can be a great advantage if you know how to make the most of it. But above all else, you have to believe that you can and will succeed. If you don’t believe that, then don’t expect to see miracles. No one will be able to help you. Even though the team you play for might have a lot of talent, it can still be a lot of hard work fighting for respect, especially in today’s NHL. But if you want to be the best, you have to find a way. And that’s something that even the greats can’t teach you. You have to find that within yourself.