Considering how the ‘07 Wings were a few bad bounces of puck luck from playing for the Cup (game 5) and that was essentially the same team in 2008 save for swapping Schneider/Rafalski.....
Would it be as simple as saying Rafalski had that big an impact considering the 2007 team battled Nashville tooth and nail for the division while the 2008 team basically clinched by the All Star break? Or that they aren’t THIS dominant if they stuck with Schneider? How big a role did that play in them going to another level? And what if Osgood had gotten a chance in the 2007 playoffs?
The 2007 team was impressive, but they flirted with a game 7 vs. Calgary in round 1 (needed double OT in game 6) and were a failed Sharks puck clearout from falling behind 3-1 to San Jose in round 2.
And had they won in 2007, would they have had that hunger in ‘08 from falling short in that epic WCF vs. Anaheim?
Would it be as simple as saying Rafalski had that big an impact considering the 2007 team battled Nashville tooth and nail for the division while the 2008 team basically clinched by the All Star break? Or that they aren’t THIS dominant if they stuck with Schneider? How big a role did that play in them going to another level? And what if Osgood had gotten a chance in the 2007 playoffs?
The 2007 team was impressive, but they flirted with a game 7 vs. Calgary in round 1 (needed double OT in game 6) and were a failed Sharks puck clearout from falling behind 3-1 to San Jose in round 2.
And had they won in 2007, would they have had that hunger in ‘08 from falling short in that epic WCF vs. Anaheim?
