He went from a chippy under your skin type player in Calgary to a controlled power forward playoff MVP. A lot of talent is wasted (Domi) concentrating of being tough and forgetting why you’re in the league.
I honestly really dislike the flood of stats and analytics in sports, but man! Hearing Maurice talk about savvy offensive players cutting off plays and them moving from last in dump ins in 12th...that is a pretty stark example of a coach's smarts & philosophy actually changing how a team plays and how a team wins. That's incredible!
The Panthers focused on results in the playoffs not the regular season. Not all teams do this (the president of hockey operations for the Leafs said for the Leafs the regular season is the measure of success) and you run the risk of not having great success in the regular season. I hope the Panthers win the Cup.
A great coach makes all the difference, Scotty Bowman comes to mind. Taking an offensive juggernaut & giving them a defensive mindset, completely transforming a team geared towards the playoffs. The point made about how regular season finese doesn't translate well into the muck & grind style of playoff hockey is significant. Watching a team that won the president's trophy last season struggle this season, get in by the skin of their teeth & come into their own against a team that just made history come off the ropes & knock them out was a story enough, but to get this far makes it even sweeter. Hoping this saga has a happy ending.
Right? Cuz approaching the playoffs differently than the regular season is like SOOOO unique and original, like, no one ever thought of that! And after all of his winning pedigree, we should have seen this coming! Maurice is a GENIUS
@oldhab to be fair, playoffs happen for a month while regular season is spread out over a longer period of time. For larger franchises, it makes sense to prioritize winning games as often as possible. Leafs fans will say they care more about playoff success, but in actuality, what fans want to see is their team win games. Panthers don’t really have much of a fanbase, so they can afford to tank their results and focus on the playoff hockey all season, which is exactly what they did.
Excellent video! I'm born and raised from Sunrise and my family and I used to walk to the arena from our house....I was too young to remember the '96 run so this has been absolute magic for me this playoff run. Go Cats!!!
You are one of the few that actually broke down what we have been doing all season and why we are successful. I put down my Panthers in my bracket to go to the cup and I believe we will win it. Gritty and punishing forechecking, decapitating opponents ( Bennet first period) and sizzling Bobrovsky, nobody is beating us and furthermore, we have emphatically shown we earned and took all three series, neither the Bruins, Leafs or Canes gave it away, we punched their teeth out and won.
Crazy thing is after all they’ve done and how dominant they’ve looked I still see comments saying they don’t have a chance against vegas😂 by all means keep underestimating the panthers it will continue to benefit them up until they lift that trophy
MAN! as a Toronto native this is both a brilliant and hard to accept read. I reallly would like to be mad at the panthers but I can't really argue. Florida looks incredible in "playoff" hockey. The grit they show is insane and the clutch factor is the one thing you can only hope for in trades and drafts, and they got it.
😂😂😂 absolute robbery , thank the refs for ignoring blatant infractions... The NHL knows Florida doesn't love hockey and can't sell tickets, and they want your money so 4 yrs in a row the state of Florida has a team in the finals.
@@michaelcarroca9181 fucking preach brother. Floridas head is so far up their asses they are all blind to the fact that this is all playing out exactly how the NHL wrote it up. RIGGED FUCKING PLAYOFF
When Maurice left the Jets, I told many people that Maurice is probably my favorite coach, and if he left that team, it's likely that the players are the problem and they're just uncoachable. Now Maurice is shining again and the Jets still have their issues.
I too like Maurice. To bad the Leafs didn't dump Keefe and rehire Paul for the second time like Carolina did !🤔🤔 Both teams are now kicking themselves in the ass !!😂😂😂😂
As a Jets fan I think a number of our players should be ashamed of their work ethic and how they knew better than Paul Maurice. If only they listened and bought into what he was saying. Paul, well done your new team has shown how important it is listen to the coach. Wpg expects to see you hoisting the cup!
Maurice knows how to use his players this whole organization looking geniuses congrats to this organization! everything has come together! this reminds me so much of my 2012 LAKings in many ways . The Goalkeeper is just on another level like quick was you have number 19 playing like a top 5 player and has really evolved and grown into a very responsible leader after getting traded just like jeff carter and mike richards back then and then every single line forechecks and out works every team they face ! not a florida fan but im rooting for yall
you gotta love underdog stories! They may not of been in dead last in the league at xmas like the 19 blues, but they still wernt expected to be here. When they came back against boston, i had a feeling they would go all the way. The state of Florida is my 2nd fav state behind my home of Missouri. So seeing tampa go b2b and the panthers potentially winning it all now is pretty sweet.
Lifelong Lightning fan here and as much as it pains me to say this, congratulations to the Panthers on such a magical run. We went 3 straight years and won 2 with a sweep of the then Presidents trophy winning Panthers. We didn't go as far as we should have but no hard feelings. We have 3 cups and have been to 5. Make our state proud and bring the south some more hardware. Good luck and GO GET IT!!!
I think the bolts have 1 more run in them. Of course since April 2015 they've played more games in regular season and playoffs combined 4 cup finals, 6 conference finals and ofc regular seasons too. This yr in round 1 could be a blessing in disguise similar to 2017 and 2019 or even 2014 shortly before this whole dynasty started in 2015
As a new hockey fan (since last year with the Kraken), it’s mind-blowing to me to see how different of an animal the playoffs are! It makes sense, though. Just because Boston dominated the regular season, what worked for them in the regular season might not work for them in the playoffs. It started to, but once the Panthers figured them out and played their playoff strategy, the Panthers have seemed unstoppable since. The Panthers were actually ahead of the curve: They did what Boston did last year-play a dominant regular season game, and flame out in the playoffs. This year, they barely made the playoffs because they altered their game so much, but after the first round dominated their playoff style of game. Wow. Fascinating. I think they’re going to take the Stanley Cup over Vegas. Just incredible foresight by this team.
Love my panthers. I knew they were going to be huge as they were streaking into the playoffs and heard that builds a foundation for the team. See them winning the cup in 6 games
I was 8 when the Panthers went up against the Avs in the 1996 Finals. That series is what turned me into not just an Avs fan, but a hocky fan. In many ways, I owe Florida just as much of a debt for the hocky fan I've become as my beloved Avs. I'll be rooting for Florida all the way until the end.
Congrats to the Florida Panthers. This is a similar storyline to what happened to my Phillies in baseball last season.. They were the lowest ranked team in the playoffs, they weren't supposed to get by the wildcard round, but beat STL,ATL, and SD to get to the World Series. But what makes the Panther's story better is they trailed the series 3-1 to the best team in hockey, and won in 7 games. These are the stories that make sports so great!
Great Breakdown on how we got here! I've been waiting for this my whole life! Been a Panthers fan since I was a little kid. What an Incredible ride it's been! GO PANTHERS!!!! Bring it home boys! Bring it home!
Panther fan since 1993. I even participated in the naming of the team contest. No Band-Wagonist here. Went to 95-96 play-offs and been waiting ever since. Win or loose, this is my team.
As a lifelong Panthers fan and Florida native, we have earned this. I remember days when my dad couldn’t afford to bring both my brother and I to the games, and it feels so good to finally see the panthers playing for the Cup. LETS GO CATS
I'll tell you what - as a Sabres fan, that Florida 2-1 win against Buffalo on April 4th was so key for the Panthers! And Lyon stopping 97% of shots. Just think, if Buffalo won this game, they would have edged out Florida by 1 point for the 8 seed in the East. Very impressive, Panthers! Get that cup!
as a sabres fan myself - I hated that they stole our play off spot, but i dont think buffalo is ready for play offs just yet. now - I hope Florida wins the whole thing!
Loove the way Florida is playing...im a Penguins fan living in Vegas, so obviously cheering for Vegas but there is something about this Florida team that I love and want to see them win it all!
I’m a Flames fan, and I’m over the moon for Benny and Chucky. Florida is quickly becoming my 3rd favourite team. The frustrating thing is that under Sutter, the type of hockey that he coaches is similar to Maurice’s. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out for Sutter or Hubby here in Calgary. But I am on the Panthers’ train now!
Not a panthers fan but after seeing them get swept last year to the lightning after they won the presidents trophy, they deserve to be where they are now. This is a true underdog story in the making. Every single soul thought it’d be a no brainer for the bruins to make it past them, especially considering bruins were up 3-1. These guys have a huge chip on their shoulder and it’s honestly a lot of fun to watch.
As a Panther fan, this is why I was happy with the Chucky trade originally even when ppl said we got robbed and Hubys my fav player of all time. As much as I loved him, he was a regular season player and when the windows got tighter in the playoffs he was too afraid to fight through the contact. Presidents trophy curse isn’t a fluke, you don’t win cups when ur playing style gets you regular season wins
Not necessarily, the Avs could have won the presidents trophy and the cup if they cared enough last year. You can dominate the regular season and the playoffs with a certain style, it's just rare
Paul Maurice is a certified legend now. First he took the underdog Hurricanes to the Final in 02 and now taking the underdog, excuse me under CATS to the Final. This guy deserves a ring.
Excellent video. Very insightful, great editing and production values. This is exactly what separates this year's Panthers team than last year and why teams like Tampa and Boston (usually) are so dangerous in the playoffs even if they have passable regular seasons
Yes! Paul Maurice's playoff coaching style, combined with the outstanding goaltending of Bobrovsky and the spectacular "net" presence" play of Matthew Tkachuk caught all their Eastern opponents by surprise. Keep doing what you have been doing and you can win the biggest prize of them all. Go Panthers!
As a little kid on the frozen ponds in my area, skating and pond hockey is so fun, then peewees, bantams, playing in rinks all over the northeast and Canada, hockey's in my blood, the Panthers are amazing, it starts with your goalie making great saves, his confidence spreads like wildfire, that's what's happening, these Panthers are playing what I call free hockey, their having fun and the confidence is skyhigh, starts with the goalie and the whole team plays without worrying just about defence and not making mistakes. That's why their here.
As a panthers fan I’m so happy especially after I live in swfl so when I started watching hockey 5 years ago I could of choose Tampa or Florida to cheer for and choose the panthers 🐆 been a panthers fan since even when the lightning went to the cup, but now we get our chance at the cup too 👊🏻
It reminds me of 2007 Giants. They had to overcome a lot in order to win the SB, and they just happened to have a defense that played really well against all four of the offenses that they met in the playoffs. No matter what happened in regular season, it seems to me that the particular style of aggressive play from the Panthers overmatches all their opponents. Obviously having a legendary goalie is critical but you actually have to score too.
Regular season only gets teams so far. Even in football the Jacksonville Jaguars at one point were 3-7 looked completely dead in the water then won 6 of their last 7 to clinch their division against bitter rival Tennessee Titans in a prime time game something thought unimaginable considering we finished worst overall 2 years in a row. They'd find themselves down 27-0 before halftime before ultimately winning off a field goal then having a nail bitter against the eventual Superbowl champion Kansas City Chiefs but Doug Pederson's 1st year in Jacksonville is like Paul Maurice's 1st in Sunrise. Both are very smart in the fundamentals of the game has great leadership and that in turn returns back into the team and causes them to thrive.
The Panthers are following the Islanders plan under Barry Trotz. 2 years ago. Back to back to the Conference Finals is not luck. Great defense, smart offensive players and a great goalie! Battles on the boards and hitting all make it successful. Bravo Florida!! Great to see the 8 seed run the table!
Been a Wings fan my whole life but rooting for the Cats. Very exciting to see what Maurice has done en route to where the team is now in the playoffs. Panthers have been around 30 years and now I'm excited to hopefully see them win a cup in their home state. Go Cats!
As a Devils fan, I am rooting for the Cats…… I’m sure many Devils fans are. Love the underdog story, and the sweep of the Canes made me grin from ear to ear!
Thank you so much for this content. My family have been season ticket holders for 16 years. It has been downright painful at times. But just a massive tip of the cap to Zito for having the spine to make the moves he did. This team is special and they are here to stay.
It took a while for this gambling team to play hard and tough. And applause to the Coach for loosening the defense first noose he had around their necks in February. The team went on a tear after that. Taking his philosophy and blending it with their firepower. However, you cannot, repeat cannot, underestimate the value of 72 coming in vs Boston and playing lights out. Remember, this guy lost the starting job when Florida was charging to the regular season finish line. No 72 in Boston? No Panthers in SCF
How can you not buy in to what Maurice is sellin'? When he came over and socked the assistants arm and gave him that look after Tkachuk's last seconds winner, I just cracked up! Just how me and my bro's would react. 😂
Love your channel, you do a terrific job of telling a story with each video!!! I’ve been a Panthers fan my whole life, born in 2000. Never thought I’d see this day, so happy. Jobs not finished GO CATS GO!!!
What this team did was create a Playoff team and not a President’s trophy team. Teams that play good in the regular season struggle in the playoffs and teams that have to battle to get into the playoffs are already playing the right style coming in. He is totally right on what works in the playoffs. We see this every year where there is a team that does this. Vegas has been playing this style since they came into the league. Seattle too. A hot goalie is also key and also confidence.
Excellent video breaking down just what Maurice wins when he says 'Playoff Style Hockey' and the changes he made to help get my Panthers to the Stanley Cup Finals!
Prior year Prez cup winner going to the cup finals when they entered the season with questions. Unheard of. As the Caps, Avs, and Bolts side eye glance each other. It is a process. Some get through the process faster like the Blackhawks. Others like to gut punch the fans for a few years. Caps strength and nastiness, Avs aggressiveness, Bolts lockdown styles were night and day from the playoffs before. Then it clicked. Plus it helps if your goalie stands on their head.
The incredible transformation between regular season hockey and playoff hockey is really the only reason the NHL is so great. Despite all the bush league executive decisions that make the NHL look so very bush, the players save the league for love of the cup.
As a Pens fan, Florida didn’t steal that spot. They earned it. Beating the Bruins totally made it worth being disappointed with my team. The Cats got hot at the right time.
The goaltending this season is just insane. I am so torn. Adin Hill is from my hometown but Bob and the Panthers are just something else. I just hope we get 7 games and 23 OTs 😅😅😅
This was super informative and helpful. Makes me very optimistic about where the Kraken are as a team and organization given their similar style of play and philosophy!
Don’t forget Tkachuk has gotten the panthers playing tough. Every player on the panthers is hitting harder then ever before and he’s leading the way, they got an aggression to them that scares other teams into making mistakes and avoiding contact as best they can
this team won a president's trophy last year if you don't have the skill to back it up and the ability to put pucks in the net, all the hard-hitting aggression in the world won't get you past a Boston or Carolina.
@M P exactly, and this was a Boston that absolutely demolished everyone all season. But...82 games don't mean anything...because if you don't get pass the 4 in the first round... 82 is pointless.
@@Ylinatsiperkele It's not about who's the best player its about the best leader. Barkov has been here through everything and refuses to give up. Everyone in the locker room looks up to him like an older brother in one big family, and that's why he'll continue to be the captain.
South Floridian born and raised and from almost losing our hockey club to this, I wish I had these emotions in relationships BUT BOY I LOVE MY PANTHERS
As a devik fan you are 100% correct and it's the next step I believe the devil should take. Florida made the right moves. The GM looks like a goddamn genius!!
I remember the '96 run, as I was in graduating my senior year of college, and it was such a letdown because my Cats got swept in the Finals. Remembering that, I am being very cautious and reserved unless they are holding the Cup in the end.
Floridian beer league player here. I went to games at the old Miami arena. Was at Opening day in Sunrise and worked there for 12 years. The panthers have always had a small die hard fan base plus enough northerners living here to keep it alive. Growing up almost every city down here had roller hockey rinks and leagues, but after a few large hurricanes over the years, a bunch were closed or turned into soccer rinks. Hopefully this sparks youth hockey down here again and gets some rinks revived. My sons 2 and almost ready to lace up some skates.
FL Panthers fan for the last 12 years. Seen the ups and downs of the team throughout the years. So happy they made it all the way to the finals! What an exciting time! Happy for the team! Go cats!
After game one against Carolina, I had seen enough. It was then that I had a strong sense they were a team of destiny. Beating a team who were thought by most to be an almost sure thing to be in the Finals was shocking. They then followed it up by going 8 and 1 in the next two series. Nothing in life is a guarantee, Bobrovsky, Tchahuk, or another key player could get freakishly injured and then there's new variables in motion. Vegas will be there toughest opponent I think, defense tends to trump offense in the post season, and LV has an imposing back end with speed and size. But Florida seems to be the chosen ones of the Hockey Gods this year. But all bets are off if Vegas gets frustrated with Bob and switches on goon mode and starts to 'accidentally' on purpose bump into Bobrovsky. It has happened previously, I recall AV's Rangers clocking Carey Price which lead to NY winning the series and going to the Finals in 2014.
Hurricanes play a grueling forechecking style of hockey for all 82 games. But they continued to play it that way injured in the playoffs. That team is bought into Rod's system but they weren't flexible for the playoffs. The net battles to get to the slot made all the difference for the Panthers. Hope they win the cup because Vegas is going to be tough
Dude you have the best breakdowns on yt! I was wondering if you could make a similar style video to Bruce Cassidy and how he's changed VGK for their success. Keep it up..new subscriber here
If the Panthers play the Knights, a lot of people are going to be cheering for the panthers. That's not a shot against Vegas, its just that many people, including myself, love a good underdog story. I'm a huge Kings fan. The parallels between the 2012 Kings and the 2023 Panthers are just eerie. I hope the Cats go all the way, I want their fans to have that same, indescribable experience I had 11 years ago.
As the 1989th out of 7 fans, I am absolutely still shook at how clutch Matthew Clutchuk is.
He went from a chippy under your skin type player in Calgary to a controlled power forward playoff MVP. A lot of talent is wasted (Domi) concentrating of being tough and forgetting why you’re in the league.
Tbh, he’s probably been the most clutch player in recent memory
much love from fan #2693 of the 7
Meowthew*
From a Flames fan, it’s *Chucky
Bobrovsky reminds me so much of Dominik Hasek for Buffalo when they pushed to the Finals against Dallas. It's been incredible seeing him play.
Tkachuk came to Florida as the living embodiment of the hockey style Paul Maurice was looking for
I honestly really dislike the flood of stats and analytics in sports, but man! Hearing Maurice talk about savvy offensive players cutting off plays and them moving from last in dump ins in 12th...that is a pretty stark example of a coach's smarts & philosophy actually changing how a team plays and how a team wins. That's incredible!
The Panthers focused on results in the playoffs not the regular season. Not all teams do this (the president of hockey operations for the Leafs said for the Leafs the regular season is the measure of success) and you run the risk of not having great success in the regular season.
I hope the Panthers win the Cup.
A great coach makes all the difference, Scotty Bowman comes to mind. Taking an offensive juggernaut & giving them a defensive mindset, completely transforming a team geared towards the playoffs. The point made about how regular season finese doesn't translate well into the muck & grind style of playoff hockey is significant. Watching a team that won the president's trophy last season struggle this season, get in by the skin of their teeth & come into their own against a team that just made history come off the ropes & knock them out was a story enough, but to get this far makes it even sweeter. Hoping this saga has a happy ending.
Right? Cuz approaching the playoffs differently than the regular season is like SOOOO unique and original, like, no one ever thought of that! And after all of his winning pedigree, we should have seen this coming! Maurice is a GENIUS
@oldhab to be fair, playoffs happen for a month while regular season is spread out over a longer period of time. For larger franchises, it makes sense to prioritize winning games as often as possible.
Leafs fans will say they care more about playoff success, but in actuality, what fans want to see is their team win games.
Panthers don’t really have much of a fanbase, so they can afford to tank their results and focus on the playoff hockey all season, which is exactly what they did.
@@AaronStephenTaylor relax you sound gay
Excellent video! I'm born and raised from Sunrise and my family and I used to walk to the arena from our house....I was too young to remember the '96 run so this has been absolute magic for me this playoff run. Go Cats!!!
You are one of the few that actually broke down what we have been doing all season and why we are successful. I put down my Panthers in my bracket to go to the cup and I believe we will win it. Gritty and punishing forechecking, decapitating opponents ( Bennet first period) and sizzling Bobrovsky, nobody is beating us and furthermore, we have emphatically shown we earned and took all three series, neither the Bruins, Leafs or Canes gave it away, we punched their teeth out and won.
Crazy thing is after all they’ve done and how dominant they’ve looked I still see comments saying they don’t have a chance against vegas😂 by all means keep underestimating the panthers it will continue to benefit them up until they lift that trophy
@@LizardSkin you so freaking right! Respect for these words!
MAN! as a Toronto native this is both a brilliant and hard to accept read. I reallly would like to be mad at the panthers but I can't really argue. Florida looks incredible in "playoff" hockey. The grit they show is insane and the clutch factor is the one thing you can only hope for in trades and drafts, and they got it.
😂😂😂 absolute robbery , thank the refs for ignoring blatant infractions... The NHL knows Florida doesn't love hockey and can't sell tickets, and they want your money so 4 yrs in a row the state of Florida has a team in the finals.
@@michaelcarroca9181 fucking preach brother. Floridas head is so far up their asses they are all blind to the fact that this is all playing out exactly how the NHL wrote it up. RIGGED FUCKING PLAYOFF
Paul Maurice seems like a genuinely nice and engaging guy -- happy to see him get rewarded!
As a Jets fan I WANT PAUL MAURICE TO WIN THE CUP
Oh wow so much likes
Couldn't agree more!! If not the Jets , then Maurice will be a close second. A class act.
Mega agree!
as a florida panthers fan for the last month, i am so proud of where we have gone with this team
When Maurice left the Jets, I told many people that Maurice is probably my favorite coach, and if he left that team, it's likely that the players are the problem and they're just uncoachable. Now Maurice is shining again and the Jets still have their issues.
Yeah, the Jets have toxic players and aren’t ever winning it all with them. They need to dump them and rebuild from the ground up.
Mark Schiefle and Blake Wheeler for yah
I too like Maurice. To bad the Leafs didn't dump Keefe and rehire Paul for the second time like Carolina did !🤔🤔 Both teams are now kicking themselves in the ass !!😂😂😂😂
Maurice is indeed a great coach and yah him resigning from Winnipeg came as a shocker but glad he's having fun again
As a Jets fan I think a number of our players should be ashamed of their work ethic and how they knew better than Paul Maurice. If only they listened and bought into what he was saying. Paul, well done your new team has shown how important it is listen to the coach. Wpg expects to see you hoisting the cup!
Panthers are going to win the cup through the power of friendship
The good ol fashioned way!
you mean the power of big business!
@@hockeyaddict7007 How strong is their friendship tho?🤔
Hockey's shonen protagonists.
Maurice knows how to use his players this whole organization looking geniuses congrats to this organization! everything has come together! this reminds me so much of my 2012 LAKings in many ways . The Goalkeeper is just on another level like quick was you have number 19 playing like a top 5 player and has really evolved and grown into a very responsible leader after getting traded just like jeff carter and mike richards back then and then every single line forechecks and out works every team they face ! not a florida fan but im rooting for yall
you gotta love underdog stories! They may not of been in dead last in the league at xmas like the 19 blues, but they still wernt expected to be here. When they came back against boston, i had a feeling they would go all the way. The state of Florida is my 2nd fav state behind my home of Missouri. So seeing tampa go b2b and the panthers potentially winning it all now is pretty sweet.
Lifelong Lightning fan here and as much as it pains me to say this, congratulations to the Panthers on such a magical run. We went 3 straight years and won 2 with a sweep of the then Presidents trophy winning Panthers. We didn't go as far as we should have but no hard feelings. We have 3 cups and have been to 5. Make our state proud and bring the south some more hardware. Good luck and GO GET IT!!!
I think the bolts have 1 more run in them. Of course since April 2015 they've played more games in regular season and playoffs combined 4 cup finals, 6 conference finals and ofc regular seasons too. This yr in round 1 could be a blessing in disguise similar to 2017 and 2019 or even 2014 shortly before this whole dynasty started in 2015
As a new hockey fan (since last year with the Kraken), it’s mind-blowing to me to see how different of an animal the playoffs are! It makes sense, though. Just because Boston dominated the regular season, what worked for them in the regular season might not work for them in the playoffs. It started to, but once the Panthers figured them out and played their playoff strategy, the Panthers have seemed unstoppable since. The Panthers were actually ahead of the curve: They did what Boston did last year-play a dominant regular season game, and flame out in the playoffs. This year, they barely made the playoffs because they altered their game so much, but after the first round dominated their playoff style of game. Wow. Fascinating. I think they’re going to take the Stanley Cup over Vegas. Just incredible foresight by this team.
Love my panthers. I knew they were going to be huge as they were streaking into the playoffs and heard that builds a foundation for the team. See them winning the cup in 6 games
I was 8 when the Panthers went up against the Avs in the 1996 Finals. That series is what turned me into not just an Avs fan, but a hocky fan. In many ways, I owe Florida just as much of a debt for the hocky fan I've become as my beloved Avs. I'll be rooting for Florida all the way until the end.
Same! But Panthers, Vanbiesbrouck's helmet did it for me.
I'd be kinda cool then for you to see your Avs win last year then the Panthers winning this year.
Congrats to the Florida Panthers. This is a similar storyline to what happened to my Phillies in baseball last season.. They were the lowest ranked team in the playoffs, they weren't supposed to get by the wildcard round, but beat STL,ATL, and SD to get to the World Series. But what makes the Panther's story better is they trailed the series 3-1 to the best team in hockey, and won in 7 games. These are the stories that make sports so great!
Great Breakdown on how we got here!
I've been waiting for this my whole life! Been a Panthers fan since I was a little kid. What an Incredible ride it's been! GO PANTHERS!!!! Bring it home boys! Bring it home!
Panther fan since 1993. I even participated in the naming of the team contest. No Band-Wagonist here. Went to 95-96 play-offs and been waiting ever since. Win or loose, this is my team.
As a lifelong Panthers fan and Florida native, we have earned this. I remember days when my dad couldn’t afford to bring both my brother and I to the games, and it feels so good to finally see the panthers playing for the Cup. LETS GO CATS
Happy for ya. Enjoy it!
@@ColGesso yep, I’ll be sitting at one of those games! Our guys are gonna give it their all!
you couldnt afford 22$ tickets?
@@t2av159 not everyone has extra money man, even 22 dollars is alot to many
Well... I think Toronto deserved to be there more. you don't have a 50+ year long drought
I'll tell you what - as a Sabres fan, that Florida 2-1 win against Buffalo on April 4th was so key for the Panthers! And Lyon stopping 97% of shots. Just think, if Buffalo won this game, they would have edged out Florida by 1 point for the 8 seed in the East.
Very impressive, Panthers!
Get that cup!
as a sabres fan myself - I hated that they stole our play off spot, but i dont think buffalo is ready for play offs just yet. now - I hope Florida wins the whole thing!
one more thing.... next year is the BS year ))) BS = Buffalo Sabres, not bull#### ))))
The quality of this is 🔥🔥🔥
Great video!
Thank you!
Loove the way Florida is playing...im a Penguins fan living in Vegas, so obviously cheering for Vegas but there is something about this Florida team that I love and want to see them win it all!
I’m a Flames fan, and I’m over the moon for Benny and Chucky. Florida is quickly becoming my 3rd favourite team.
The frustrating thing is that under Sutter, the type of hockey that he coaches is similar to Maurice’s. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out for Sutter or Hubby here in Calgary.
But I am on the Panthers’ train now!
Not a panthers fan but after seeing them get swept last year to the lightning after they won the presidents trophy, they deserve to be where they are now. This is a true underdog story in the making. Every single soul thought it’d be a no brainer for the bruins to make it past them, especially considering bruins were up 3-1. These guys have a huge chip on their shoulder and it’s honestly a lot of fun to watch.
As a Panther fan, this is why I was happy with the Chucky trade originally even when ppl said we got robbed and Hubys my fav player of all time. As much as I loved him, he was a regular season player and when the windows got tighter in the playoffs he was too afraid to fight through the contact. Presidents trophy curse isn’t a fluke, you don’t win cups when ur playing style gets you regular season wins
Not necessarily, the Avs could have won the presidents trophy and the cup if they cared enough last year. You can dominate the regular season and the playoffs with a certain style, it's just rare
Paul Maurice is a certified legend now. First he took the underdog Hurricanes to the Final in 02 and now taking the underdog, excuse me under CATS to the Final. This guy deserves a ring.
Soul crushing to watch this as a winnipeg jets fan. CLEARLY he was not the reason the Jets didn’t achieve more with him as coach.
It’s #26 & #55
Excellent video. Very insightful, great editing and production values. This is exactly what separates this year's Panthers team than last year and why teams like Tampa and Boston (usually) are so dangerous in the playoffs even if they have passable regular seasons
Yes! Paul Maurice's playoff coaching style, combined with the outstanding goaltending of Bobrovsky and the spectacular "net" presence" play of Matthew Tkachuk caught all their Eastern opponents by surprise. Keep doing what you have been doing and you can win the biggest prize of them all. Go Panthers!
As a little kid on the frozen ponds in my area, skating and pond hockey is so fun, then peewees, bantams, playing in rinks all over the northeast and Canada, hockey's in my blood, the Panthers are amazing, it starts with your goalie making great saves, his confidence spreads like wildfire, that's what's happening, these Panthers are playing what I call free hockey, their having fun and the confidence is skyhigh, starts with the goalie and the whole team plays without worrying just about defence and not making mistakes. That's why their here.
As a panthers fan I’m so happy especially after I live in swfl so when I started watching hockey 5 years ago I could of choose Tampa or Florida to cheer for and choose the panthers 🐆 been a panthers fan since even when the lightning went to the cup, but now we get our chance at the cup too 👊🏻
It reminds me of 2007 Giants. They had to overcome a lot in order to win the SB, and they just happened to have a defense that played really well against all four of the offenses that they met in the playoffs. No matter what happened in regular season, it seems to me that the particular style of aggressive play from the Panthers overmatches all their opponents. Obviously having a legendary goalie is critical but you actually have to score too.
Regular season only gets teams so far. Even in football the Jacksonville Jaguars at one point were 3-7 looked completely dead in the water then won 6 of their last 7 to clinch their division against bitter rival Tennessee Titans in a prime time game something thought unimaginable considering we finished worst overall 2 years in a row. They'd find themselves down 27-0 before halftime before ultimately winning off a field goal then having a nail bitter against the eventual Superbowl champion Kansas City Chiefs but Doug Pederson's 1st year in Jacksonville is like Paul Maurice's 1st in Sunrise. Both are very smart in the fundamentals of the game has great leadership and that in turn returns back into the team and causes them to thrive.
Avs fan, always cheering for Philly and Florida in the east
Nice video 👌
Team playing unselfish and making good on opportunities and trusting Bob to do his job
I can’t wait till finals gonna be beauty!
The Panthers are following the Islanders plan under Barry Trotz. 2 years ago. Back to back to the Conference Finals is not luck. Great defense, smart offensive players and a great goalie! Battles on the boards and hitting all make it successful. Bravo Florida!! Great to see the 8 seed run the table!
Yeah but Barry had nowhere near the talent on the Islanders than Maurice has with the Cats.
Man that 4 second shot made me jump out my seat now we going to the Cup, now we just need the Heat to win 💀
Basketball is the dumbest sport.
Celtics in 7
@@archsys307 LFG SOUTH FL SMOKING DAT BOSTON PACK 💀💀
The hottest goalie since Quick in LA's Cup wins. And remember, in their first one, they were 8th seed also.
Another great video! Thank you for the lessons, learning a lot every time!
Been a Wings fan my whole life but rooting for the Cats. Very exciting to see what Maurice has done en route to where the team is now in the playoffs. Panthers have been around 30 years and now I'm excited to hopefully see them win a cup in their home state. Go Cats!
One of the most underrated coaches in the league
As a Devils fan, I am rooting for the Cats…… I’m sure many Devils fans are. Love the underdog story, and the sweep of the Canes made me grin from ear to ear!
Bobrovsky is almost playing like prime playoff carey price
Paul Maurice is the man
He had a vision & he executed
Thank you so much for this content. My family have been season ticket holders for 16 years. It has been downright painful at times. But just a massive tip of the cap to Zito for having the spine to make the moves he did. This team is special and they are here to stay.
I was 6 when they made the 1st cup finals im so excited to finally get to watch them in the cup finals. One proud fan right here man
Most underrated channel on youtube. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for supporting 🫡
I believe Barkov became the first Finnish-born captain to lead their team to the Stanley Cup finals if Im not mistaken
Барков русский по национальности, с финским гражданством...
@@АлексейИванов-г3п7э Still he plays for the FINNISH national team and considers himself as a FINNISH man. This man represents Finland not Russia.
@@АлексейИванов-г3п7э lol, fuck outta here, he's our boy.
@@akkea1021 Exactly, and has stated it himself multiple times. Weird to see anyone have an issue with this
@@akkea1021 Барков сам в интервью говорил, когда я нахожусь дома - Я РУССКИЙ, как только вышел на улицу- я финн.
Florida is simply redeeming last year, this year. They under-performed in the regular season (greatly) but gelled at the right time.
It took a while for this gambling team to play hard and tough.
And applause to the Coach for loosening the defense first noose he had around their necks in February.
The team went on a tear after that.
Taking his philosophy and blending it with their firepower.
However, you cannot, repeat cannot, underestimate the value of 72 coming in vs Boston and playing lights out.
Remember, this guy lost the starting job when Florida was charging to the regular season finish line.
No 72 in Boston?
No Panthers in SCF
How can you not buy in to what Maurice is sellin'?
When he came over and socked the assistants arm and gave him that look after Tkachuk's last seconds winner, I just cracked up! Just how me and my bro's would react. 😂
Love your channel, you do a terrific job of telling a story with each video!!! I’ve been a Panthers fan my whole life, born in 2000. Never thought I’d see this day, so happy. Jobs not finished GO CATS GO!!!
Great video. I dont understand a lot of hockey complexities and i feel like i learned something about the game from this video. Well done.
No individual player thinks they are better than the team, and that keeps them all on the same page, even the same word.
Tremendous break down!
What this team did was create a Playoff team and not a President’s trophy team. Teams that play good in the regular season struggle in the playoffs and teams that have to battle to get into the playoffs are already playing the right style coming in. He is totally right on what works in the playoffs. We see this every year where there is a team that does this. Vegas has been playing this style since they came into the league. Seattle too. A hot goalie is also key and also confidence.
This was a great breakdown of their play! Go Panthers!
As someone who’s never liked or respected the panthers, tkachuk has single-handedly changed that.
Excellent video breaking down just what Maurice wins when he says 'Playoff Style Hockey' and the changes he made to help get my Panthers to the Stanley Cup Finals!
Prior year Prez cup winner going to the cup finals when they entered the season with questions. Unheard of. As the Caps, Avs, and Bolts side eye glance each other. It is a process. Some get through the process faster like the Blackhawks. Others like to gut punch the fans for a few years. Caps strength and nastiness, Avs aggressiveness, Bolts lockdown styles were night and day from the playoffs before. Then it clicked. Plus it helps if your goalie stands on their head.
The incredible transformation between regular season hockey and playoff hockey is really the only reason the NHL is so great. Despite all the bush league executive decisions that make the NHL look so very bush, the players save the league for love of the cup.
Very nicely stated sir. These guys and Vegas are monsters.
Stoked for the Panthers and their fans.
The Panthers hockey team is what you get when the players buy into what the coach is explaining to them . They work as a team .
As yet another Panthers fan, I am elated.
it wasn't a surprise. they were the top seed last year and improved in the offseason. it was a surprise that they barely made the playoffs.
This happening is exactly why NHL Playoffs are the best. 🤗
This is great for hockey. This is the ultimate Cinderella run for a deserving team.
As a Pens fan, Florida didn’t steal that spot. They earned it. Beating the Bruins totally made it worth being disappointed with my team. The Cats got hot at the right time.
Best analysis of the Panthers I've seen yet
💯
The goaltending this season is just insane. I am so torn. Adin Hill is from my hometown but Bob and the Panthers are just something else. I just hope we get 7 games and 23 OTs 😅😅😅
Deeper and healthier than the Habs '21 run to the cup. Same style, same hard work. Go Panthers. Huge respect for Tkatchuk over these playoffs.
I think this team has more in common with the '20 Lightning than the '21 Habs (aside from squeaking into the playoffs).
It happened exactly how Bettman planned. It may have gone a little different but the result would have been the same.
This reminds me so much of 2012 Kings cup run.
This was super informative and helpful. Makes me very optimistic about where the Kraken are as a team and organization given their similar style of play and philosophy!
Don’t forget Tkachuk has gotten the panthers playing tough. Every player on the panthers is hitting harder then ever before and he’s leading the way, they got an aggression to them that scares other teams into making mistakes and avoiding contact as best they can
this team won a president's trophy last year
if you don't have the skill to back it up and the ability to put pucks in the net, all the hard-hitting aggression in the world won't get you past a Boston or Carolina.
@M P exactly, and this was a Boston that absolutely demolished everyone all season. But...82 games don't mean anything...because if you don't get pass the 4 in the first round... 82 is pointless.
He should be their captain instead of soft Barkov. A true leader on and off the ice.
@@Ylinatsiperkele It's not about who's the best player its about the best leader. Barkov has been here through everything and refuses to give up. Everyone in the locker room looks up to him like an older brother in one big family, and that's why he'll continue to be the captain.
I feel like ever since they upset Boston they got that spark of confidence.
People keep forgetting they were the president trophy winners last year and had a lots of Goalie injuries throughout the year.
South Floridian born and raised and from almost losing our hockey club to this, I wish I had these emotions in relationships BUT BOY I LOVE MY PANTHERS
Not luck, pure skill from hardwork and teamwork the past two years!
As a devik fan you are 100% correct and it's the next step I believe the devil should take. Florida made the right moves. The GM looks like a goddamn genius!!
They took Boston in 7 games. Toronto in 5 games. Carolina in 4 games. I think they are ready to win the cup. Regardless of the opponent !!
I remember the '96 run, as I was in graduating my senior year of college, and it was such a letdown because my Cats got swept in the Finals. Remembering that, I am being very cautious and reserved unless they are holding the Cup in the end.
Floridian beer league player here.
I went to games at the old Miami arena. Was at Opening day in Sunrise and worked there for 12 years.
The panthers have always had a small die hard fan base plus enough northerners living here to keep it alive.
Growing up almost every city down here had roller hockey rinks and leagues, but after a few large hurricanes over the years, a bunch were closed or turned into soccer rinks.
Hopefully this sparks youth hockey down here again and gets some rinks revived. My sons 2 and almost ready to lace up some skates.
I'll say it again: if the Winnipeg Jet players had only listened to Paul Maurice they'd be playing hockey right now instead of golf.
FL Panthers fan for the last 12 years. Seen the ups and downs of the team throughout the years. So happy they made it all the way to the finals! What an exciting time! Happy for the team! Go cats!
We are witnessing something special folks
As a leafs fan who basically got swept by the panthers, I’m rooting for them. Absolutely insane playoff run so far.
Not a Panthers fan - but love this team and playoff run! Go Panthers! Win it all!
Lot of us feel the same way. My team didn't make the playoffs so I need a team to root for. Go Cats!
This team reminds me of the 2019 St Louis Blues last place to the Cup. Hopefully they win the cup and save hockey in south Florida.
I love it. Play hard and don’t quit. As one tv commentator said “the panthers just don’t know how to go away” lmao.
Panthers are on a roll. If they keep it up they are winning the cup in a few weeks.
After game one against Carolina, I had seen enough. It was then that I had a strong sense they were a team of destiny. Beating a team who were thought by most to be an almost sure thing to be in the Finals was shocking. They then followed it up by going 8 and 1 in the next two series. Nothing in life is a guarantee, Bobrovsky, Tchahuk, or another key player could get freakishly injured and then there's new variables in motion. Vegas will be there toughest opponent I think, defense tends to trump offense in the post season, and LV has an imposing back end with speed and size. But Florida seems to be the chosen ones of the Hockey Gods this year. But all bets are off if Vegas gets frustrated with Bob and switches on goon mode and starts to 'accidentally' on purpose bump into Bobrovsky. It has happened previously, I recall AV's Rangers clocking Carey Price which lead to NY winning the series and going to the Finals in 2014.
Hurricanes play a grueling forechecking style of hockey for all 82 games. But they continued to play it that way injured in the playoffs. That team is bought into Rod's system but they weren't flexible for the playoffs. The net battles to get to the slot made all the difference for the Panthers. Hope they win the cup because Vegas is going to be tough
The cup is going to seven games, and it's going to be glorious. I can't wait for Vegas versus Florida.
They play exactly like a playoff team should play. Leafs will never understand this. No luck involved.
Dude you have the best breakdowns on yt! I was wondering if you could make a similar style video to Bruce Cassidy and how he's changed VGK for their success. Keep it up..new subscriber here
You broke this down so well, I knew it was the team buying into the system that really brought them to where they are
Just another random Thursday morning when the Panthers make the Stanley Cup Finals...
If the Panthers play the Knights, a lot of people are going to be cheering for the panthers. That's not a shot against Vegas, its just that many people, including myself, love a good underdog story. I'm a huge Kings fan. The parallels between the 2012 Kings and the 2023 Panthers are just eerie. I hope the Cats go all the way, I want their fans to have that same, indescribable experience I had 11 years ago.