Worth the effort? The Red Wings are the latest Presidents' Trophy winner to make an early exit from the postseason

Hockey Digest, Sept-Oct, 2004 by Karl Samuelson

"I think it's not only the most demanding physically, I think it's the most demanding mentally," says Tampa Bay Lightning coach John Tortorella. "You're playing for a couple of months through four different series, playing every other night. It's an absolute grind as you go through it. I say this in all respect to the other major sports. A championship is a championship. But with hockey, it's not two or three games, it's an absolute grind, a physical and mental battering to get where you want to be. I defy anybody that says any other championship is harder because I believe hockey is the most difficult one to win."

Conventional wisdom suggests that the journey to victory in the postseason can only be navigated by a crew of saavy veterans who understand what it takes to win. Previous Stanley Cup teams all had a bench full of proven warriors who had seen the playoff wars first hand. But what happened this season? Of the final four, only the Philadelphia Flyers resembled championship teams of the past. The Sharks, Lightning and Calgary Flames can only be described as inexperienced when compared with veteran-laden clubs.

"That's true," says Devellano. "It's a little unusual and that's what makes hockey not an exact science. I tend to feel that its better with veterans that have been playoff tested, that have been in it before and know the ropes. But you can't argue with that thought about the four teams that were left."

Flames coach Darryl Sutter had to address the experience factor with his young team prior to their playoff upset over the Red Wings.

"You know what we learned against Detroit," explains Sutter. "We talked about (the experience factor) before the series. We talked to our young players about all the experience (Detroit) had, that our young players someday had to be those guys. The only way you get to be those guys is to play against them and get that experience."

Sometimes even the coach is a little surprised with how quickly young players adapt to playoff pressure and respond to the rigors of the post season. Tortorella took over the coaching reigns in Tampa Bay on January 6, 2001. Three years later his team is in the Stanley Cup final. Did Tortorella imagine it would happen so quickly?

"No," admits Tortorella. "No, I think as quick as its happened, we didn't expect that. We felt we were making quite a few strides as we have gone through the past couple of years. Last year (2002-03) I thought was a very big year for the team, an understanding that they can win. They were fortunate to win a round (against the Washington Capitals), found out how hard it is to play in the playoffs the second round (against New Jersey), and I think those are the lessons that are the most important as you go through this year ... I am not going to lie to you, there's no chance we thought this would be happening so quick."

It's no coincidence that both the Lightning and the Flames were the beneficiaries of outstanding goaltending. Both Nikolai Khabibulin and Miika Kiprusoff prove time and time again in the 2004 playoffs that a clutch save can provide just as much inspiration to a team as a clutch goal.