Wild has gotten better and better
Troy Murray answers questions as the Hawks get set to kick off their second-round series against Minnesota.
Q: Plenty of pundits are picking the Wild to prevail. What do the Wild do so well that makes the team such a big threat?
A: There's an upward progression of this team's confidence and their ability to have more depth in their lineup. Some of their younger players have a little bit more experience. They're a legitimate, good hockey team. Other than maybe Ottawa they've been maybe the hottest team down the stretch. They've got a lot of belief.
I think if you see (why) Minnesota is maybe being picked to win this series is each year they've gotten better and better. They feel like they're at the level they weren't the last couple of years.
They've got stability in net (as opposed to the last two years when injuries hurt them vs. the Hawks). I know Mike Yeo has talked about their team and their health, which is critical in a playoff series. They're a good hockey team - and I wouldn't even say it (would be) an upset, but anytime you're playing the Blackhawks who have won a couple Stanley Cups (in the last five years), you're knocking off a Stanley Cup favorite. But I think Minnesota has a completely different belief inside their locker room as to where they are as a team compared to the last two years.
Q: Do the Hawks have to adjust their game to cash in on power-play opportunities?
A: When you do get the opportunities, you've got to realize that it's one of very few that you're going to get in a game. They had 11 short-handed situations against St. Louis in six games, so less than 2 a game. You better be ready and have a focus that you need to complete. The one thing that Minnesota does is they've got great dedication from all their guys to pay the price to be successful on the penalty kill.
Their forwards block a lot of shots, like Nashville's did. (The Hawks) have to open up some shooting lanes, which isn't easy because their structure is so disciplined and they're so focused on what they need to do. Obviously when you have a goalie that's playing as well as (Devan) Dubnyk, you're going to have to have somebody in front of the net whether it's Bryan Bickell on one unit or Andrew Shaw on the other.
(The Hawks) failed to capitalize against Nashville when they needed that boost, and sometimes it's not even scoring goals but creating some momentum and some energy, some emotion that you can continue on in the 5-on-5 play.
Q: Who do you think could be the X factor for the Hawks in this series?
A: Maybe a guy like Antoine Vermette who has one series under his belt. You need everybody to step up, but other than the logical picks like Bryan Bickell ... a big reason for Minnesota's success is the depth of their four lines. I think Antoine Vermette's going to play a big role in this series.