Former NHL coach and defenseman Drew Bannister sees a clear pattern in recent playoff runs: teams with size and reach on the blue line are wearing opponents down and advancing deep into spring. He points to neutral-zone control and slowing the forecheck as central pieces of that success.
The Impact of Size and Strategy in Playoff Success
Recent champions and contenders that lean on big, long defenders — such as Florida, Vegas, and St. Louis — have limited time and space effectively. Transition-oriented winners like Tampa Bay have also thrived, and they, too, leaned on defensemen with size who could handle heavy minutes. Montreal and Carolina have been strong as well, with Carolina’s large, mobile defense corps proving particularly difficult to navigate.
Bannister views the trend as cyclical, but says the current wave favors heavier, longer teams. The difference, he notes, often shows up between the blue lines. Vegas, for example, has clogged the neutral zone against Colorado, disrupting both rush chances and forechecks. By getting in the way and forcing opponents to go through them, the Golden Knights buy their defensemen an extra beat to retrieve pucks, look up ice, and start clean exits. That split-second advantage can tilt games.
The neutral zone has become a focal point across the League for stalling attacks before they start. Offensively, Bannister believes playoff teams need longer shifts in the attacking end, working below the tops of the circles to grind down defenses. With goaltenders so reliable on first shots and teams quick to collapse and snuff out second-chance rushes, one-and-done entries rarely hold up. Sustained zone time is how momentum builds in a series.
Vegas has tightened its identity since the coaching change to John Tortorella and has doubled down on its strengths. Recent additions on defense, including Rasmus Andersson and Noah Hanifin, bring size, mobility, and puck-moving ability. Up front, contributions have spread: Mark Stone returned from a short absence and scored, Mitch Marner continues to produce, Jack Eichel has ramped up his offense, Ivan Barbashev is providing support, and Tomas Hertl delivered a key goal in a 5-3 Game 3 win over Colorado. Players who finished the regular season quietly are finding their game at the right time.
Health remains a major variable. The playoffs often become a war of attrition, and no team escapes without injuries. The outcome can hinge on how severe those injuries are and whether a club can maintain its style without key pieces. Replacing an elite defenseman like Cale Makar is unrealistic for any opponent, and the team hit hardest by injuries typically faces the steeper climb to the finish.