Having worked in the NHL and experienced the game of hockey from a variety of angles (as a player, coach, fan and analyst), there are some details that fans tend to overlook or take for granted. Statistics and objective analysis matter more than ever in building the best team possible, but there are important human elements at play, too. And it'd be a mistake to lose sight of that.
Let's talk about that three things which sound obvious, but go quite deep in influencing what happens on the ice and in the boardroom.
1) Players: Feel good, play good
Devan Dubnyk was an above-average goaltender for three consecutive seasons as a member of the Edmonton Oilers.