2011 NHL Playoffs: Top 10 Playoff Cliches Uttered by Players and Coaches

It's the NHL playoffs, and hockey fans around the world are glued to their TV sets as the march to the Stanley Cup Finals continues.  There have been some heartbreaking losses in the earlier rounds, and as a result the losing team has had to answer to the press about them.

It is in these press interviews where something that happens which burns me up.  I know that hockey players have a reputation for being thick-headed, but do they really have to say such cliche things to the press?

In digging through the postgame recaps of all the NHL playoff games thus far, I've come across what I believe to be the 10 worst cliche quotes.  I figure I should give a disclaimer before we begin.

To all readers: I will be merciless in my critique of these quotes.  If I somehow manage to make fun of your favorite team, coach or player, I apologize.  Yet, after seeing some of these quotes, would you blame me?

Anyway, let's get started.

No. 10: Dave Tippett on Game 1 5-on-3 Penalty That Lasted 91 Seconds

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GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 24: Head coach Dave Tippett of the Phoenix Coyotes watches from the bench during the NHL game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Jobing.com Arena on March 24, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Blue Jackets 3-0.

"That was the difference in the game."

Phoenix Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett said this in reference to a five-on-three power play in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Detroit Red Wings.  The Coyotes lost that game 4-2, primarily because of penalties, and then Tippett unleashed that quote.

Really, Dave?  I wouldn't have been able to realize that unless you unleashed your great hockey wisdom upon me.  Penalties are the difference in a game that you should have won, but lost?  Wow!  Who'd have thunk it?

With his best impression of Captain Obvious, Tippett is the perfect man to kick off this list.

No. 9: Nicklas Backstrom on Washington's Game 1 Victory Against the NY Rangers

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TAMPA, FL - MAY 03: Mike Knuble #22 of the Washington Capitals (R) scores at 59 seconds of the second period against the Tampa Bay Lightning and is hugged by Nicklas Backstrom #19 (L) in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2011 NHL

"Hopefully this can give us a little confidence."

Seriously?  Why am I even discussing this?  Of course wins help build confidence!

Now, if Backstrom had said something less cliche like, "We can't get cocky," then I wouldn't be so critical.  Yet, he said something so blatantly and horribly obvious that he can't be let off the hook by this writer.  Next quote!

No. 8: Marian Hossa on Roberto Luongo's Game 1 Performance

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SAN JOSE, CA - MAY 22: Goaltender Roberto Luongo #1 of the Vancouver Canucks faces the play during Game Four of the Western Conference Finals against the San Jose Sharks during the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs at HP Pavilion on May 22, 2011 in San Jose, Cal

"Luongo played extremely well and a couple times he got lucky."

This type of quote just burns me up...like, a lot.  Hossa's Chicago Blackhawks had just lost 2-0 to Luongo's Vancouver Canucks in Game 1 of the Western quarterfinals, and he said that about Luongo's performance.

OK.  I can understand how some plays goalies make look so miraculous that they can only be caused by luck, but that's not the case.  Roberto Luongo is just a great goalie.  I mean, he DID basically lead Team Canada to a gold medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Hossa was completely wrong and cliche in those comments, and thus makes this list.

No. 7: Generic Postgame Quote No. 1

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GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 20: Head coach Mike Babcock of the Detroit Red Wings reacts on the bench in Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Phoenix Coyotes during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Jobing.com Arena on April 20, 2011

"We really wanted to win that game."

Yeah, like anybody really wants to lose in the NHL Playoffs!  Next!

No. 6: Generic Postgame Quote No. 2

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PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 21: Head coach Bruce Boudreau of the Washington Capitals during the NHL game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Consol Energy Center on February 21, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Capitals defeated the Penguins 1-0. (Pho

"It was a good series for us."

OK.  Let me get this straight.  Say a team wins a playoff series and the post-game press conference is happening.

How can a series that results in advancing to the next round NOT be a good series for the winning team?

No. 5: Phoenix Coyotes Captain Shane Doan Upon Being Swept by Detroit in Round 1

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GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 18: Shane Doan #19 of the Phoenix Coyotes walks past fans onto the ice for warm ups to Game Three of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Detroit Red Wings during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Jobing.com Arena on A

"It's frustrating when you know you're better and we didn't show it."

I could go on and on about the grammatical mistakes in that sentence, but instead I'll use this slide to give Shane Doan a harsh wakeup call. 

Hey, Shane, guess what?  You're obviously not better than the Detroit Red Wings because they swept your team in Game 4!  If you were "better" as you claim to be, then it would have been your team playing San Jose in the semifinals instead of Detroit!

No. 4: Henrik Zetterberg After Detroit's Game 7 Loss at San Jose

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DETROIT - MAY 10: Pavel Datsyuk #13 and Henrik Zetterberg #40 of the Detroit Red Wings talk during the second period while playing the San Jose Sharks in Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 10, 201

"We should have created a few more chances."

Henrik Zetterberg said this oft-used statement after his Detroit Red Wings were eliminated from the playoffs by the San Jose Sharks, currently competing against the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference finals.  The Red Wings lost that game 3-2.

In a low scoring game like this one, of course Detroit should have created more chances!  Why wouldn't they be creating scoring chances from the very start of the game???  Keep in mind, the Red Wings are one of the better scoring teams in the NHL.

That all being said, Zetterberg is good to make No. 4 on this list.

No. 3: Mike Richards Following Flyers' Elimination at the Hands of the Bruins

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 16: Mike Richards #18 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates slowly off the ice checking his hand after going down hard in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Buffalo Sabres during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Pla

"It's always a disappointment to end a series on a loss."

Mike Richards said this in response to the Flyers losing to the Bruins and thus being eliminated from the playoffs.  This might possibly be the most obvious statement ever said.

Of course it's disappointing to end a series on a loss.  Let's look at it this way.  When is losing ever a good thing, especially in the playoffs?

On top of that, why wouldn't the Flyers be disappointed about being eliminated from the postseason?  They overcame so many odds last season to reach the Stanley Cup Finals, only to lose in six games to the Chicago Blackhawks.  This was their chance to win it all again, and the Bruins bested them.

So, yes, Mr. Richards.  We know it's disappointing to lose a series on a loss!  No need to remind your fans of that.

No. 2: Generic Postgame Quote No. 3

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NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 20: Head coach John Tortorella faces the media prior to his team's game against the Washington Capitals in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 20

"I wish the best."

This is an obligatory and super-cliche statement that each losing coach makes after being eliminated.  I understand that it's the nice thing to say, but I'd much rather that coaches show their true feelings.

The truth of the matter is that while these men are professional coaches, they are probably fans first.  I mean, why else would they be coaching in the NHL?

Not only is the above statement totally cliche, but it's also totally false.  If I know these coaches, they probably want to do nothing but trash talk the opposition and be completely jealous about how they advanced to the next round instead of their (the coach's) team.

No. 1: Generic Postgame Quote No. 4

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PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 12: Assistant Coach Kirk Muller of the Montreal Canadiens and Head Coach Jacques Martin of the Montreal Canadiens watch their team play the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 12, 2011 at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

"We did our best and it wasn't enough."

Yeah, clearly!  Otherwise, wouldn't the outcome of the game have been different?

Also, if you play "hard" and still lose, then that obviously isn't your best.  Call me a hardass, but I come from the sports school of tough love and with some of the losses that have occurred in this year's NHL Playoffs, teams that were better on paper looked like total garbage.

After said losses, this used-to-death statement was used by someone on the losing team.  Honestly, I'm sick of it and move that another phrase be used in said circumstances.