It may seem obvious. If one hockey player is faster than the other, a competitive advantage is almost certain. But as the game continues to evolve, the collective speed of an entire team may just be the most important attribute when it comes to building a winning squad.
Predators General Manager David Poile seems to believe that's the case when reviewing the moves he's made over the past few seasons.
The hiring of Head Coach Peter Laviolette, who prefers to run an up-tempo, offensive system, was the start. With the acquisitions of younger, faster players like Ryan Johansen and P.K. Subban over the past eight months, that trend is continuing.
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