After another competitive run through the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Stanley Cup Finals are set to begin this week! This final features a unique matchup between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers. The Panthers will be fighting for their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, while the Oilers will be trying to get their first since 1990. Here’s a preview of both teams as well as a prediction of who will come out victorious in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals.
Eastern Conference: Florida Panthers
For the second straight year, the Florida Panthers are going to the Stanley Cup Finals. Their Cinderella run from last year fell just short after the Vegas Golden Knights dispatched them in five games. That agonizing defeat has left the Panthers hungry for redemption, and there’s plenty of reason to believe that this year’s team can finish the job.
The Paul Maurice-led club has enjoyed a much more dominant run this postseason compared to last year. After having to overcome a 3-1 first round deficit last postseason, the Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games this postseason. Then, in the second round, they defeated the very Boston Bruins team they went to seven games with last year in six games this time around. The Panthers finished off their run by defeating the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers in the conference finals. They won three straight games after facing a 2-1 deficit to take the series in six games.Â
The Panthers’ success is largely attached to their physical style of play mixed in with their overall skill and depth. Leading the team is the high-scoring trio of Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe. Also important to the team’s winning ways are eight-goal scorer Sam Reinhart and six-goal scorer Sam Bennett. Those core pieces, backed by another great postseason run from Sergei Bobrovsky in goal, make the Panthers a very big threat.
Western Conference: Edmonton Oilers
For the first time in the Connor McDavid era, the Edmonton Oilers have reached the Stanley Cup Finals. After the first stretch of games of this season, this accomplishment seemed almost unattainable for the Oilers. They started the year with a 3-9-1 record before quickly deciding to part ways with head coach Jay Woodcroft. After hiring Kris Knoblauch as his replacement, the team found their footing and had a complete turnaround.
Entering the postseason as the second place team in the Pacific Division, the Oilers battled to get to this point. They defeated the Los Angeles Kings in five games, beat the Vancouver Canucks in seven games after facing a 3-2 deficit and took out the West’s top team, the Dallas Stars, in six games in the conference finals. Like the Panthers, their victory in the conference finals saw them win three straight games to close out the series.Â
Leading the Oilers are five skaters who are scoring at a prolific rate this postseason. McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins not only lead their team in points, but are the top four point scorers in the entire league. Then there’s Zach Hyman, who’s seventh in total points and has a league-leading 14 goals. The team has also dominated in special teams play, leading the league in power play and penalty kill percentage. Stuart Skinner has had his fair share of ups and downs as the Oilers’ starting goaltender, but is coming off of his best series of the postseason. At their best, the Oilers can be an extremely dangerous team, despite their status as underdogs.Â
Prediction
While the Oilers and Panthers each have a great case to win the Stanley Cup, the Panthers have the better chance. The Oilers, to their credit, will probably cause the most trouble of any opponent the Panthers have faced this offseason. Their litany of gifted scorers and special teams prowess will leave the door open for them every game. However, the offensive depth of the Panthers may prove to be a big challenge for Skinner to hold down.
In addition, the Panthers have a clear edge against them defensively. Their style of play, along with the efforts of Bobrovsky, makes it hard for opposing offenses to get going against them. All of that, combined with their experience on this stage, gives the Panthers a great advantage. The Oilers will make this a long and tightly contested series, but the Panthers are motivated to redeem themselves and are playing their best hockey right now.Â
Prediction: Panthers in 6Â
Featured image courtesy of NHL.com
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