Ryan S. Clark
Kristen Shilton
Kristen Shilton
ESPN NHL reporter
Kristen Shilton is a nationwide NHL reporter for ESPN.
From a regular-season batch of 32 groups, to a Stanley Cup playoff area of 16, and now down to 2, the NHL’s champion is near being topped for 2024.
A yr after dropping within the Stanley Cup Closing to the Vegas Golden Knights, the Florida Panthers are out to complete their story and lift the Cup for the primary time in franchise historical past.
For the Edmonton Oilers, a Stanley Cup would silence all of the “yeah, however” conversations concerning superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and etch their names among the many franchise greats from 5 prior Cup groups.
Sport 1 is Saturday, June 8 (8 p.m. ET, ABC and ESPN+). This is every thing it’s good to find out about each groups, from key gamers to look at, goaltender confidence scores, and the highest tendencies for every crew popping out of the convention finals.
Stanley Cup wins: NoneHow they received right here: Defeated Lightning 4-1, Bruins 4-2, Rangers 4-2
Goalie confidence score: 9 out of 10
Sergei Bobrovsky has been rock strong for the Panthers all through these playoffs. Granted, the crew’s glorious defensive play has aided Bobrovsky. However the veteran’s regular stream of high quality performances offers Florida simple confidence Bobrovsky will likely be there to make the massive saves.
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He has earned a 12-5 file within the postseason, with a .908 save share and a couple of.20 goals-against common. The one playoff starter who has averaged fewer objectives in opposition to per sport than Bobrovsky was Boston’s Jeremy Swayman (and Bobrovsky in the end received that battle when Florida despatched the Bruins packing of their second-round sequence).
Bobrovsky needed to be the Panthers’ hero throughout final season’s run to the Cup Closing, and it wore him down in the long run. This yr’s workload has been extra manageable, and that ought to set Bobrovsky up for continued success.
What the Japanese Convention finals taught us in regards to the Panthers
Florida is the whole package deal. The Panthers have star energy, scoring depth, elite defensive habits, a top-tier goaltender and — maybe most vital of all — innate killer intuition.
The crew was distinctive within the third interval in opposition to the New York Rangers down the stretch of their sequence, profitable the ultimate three video games by a one-goal margin. The Panthers additionally shut the Rangers down at 5-on-5 in that span, permitting only one even-strength purpose whereas concurrently rendering New York’s once-vaunted energy play fully ineffective with a stifling penalty kill. And the way in which Florida held the Rangers’ elite scorers from producing — Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad mixed for a single purpose by means of six video games — was a byproduct of the Panthers’ full-team buy-in on protection.
On the identical time, Florida will be lethal off the frenzy whereas equally robust suppressing these probabilities from going the opposite approach. Their potential to make New York pay for errors was one other backbreaker for the Rangers, who could not discover the identical alternatives to do harm. Florida hardly ever provides high quality appears to be like, and Bobrovsky stood tall in opposition to essentially the most obtrusive breakdowns.
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Panthers claw down Rangers to advance to second straight Stanley Cup Closing
The Panthers deal with enterprise in opposition to the Rangers in Sport 6 to advance to the Stanley Cup Closing for the second yr working.
Gamers who will likely be key to the Cup Closing
One among Florida’s strengths could also be its protection in a collective sense. However the Panthers’ defensemen will definitely be within the highlight when the likes of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman attempt to get rolling.
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Gustav Forsling has had an excellent postseason going up in opposition to a few of the hardest opposing matchups, and he has additionally contributed offensively (4 objectives and 11 factors). Brandon Montour’s physicality and energetic stick breaking apart rush probabilities has been invaluable. Florida defends properly and is aggressive in holding shooters to the surface and limiting motion from the slot.
That will likely be essential in stopping the Oilers from working wild. Aaron Ekblad also needs to play a key function in steadying Florida from the again finish — and this yr he will not be enjoying within the Cup Closing with a damaged foot. That is a particular enchancment.
Participant who must step up
Carter Verhaeghe was a power for Florida early within the postseason. His manufacturing has been dwindling, although. Verhaeghe popped in 5 objectives in 5 video games in opposition to Tampa Bay, however he has simply 4 objectives complete since then. He put solely two photographs on web within the closing two video games of the convention finals and wasn’t practically as seen for the Panthers in creating alternatives across the web (though Igor Shesterkin did make a notable save on Verhaeghe in Sport 6).
All of that’s to say, Verhaeghe must recapture his first-series type within the Cup Closing. There will likely be a laundry listing of succesful scorers throughout the ice — and a few clearly elite skills, too — and the Panthers cannot afford any passengers of their group. Verhaeghe can completely be a difference-maker for Florida and drive its offense. Now could be the time for him to shift gears.
Is there a training edge for the Panthers?
The Cup Closing will characteristic two head coaches at reverse ends of the NHL spectrum. Florida coach Paul Maurice has been within the league for twenty years, and he has now reached three Cup Finals (two with Florida). Edmonton’s Kris Knoblauch hasn’t even coached a whole NHL season but, having changed Jay Woodcroft in November as his first gig within the league. Will expertise be an element for both facet?
The Oilers have responded properly to Knoblauch, and their on-ice success since he took over is abundantly clear. However when evenly matched opponents like Florida and Edmonton conflict, there may be typically an X issue that emerges to separate the edges, one thing extra intangible. Issues akin to a essential line change, or figuring out when to take a timeout, or having the ability to learn the demeanor of your crew and regulate accordingly. All of that will likely be heightened given the stakes within the Cup Closing.
We have already seen within the playoffs how well-timed teaching choices have helped safe wins in tight contests. The margins for error on this sequence will likely be slim. The sting may lie not with who’s sitting on the bench, however standing behind it.
Stanley Cup wins: 1990, 1988, 1987, 1985, 1984How they received right here: Defeated Kings 4-1, Canucks 4-3, Stars 4-2
Goalie confidence score: 9 out of 10
There have been actually questions on Stuart Skinner earlier this postseason. However how he has carried out since Sport 6 of the second spherical has solely added to what makes the Oilers such an issue within the defensive zone. They enter the Stanley Cup Closing permitting simply 25.1 photographs per sport, the third fewest amongst 2024 playoff groups.
With a penalty kill that held the Dallas Stars to zero objectives by means of the convention finals, the Oilers have one of many strongest defensive identities within the league.
Complementing that with a constant model of Skinner — who had a 1.95 goals-against common in opposition to the Stars — solely provides to the argument that the Oilers may be essentially the most full crew within the playoffs.
What the Western Convention finals taught us in regards to the Oilers
That anybody who nonetheless believes this crew is simply Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid has not been paying consideration. The trail they took to beat the Stars within the Western Convention finals is proof.
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Within the Oilers’ victories in Video games 4 and 5, they acquired key objectives from gamers akin to Mattias Janmark, Ryan McLeod, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Philip Broberg. Their penalty kill was excellent in opposition to the Stars, together with going 3-for-3 within the pivotal Sport 6.
They’ve developed a two-way id that has allowed them to play comfortably in one-goal video games, together with the closeout in Sport 6. They’ve made purpose prevention a critical element to their success, and it has solely added to the looming risk that the Oilers may get away to attain greater than 4 objectives in a sport as properly.
A crew that has been billed as an offensive juggernaut has proven it may be the entire package deal.
Gamers who will likely be key to the Cup Closing
The Oilers have Draisaitl and McDavid, a pair of elite forwards who’ve 4 Hart Trophies between them. However once more, they’re greater than that.
Zach Hyman has given them a forechecking winger who can management the online entrance. They’ve a puck-moving defenseman in Evan Bouchard who, together with Mattias Ekholm, offers the Oilers a trusted high pairing.
This postseason has elevated Nugent-Hopkins’ profile as a two-way participant due to what he has capable of do at 5-on-5, on the penalty kill and on the ability play; he might be their most essential ahead not named Draisaitl or McDavid.
There’s additionally what Darnell Nurse completed in opposition to Dallas, going from a determine beneath scrutiny to being one of many Oilers’ most constant gamers to shut out the sequence. That features logging greater than 21 minutes with three hits whereas not being on the ice for a purpose in opposition to in Sport 6. That model of Nurse could be instrumental in serving to seize the franchise’s first title since 1990.
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Oilers have a good time advancing to the Stanley Cup Closing
The Oilers grasp on to defeat the Stars in a busy end to advance to the Stanley Cup Closing.
Participant who must step up
Evander Kane. At his greatest, Kane is a bodily energy ahead who could cause issues within the slot and on the web entrance, with a shot that may additionally make him harmful on the perimeter. That has made him one of many NHL’s most constant purpose scorers over his profession, with a run of 9 seasons with greater than 20.
It is also what makes his current scoring drought (six straight video games, going again to Sport 7 of the second spherical in opposition to the Vancouver Canucks) so puzzling.
Kane opened the convention finals with 9 photographs in his first two video games, solely to then file 4 photographs mixed in Video games 3, 4 and 5. He was moved down from the second line to the third line in consequence in Sport 5, leading to a big decline in his work fee in comparison with his first two postseasons with the Oilers.
It is doable that Kane might be on the mend going into the Stanley Cup Closing. After delivering a verify early in Sport 6, he skated to the bench and logged solely 4:39 of ice time through 9 shifts.
Hiring Kris Knoblauch might be the newest transfer in a sure development
Transferring on from Jay Woodcroft and hiring Kris Knoblauch not solely saved the Oilers’ season, however allowed them to achieve the Stanley Cup Closing for the primary time in practically twenty years. Whether or not the Oilers win the Cup or not, the transfer raises a debate in regards to the expectations for an NHL coach in his first season with a brand new crew.
This development began in 2019, when Craig Berube, who had 161 video games of NHL head-coaching expertise, was made the interim coach of the St. Louis Blues … and received the Stanley Cup in what was his first of five-plus seasons with the membership.
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A yr later, veteran coach Rick Bowness was an interim who guided the Dallas Stars to the Cup Closing.
In 2021, Dominique Ducharme, an interim coach with no earlier NHL head-coaching expertise, guided the Montreal Canadiens to a Cup Closing.
Final yr noticed Bruce Cassidy, who had 500-plus video games of expertise, win a title in his first marketing campaign with the Vegas Golden Knights.
It is a development that continues with Knoblauch, whose head-coaching roles had beforehand been within the AHL and junior hockey. Knoblauch has the prospect to be the primary coach since Dan Bylsma in 2009 to win the title in his first yr behind an NHL bench.
