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Stanley Cup Final preview: Players to watch, goalie confidence levels, top
trends
Edmonton Oilers
4dRyan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton
WWE makes custom championship belt for winner of Stanley Cup
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3hGreg Wyshynski
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2024 STANLEY CUP FINAL: PANTHERS-OILERS SCHEDULE, STATS, MORE
Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers are poised to square off against
Sergei Bobrovsky, Aleksander Barkov and the Panthers. Illustration by ESPN
* Ryan S. Clark
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Ryan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN.
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* Kristen Shilton
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Kristen Shilton
ESPN NHL reporter
Kristen Shilton is a national NHL reporter for ESPN.
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Jun 2, 2024, 11:05 PM ET
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From a regular-season batch of 32 teams, to a Stanley Cup playoff field of 16,
and now down to two, the NHL's champion is close to being crowned for 2024.
A year after losing in the Stanley Cup Final to the Vegas Golden Knights, the
Florida Panthers are out to finish their story and raise the Cup for the first
time in franchise history.
For the Edmonton Oilers, a Stanley Cup would silence all the "yeah, but"
conversations regarding superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and etch
their names among the franchise greats from five prior Cup teams.
Game 1 is Saturday (8 p.m. ET, ABC and ESPN+). Here's everything you need to
know about both teams, from key players to watch, goaltender confidence ratings,
and the top trends for each team coming out of the conference finals.
FLORIDA PANTHERS
Stanley Cup wins: None
How they got here: Defeated Lightning 4-1, Bruins 4-2, Rangers 4-2
Goalie confidence rating: 9 out of 10
Sergei Bobrovsky has been rock solid for the Panthers throughout these playoffs.
Granted, the team's excellent defensive play has aided Bobrovsky. But the
veteran's steady stream of quality performances gives Florida undeniable
confidence Bobrovsky will be there to make the big saves.
EDITOR'S PICKS
* PATCHWORK PANTHERS: HOW FLORIDA BUILT A PERENNIAL CONTENDER
5DKRISTEN SHILTON
* HAVE THE OILERS DONE ENOUGH TO GET CONNOR MCDAVID AND LEON DRAISAITL A
STANLEY CUP?
10DRYAN S. CLARK
* KEYS TO THE OFFSEASON: WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE STARS, OTHER ELIMINATED TEAMS?
4DRYAN S. CLARK AND KRISTEN SHILTON
2 Related
He has earned a 12-5 record in the postseason, with a .908 save percentage and
2.20 goals-against average. The only playoff starter who has averaged fewer
goals against per game than Bobrovsky was Boston's Jeremy Swayman (and Bobrovsky
ultimately won that battle when Florida sent the Bruins packing in their
second-round series).
Bobrovsky had to be the Panthers' hero during last season's run to the Cup
finals, and it wore him down in the end. This year's workload has been more
manageable, and that should set Bobrovsky up for continued success.
What the Eastern Conference finals taught us about the Panthers
Florida is the total package. The Panthers have star power, scoring depth, elite
defensive habits, a top-tier goaltender and -- perhaps most crucial of all --
innate killer instinct.
The team was exceptional in the third period against the New York Rangers down
the stretch of their series, winning the final three games by a one-goal margin.
The Panthers also shut the Rangers down at 5-on-5 in that span, allowing just
one even-strength goal while simultaneously rendering New York's once-vaunted
power play completely ineffective with a stifling penalty kill. And the way
Florida held the Rangers' elite scorers from producing -- Artemi Panarin and
Mika Zibanejad combined for a single goal through six games -- was a byproduct
of the Panthers' full-team buy-in on defense.
At the same time, Florida can be deadly off the rush while equally strong
suppressing those chances from going the other way. Their ability to make New
York pay for mistakes was another backbreaker for the Rangers, who couldn't find
the same opportunities to do damage. Florida rarely offers quality looks, and
Bobrovsky stood tall against the most glaring breakdowns.
Players who will be key to the Cup Final
One of Florida's strengths may be its defense in a collective sense. But the
Panthers' defensemen will certainly be in the spotlight when the likes of Connor
McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman try to get rolling.
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS 2024
There are just two teams left vying for the Stanley Cup. Check out our coverage,
with TV times, the latest news, results and more.
• Playoff Central
• Subscribe to ESPN+
• Stream the NHL on ESPN
Gustav Forsling has had a brilliant postseason going up against some of the
toughest opposing matchups, and he has also contributed offensively (four goals
and 11 points). Brandon Montour's physicality and active stick breaking up rush
chances has been invaluable. Florida defends well and is aggressive in holding
shooters to the outside and limiting action from the slot.
That will be critical in preventing the Oilers from running wild. Aaron Ekblad
should also play a key role in steadying Florida from the back end -- and this
year he won't be playing in the Cup Final with a broken foot. That's a definite
improvement.
Player who needs to step up
Carter Verhaeghe was a force for Florida early in the postseason. His production
has been dwindling, though. Verhaeghe popped in five goals in five games against
Tampa Bay, but he has just four goals total since then. He put only two shots on
net in the final two games of the conference finals and wasn't nearly as visible
for the Panthers in creating opportunities around the net (although Igor
Shesterkin did make a notable save on Verhaeghe in Game 6).
All of that is to say, Verhaeghe needs to recapture his first-series form in the
Cup finals. There will be a laundry list of capable scorers across the ice --
and some obviously elite talents, too -- and the Panthers can't afford any
passengers in their group. Verhaeghe can absolutely be a difference-maker for
Florida and drive its offense. Now is the time for him to shift gears.
Is there a coaching edge for the Panthers?
The Cup finals will feature two head coaches at opposite ends of the NHL
spectrum. Florida coach Paul Maurice has been in the league for two decades, and
he has now reached three Cup finals (two with Florida). Edmonton's Kris
Knoblauch hasn't even coached an entire NHL season yet, having replaced Jay
Woodcroft in November as his first gig in the league. Will experience be a
factor for either side?
The Oilers have responded well to Knoblauch, and their on-ice success since he
took over is abundantly clear. But when evenly matched opponents like Florida
and Edmonton clash, there is generally an X factor that emerges to separate the
sides, something more intangible. Things such as a critical line change, or
knowing when to take a timeout, or being able to read the demeanor of your team
and adjust accordingly. All of that will be heightened given the stakes in the
Cup finals.
We've already seen in the playoffs how well-timed coaching decisions have helped
secure wins in tight contests. The margins for error in this series will be
slim. The edge could lie not with who is sitting on the bench, but standing
behind it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EDMONTON OILERS
Stanley Cup wins: 1990, 1988, 1987, 1985, 1984
How they got here: Defeated Kings 4-1, Canucks 4-3, Stars 4-2
Goalie confidence rating: 9 out of 10
There were certainly questions about Stuart Skinner earlier this postseason. But
how he has performed since Game 6 of the second round has only added to what
makes the Oilers such a problem in the defensive zone. They enter the Stanley
Cup Final allowing just 25.1 shots per game, the third fewest among 2024 playoff
teams.
With a penalty kill that held the Dallas Stars to zero goals through the
conference finals, the Oilers have one of the strongest defensive identities in
the league.
Complementing that with a consistent version of Skinner -- who had a 1.95
goals-against average against the Stars -- only adds to the argument that the
Oilers might be the most complete team in the playoffs.
What the Western Conference finals taught us about the Oilers
That anyone who still believes this team is just Leon Draisaitl and Connor
McDavid has not been paying attention. The path they took to beat the Stars in
the Western Conference finals is proof.
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In the Oilers' victories in Games 4 and 5, they received key goals from players
such as Mattias Janmark, Ryan McLeod, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Philip Broberg.
Their penalty kill was perfect against the Stars, including going 3-for-3 in the
pivotal Game 6.
They've developed a two-way identity that has allowed them to play comfortably
in one-goal games, including the closeout in Game 6. They've made goal
prevention a serious component to their success, and it has only added to the
looming threat that the Oilers could break out to score more than four goals in
a game as well.
A team that has been billed as an offensive juggernaut has shown it can be the
complete package.
Players who will be key to the Cup Final
The Oilers have Draisaitl and McDavid, a pair of elite forwards who have four
Hart Trophies between them. But again, they are more than that.
Zach Hyman has given them a forechecking winger who can control the net front.
They have a puck-moving defenseman in Evan Bouchard, who, along with Mattias
Ekholm, gives the Oilers a trusted top pairing.
This postseason has elevated Nugent-Hopkins' profile as a two-way player because
of what he has been able to do at 5-on-5, on the penalty kill and on the power
play; he could be their most important forward not named Draisaitl or McDavid.
There's also what Darnell Nurse accomplished against Dallas, going from a figure
under scrutiny to being one of the Oilers' most consistent players to close out
the series. That includes logging more than 21 minutes with three hits while not
being on the ice for a goal against in Game 6. That version of Nurse would be
instrumental in helping capture the franchise's first title since 1990.
Player who needs to step up
Evander Kane. At his best, Kane is a physical power forward who can cause
problems in the slot and at the net front, with a shot that can also make him
dangerous on the perimeter. That has made him one of the NHL's most consistent
goal scorers over his career, with a run of nine seasons with more than 20.
It's also what makes his recent scoring drought (six straight games, going back
to Game 7 of the second round against the Vancouver Canucks) so puzzling.
Kane opened the conference finals with nine shots in his first two games, only
to then record four shots combined in Games 3, 4 and 5. He was moved down from
the second line to the third line as a result in Game 5, resulting in a
significant decline in his work rate compared to his first two postseasons with
the Oilers.
It's possible Kane could be injured going into the Stanley Cup Final. After
delivering a check early in Game 6, he skated to the bench and logged only 4:39
of ice time via nine shifts.
Hiring Kris Knoblauch could be the latest move in a certain trend
Moving on from Jay Woodcroft and hiring Kris Knoblauch not only saved the
Oilers' season, but allowed them to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first
time in nearly two decades. Whether the Oilers win the Cup or not, the move
raises a debate about the expectations for an NHL coach in his first season with
a new team.
This trend started in 2019, when Craig Berube, who had 161 games of NHL
head-coaching experience, was made the interim coach of the St. Louis Blues ...
and won the Stanley Cup in what was his first of five-plus seasons with the
club.
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A year later, veteran coach Rick Bowness was an interim who guided the Dallas
Stars to the Cup Final.
In 2021, Dominique Ducharme, an interim coach with no previous NHL head-coaching
experience, guided the Montreal Canadiens to a Cup Final.
Last year saw Bruce Cassidy, who had 500-plus games of experience, win a title
in his first campaign with the Vegas Golden Knights.
It's a trend that continues with Knoblauch, whose head-coaching roles had
previously been in the AHL and junior hockey. Knoblauch has the chance to be the
first coach since Dan Bylsma in 2009 to win the title in his first year behind
an NHL bench.
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