Latest news with #ConnorMcDavid
CTV News
44 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
‘Mature' Oilers poised for Cup final rematch with battle-tested Panthers
For the second year in a row, the Edmonton Oilers will play the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals. CTV News Edmonton's Nahreman Issa has the story. DALLAS — The Oilers were crestfallen. Heads sank into hands. Tears flowed from reddened eyes. Edmonton's bloodied and bearded roster had given everything in the Stanley Cup final. The gutsy, backs-against-the-wall effort — valiant in erasing a 3-0 series deficit to force Game 7 — came up just short 12 months ago. Connor McDavid Aleksander Barkov 2024 Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) is consoled by Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov (16) after Florida defeated Edmonton in game 7 of the NHL Stanley Cup finals in Sunrise, Fla., on Monday, June 24, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette (Nathan Denette/THE CANADIAN PRESS) The team's core led by superstar captain Connor McDavid vowed that sweltering Florida night after falling to the Panthers that they would be back on the same stage. 'It's been a want since the end of last year,' Corey Perry, the Oilers' greybeard winger, said of a return to the NHL's title series. 'There's been a lot of thinking about what happened last year, and self-reflecting. 'Here we are.' The Oilers, it turns out, were right. Edmonton will make a second consecutive appearance in the Cup final after beating the Dallas Stars 4-1 in the Western Conference final. And Florida, once again, is waiting. 'It was on our mind since we lost that last game,' Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said of his team's mission. 'It was a long, tough summer, training camp, regular season.' Oilers Stars Hockey Edmonton Oilers center Mattias Janmark (13) and defenseman John Klingberg (36) celebrate after winning Game 5 of the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Stars in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) (Julio Cortez/AP) The team from Alberta's capital didn't have its best for stretches of that 82-game schedule. Edmonton finished third in the Pacific Division following a rash of injuries down the stretch and fell behind 0-2 to the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs. All the club has done since? Put up a 12-2 mark in rebounding with four straight wins against the Kings before getting past both the Vegas Golden Knights and the Stars in five games. And unlike last spring when the Oilers, who host Game 1 of the Cup final Wednesday, relied heavily on the contributions of McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — to be clear, the two headliners have again been excellent — the group has got goals from 19 different players in this post-season. A rebuilt defence corps, meanwhile, weathered the loss of Mattias Ekholm, back from injury for Thursday's 6-3 victory in Game 5 over Dallas after basically two months on the shelf, while the goaltending of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard has come up huge when needed. 'Some teams get really hot coming down the stretch and they ride it all the way through the playoffs,' McDavid said late Thursday night in the bowels of a cavernous American Airlines Center. 'For us, it's come together in the playoffs. We've been building and building and building our game. 'Our best hockey is still in front of us.' Oilers Stars Hockey Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) scores against Dallas Stars goaltender Casey DeSmith and center Roope Hintz (24) during the second period of Game 5 of the Western Conference finals in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson) (Gareth Patterson/AP) Edmonton had already ridden a wild roller-coaster by this point last year. This run feels different. 'The first time you go through it, there's a ton of joy and excitement,' Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse said of winning three playoff rounds. 'And there is now, don't get me wrong, but there's also a hunger and knowing what's coming and the opportunity that's ahead. We're all excited.' 'Those games can be emotionally draining,' McDavid added. 'We're not drained … we've got lots of depth. We've got as good a chance as they do.' That would be the nasty, battle-tested Panthers — in a third straight final after steamrolling the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1, bossing the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7, and disposing of the Carolina Hurricanes in five. Panthers Hurricanes Hockey Florida Panthers' Aleksander Barkov (16) skates over to accept the Prince of Wales Trophy following Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) (Karl B DeBlaker/AP) 'We know what they're about,' Draisaitl said. 'We played them seven times. It's nice to get a shot at getting some revenge, but we're a long ways from that.' Knoblauch said his players are wiser as they pivot to an opponent led by Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, Sergei Bobrovsky and Brad Marchand making its third straight Cup appearance. 'This is a mature group,' the second-year bench boss said of Edmonton. 'They're older. They've seen a lot of playoff hockey. They know what they need to do to get it done.' The task, however, remains daunting. 'If it's going to change, we're going to play our best hockey,' Knoblauch added. 'We have a chance, but we're going to have to be at our best.' The Oilers have been pretty close to that already in these playoffs. Now they need more. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025. Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
CBC
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Edmonton Oilers fans hopeful ahead of Stanley Cup final rematch with Florida Panthers
New Oilers pushed Panthers to Game 7 last year, but lost the Cup Edmonton Oilers fans are once again living the dream, but hopes are high that this year comes without the nightmare ending. The Oilers completed a backdoor sweep of the Dallas Stars on Thursday — losing the first game of the series then winning four in a row — to punch their second straight ticket to the Stanley Cup final. Standing between the Oilers and glory are the Florida Panthers, who came out on top against the Oilers last year to win their first Cup in team history. "I'm not nervous at all," Oilers fan Nikolina Maljevic said outside the Oilers' home arena of Rogers Place in downtown Edmonton Friday afternoon. "I think they're ready for this." Arena staff were seen bustling about to make sure Edmonton's Ice District surrounding the rink was also ready for the rematch. The fan park was getting a power wash while racks of T-shirts and other merchandise were being loaded into the official team store, though restocking efforts were interrupted by fans, including Maljevic, stocking up. "I got some amazing stuff," Maljevic said, showing off two jackets from the brand owned by the wife of Oilers captain Connor McDavid, as well as a team T-shirt she got for her father. While Game 1 on Wednesday will surely see a sell-out crowd in Edmonton, thousands more will flood the area outside the rink, dubbed the "Moss Pit" out of respect for the late and beloved team equipment assistant Joey Moss. Maljevic said her family's game-day traditions mean she'll be cheering on from home. "My family's a bit superstitious," she said, adding that no new faces are allowed inside so as not to throw off the winning formula of family watching together. Maljevic isn't the only Edmontonian whose home is intertwined with feelings and memories of the local team, but they all pale in comparison to the home of Warren Sillanpaa. Sillanpaa's downtown home is protected by a hand-painted fence depicting the jerseys of Oilers stars and fan favourites from McDavid to Corey Perry. His yard also sports a row of Oilers flags, near life-sized aluminum cutouts of McDavid and Leon Draisaitl that make it look like they're hopping over the boards for a shift, and a hand-made oil derrick that he can light with a torch. There's also a sign that reads "Honk if you want the cup," which Sillanpaa said doubles as an alarm clock. "I got up the other morning and it's like 6:45 a.m. I'm just laying up there, and the windows open, [and I'm wondering if I] should I get up or not," he said. "I just hear this guy walk by saying 'Let's go Oilers!' and 15 minutes later someone honked, [so I was up]." Like Maljevic, Sillanpaa said he too had nothing but confidence Edmonton will bring home the Cup. "Everybody seems to be on the same page with everything," he said. The graphic designer's home isn't the only sign of Oilers life in Edmonton ahead of the Stanley Cup final. Transit bus destination signs shift back and forth between displaying their route and tickers that say "Let's Go Oilers!" while it's no unusual sight to see cars and trucks drive by with plastic Oilers flags flapping in the wind. Community organizations, and local governments, are also pulling out all the stops. Performers with the Edmonton-based Ukrainian Shumka Dancers have gone viral for taking their skills to new stages, and in new costumes. Donning Oilers jerseys, members of the company's professional squad have been attending watch parties downtown and, after every goal from the home team, orchestrate an elaborate manoeuvre where a dancer is thrown back and forth by a team of 10. It's similar to a windshield wiper in action and speed. "They made the Stanley Cup final, and you can expect that throw to keep flying," said the company's rehearsal director, Paul Olijnyk. Final fever is also spreading outside the city limits. Municipal leaders in the Edmonton suburb city of St. Albert held what could only be described as an emergency council meeting on Monday to unanimously sign off on spending up to $70,000 to host watch parties for the final. For roughly $10,000 per game, the city is renting a projector and speakers and inviting fans to pull up a chair in the local rec centre parking lot on game nights. Coun. Sheena Hughes, a budget watchdog, said the city shouldn't have to spend as much as they think. "They're going to win in six games."
New York Times
2 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Five lessons the Winnipeg Jets can learn from the Stanley Cup finalists
The NHL likes to overreact to teams that have success. But the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers' Stanley Cup Final rematch gives us a chance to dig deeper into what's worked for the two teams. It goes much deeper than drafting Connor McDavid or having an advantageous state tax — and those advantages, while real, often obscure what's led to Edmonton's and Florida's success. Advertisement Let's get right into it, then. What can Winnipeg learn from the two best teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs? The first part of this two-part lesson is obvious: Teams that want to win must spend to the cap. Using PuckPedia as a guide, the Oilers and Panthers each exceeded the cap maximum with bonus overages factored in, while the Jets left money on the table. Winnipeg tried — hard — to avoid that. When the Jets signed Cole Perfetti to a bridge deal last summer, part of the reasoning was to create room under the cap. This helped Winnipeg build space day by day, creating the potential to add over $12 million in contracts at the trade deadline. They succeeded in adding $6.25 million in the form of Brandon Tanev and Luke Schenn, but ultimately left a Brock Nelson-sized portion of cap space unused. Remember that Winnipeg thought it had acquired Nelson prior to Colorado's emergence as the winner in that sweepstakes. It is my belief that Nelson, who had a no-trade clause, was initially open to going to Canada, but that the Avalanche were higher on his priority list. So the Jets don't need to be told that it's important to spend every dollar. It is not a matter of opinion to say it was Winnipeg's plan to do so. It's also true that Dallas' playing roster cost between $4 million and $6 million more than Winnipeg's did during their playoff series, depending on who was dressed. Meanwhile, the Panthers open the Cup final with a roster that costs roughly $8 million more than the Jets team that lost to Dallas in Game 6. Edmonton will open the final spending $4 million less than Winnipeg's Game 6 roster — but only because Zach Hyman, $5.5 million, is injured. Spending money just to spend money is not the goal, while it's worth noting that this year's trade deadline was a seller's market, based on the prices teams paid for lesser players — including Tanev and Schenn. The Jets' lack of pivot after Nelson fell through may reflect good sensibility regarding asset prices as opposed to a lack of judgment on their part. Advertisement But the Oilers and Panthers were a little more desperate than Winnipeg was — even at the cost of that sensibility. In the salary-cap era, winning is an efficiency contest. If everybody has the same payroll, then the team that spends its money the most efficiently will have the best collection of players. Those are the obvious basics, but there are wrinkles that develop throughout a season. Teams don't do all of their spending at once, and opportunities to spend efficiently don't all present themselves at once. The Jets' cap efficiency gave them an advantage over other teams when the season began. They're cap efficient again as the offseason begins, particularly with Blake Wheeler's buyout coming off the books. But Winnipeg didn't need to be cap efficient at the deadline — it needed more threats against a Dallas team that had been aggressive in its own right. Winnipeg didn't need to bring in a $5 million player performing at a $5 million level for its cap space to have been useful; anybody performing at a higher level than Winnipeg's 12th forward or sixth defenceman would have been an upgrade to the talent pool. Edmonton built various forms of salary-cap prison from drafting McDavid in 2015 through its back-to-back Cup finals. As it's escaped from inefficient money spent on Milan Lucic, Jack Campbell, Mikko Koskinen and company, it's thrown more and more darts — not all of them sensible — in the name of building a roster that can win when McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are on the bench, too. The misconception about Edmonton is that the Oilers didn't attain their level of success because McDavid and Draisaitl cost too much money. The reality is that the Oilers wasted years with a brutally cap-inefficient middle class. Now that Edmonton's non-superstars are finally winning their minutes, the Oilers are a contender. An update on the Oilers' 5v5 goal differential without McDavid and Draisaitl. Incredible. — Sid 🇨🇦 (@NHL_Sid) May 30, 2025 These numbers track with Florida's performance without its top two centres, Aleksander Barkov and Sam Bennett, on the way to the Panthers' 2024 Cup win. Yes, one takeaway on everybody's minds when it comes to Edmonton and Florida is 'acquire superstars.' But Winnipeg got outscored 17-5 at five-on-five without Mark Scheifele or Adam Lowry on the ice during these playoffs. Advertisement Meanwhile, superstars are hard to come by, while depth players can be approached with trial, error and creativity. The Oilers pulled off three-team trades in consecutive seasons to find the cap room for Adam Henrique and Trent Frederic. The Panthers signed Carter Verhaeghe for $1 million in 2020 after Tampa Bay didn't give him a qualifying offer, and picked Gustav Forsling off waivers for free in 2021. If they hadn't worked, they'd be gone. The Oilers have also taken swings at Viktor Arvidsson, Henrique, Connor Brown, Jeff Skinner, Corey Perry and John Klingberg in recent seasons. Not all of them have hit at a high level, nor did they come without cost; Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg signed offer sheets in St. Louis that the Oilers couldn't match. But it's another case of a desperate team acquiring players by any means available — and being fully prepared to move on if they didn't work out. Only four Panthers who have played in these playoffs were Florida draft picks. Winnipeg had 10, from Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck at the top of the roster through backup goaltender Eric Comrie. Does this mean the Jets draft well and the Panthers are free-agent poachers, basking in Floridian sunshine? Not at all. Just ask Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt, Devon Levi, Spencer Knight and Emil Heineman. All of these were Panthers picks, with NHL careers ranging from dominant to nonexistent, who Florida moved to acquire Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Seth Jones and Bennett. The goalies stand out — two budding stars, each traded before establishing themselves as a starter — as does Florida's willingness to move on from a 115-point scorer like Huberdeau. In Jets terms, the Tkachuk acquisition was akin to sending Kyle Connor and Dylan Samberg away and ending up with the most important player in the trade. Winnipeg would never dream of it — nor would the Jets have been an option for Tkachuk, whose list of preferred teams included Florida, Tampa Bay, Carolina and St. Louis. It must burn Panthers management that the team drafted as well as it did and stepped up like it did, making the final in back-to-back-to-back years after such a bold move — only for people to scream 'state tax.' The NHL's recent obsession with state tax rates is shortsighted. By virtue of no state income tax, Florida, Tampa Bay, Vegas, Dallas and Nashville do enjoy a slight competitive advantage, but the first 14 Cup champions of the cap era didn't share that same edge. This includes the Kings and Ducks, who are meant to be at the biggest disadvantage, given California's income tax rates, but they won three Cups in eight years, all the same. Advertisement This is not the same thing as saying taxes have no influence on players' decision-making, but the Panthers have 11 UFA signees on their roster. Of those, the biggest impacts come from Sergei Bobrovsky — a clear win — and then Verhaeghe, who they picked up for $1 million, and Evan Rodrigues, who they got for $3 million. This is not a case of a team running rampant through the free-agency market, nor are we meant to believe that the Panthers' 11 UFA signees are the only good players available in the NHL. The Jets do not have Floridian sunshine, surf or tax advantages, nor do players disappear into anonymity in Winnipeg the way they do in bigger American markets. On the opposite side of the same coin, the Jets do boast Winnipeg's tight-knit community. They do benefit from stable ownership that gets the emotional moments right. It builds community when True North makes the decisions to charter Jets players and staff to Kitchener to attend Brad Scheifele's funeral — and to do the same for Minnesotan players for Adam Johnson — or gets less tragic, personal details right, like making time for Schenn to see his family during road trips. It builds community when a guy like Alex Iafallo arrives from Los Angeles to find a group of Jets stars like Hellebuyck and Connor, who spend almost as much time outdoors as he does. If Winnipeg is small, then it can be tight-knit. If its top players decompress in an icefishing shack, then it can be a top destination for players who love the outdoors. If it is loyal to a fault, then it is a place where career Jets like Hellebuyck, Scheifele and Lowry can establish unique legacies. There is no salary cap for efforts made to make players' families feel at home. The Jets do appear to have their room in order, with team culture as a strength. Does this give them the opportunity to sign Samberg, Perfetti and Vilardi to long-term deals that age well as the cap rises, continuing team culture while giving Winnipeg tangible advantages? It's worked for Scheifele, Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, Hellebuyck, Lowry and Josh Morrissey when they were restricted free agents. It also seems to be an advantage now that Jonathan Toews is a UFA — if the 37-year-old Toews can achieve a level of performance that helps in a middle-six role. (Photo of Gabriel Vilardi and Connor McDavid: Codie McLachlan / Getty Images)
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'We are going to the finals baby': Connor McDavid's wife Lauren Kyle reacts to Oilers' Game 5 win as she posts a wholesome life update
Image via Lauren Kyle/Instagram Connor McDavid is all focused on bringing the Stanley Cup home this season, while his wife, Lauren Kyle, has a lot of new things happening in her life, away from the NHL drama. Lauren Kyle is an entrepreneur and a famous interior designer who has recently opened a new bar in Edmonton. While a lot of things are happening in Connor McDavid and his wife, Lauren Kyle's life, the interior designer posted a life update on her Instagram. Connor McDavid lifts the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl while his wife, Lauren Kyle, shares a wholesome post about the exciting things happening in her life A few hours ago, Connor McDavid's wife, Lauren Kyle, posted a pretty wholesome update on her social media. Lauren Kyle posted a series of pictures on Instagram about how her life has been lately. One of the pictures shows Lauren Kyle hanging out with her girlfriends, while another picture shows the beautiful interiors of her new bar. A third picture is a stunning picture of Lauren Kyle as she posed in a beautiful pastel pink coloured dress. Lauren Kyle also posted a video of the Edmonton Oilers winning a match even, while another picture posted by her has her friends and family enjoying her new bar. The caption for the wholesome post reads as, 'Successful friends and family celebration, Bar trove opens next week & we are going to the finals baby!! 🫶🏻' and fans are here for it. A fan commented, 'All photos. So Beautiful. Stunning. Congrats. To another Successful Venture. 🔥', while another fan wrote, 'Nice to see historical buildings being celebrated and reborn and not being torn down in Edmonton! 😍' A third fan posted, 'awe congratulations Lauren!! ✨💖 the place looks amazing!!', while another fan commented, '@laurenkyle1 story book ending ? 2025 Launch of your bar same year the oilers win the cup? Meant to be! Go Oil Go' It seems like Connor McDavid might have missed out on joining his wife, Lauren Kyle, as she celebrated launching her new venture. Recently, Connor McDavid lifted the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl as he broke the NHL 'curse' and said, 'It's pretty obvious I think. Don't touch it last year, you don't win. Touch it this year, hopefully we win.' Also Read: 'Love you Hymo': Leon Draisaitl's emotional call with Zach Hyman after Game 5 win leaves fans touched by the Oilers' bond
New York Times
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
2025 NHL Stanley Cup Final preview: Edmonton Oilers vs. Florida Panthers
By Shayna Goldman, Sean Gentille and Dom Luszczyszyn In 1983, Wayne Gretzky went to his first Stanley Cup Final and lost to the New York Islanders. One year later, he got his revenge in a rematch. In 2008, Sidney Crosby went to his first Stanley Cup Final and lost to the Detroit Red Wings. One year later, he got his revenge in a rematch. Advertisement History has a way of repeating itself; the greats tend to follow similar paths. It's fitting, then, that the first final rematch in 16 years offers Connor McDavid the same opportunity that Gretzky had in 1984 and Crosby had in 2009: Revenge. It's his Edmonton Oilers facing off against the very Florida Panthers that beat them in the final last year. In order to be the best, you have to beat the best. Gretzky and Crosby did it. Is it McDavid's turn to do the same? Well, the odds are against him. The Oilers are an elite team, saving their best hockey of the season for the right time of year. They've earned their spot with relative ease, especially from Game 3 of the first round onward. The Oilers started the season as the Stanley Cup favorite and look more than ready to make good on that promise. The only problem is what's standing in their way: An arguably stronger version of the team that beat them last spring. The Panthers are a terrifying group right now, a juggernaut that can do it all at both ends of the ice. As strong as the Oilers have been in these playoffs, the Panthers have arguably been stronger. Even without home-ice advantage, the Panthers start with an edge in this series, one that grew further with an injury to Zach Hyman. With him in the lineup, the Oilers would've had a 49 percent chance — not far off from last year's 50-50 series. Without him, the mountain ahead looks a little steeper. This is still projected to be a very tight series, as expected from the best of the East and West. But at the outset, the Panthers look slightly more formidable. The Panthers were one of the strongest teams heading into the playoffs, with a plus-51 Net Rating. But over the last three rounds, that's bumped up to a plus-68. The Oilers' glow up took them from a plus-46 to a plus-61 (with the return of Mattias Ekholm mostly canceling out the loss of Hyman). Now they're the final two left standing, ready for another best-on-best matchup in the Final. Advertisement These were two of the top five-on-five teams in the regular season. Edmonton generated more quality offense and a higher scoring rate, while Florida suppressed more chances and allowed fewer goals against. The Panthers were one of the better offensive creators of the regular season, despite not having the scoring to show for it. That hasn't been a problem this postseason, though. Florida's xGF/60 of 2.77 is pretty consistent with its regular season numbers; it's just materialized in a much higher goal rate of 3.62 per 60 that leads the 16-team playoff field. That offense hasn't come at the expense of their defense, making them an all-around threat that challenged each Eastern Conference foe they've faced. The Oilers have kicked their offense up a notch, too; they generate more than Florida has with 3.15 xGF/60, but their actual scoring pace is a shade below that. The real difference in Edmonton is their commitment to team defense and steadier goaltending, which has only coughed up 1.90 GA/60. That even-strength defense will have to be tight against the Panthers, and ideally will trickle more into short-handed situations. That's where Florida has a clear edge, especially in the playoffs. The Oilers' power play is more high-octane, though, and will test Florida's penalty kill. Can Edmonton's mobile blue line solve Florida's forecheck? Ekholm's numbers for Game 5 of the Western Conference final didn't jump off the page. He played 15:52 overall and saw a bit of time on the penalty kill; the Oilers chased the puck more than they usually do with him on the ice but scored twice, with an Ekholm assist on one of them, and they didn't allow a goal. Nothing spectacular. Doesn't matter. It was a big enough deal, of course, that Ekholm was in the lineup at all. He hadn't played since April 11, when he made his second attempt at returning from the injury that initially sidelined him on March 6. At the time, the injury was expected to sideline him for the entire postseason, but there he was against Dallas, spending most of his five-on-five time on a pair with Evan Bouchard (10:07) and also seeing a bit with John Klingberg (3:16). Troy Stecher, Darnell Nurse's main partner against Dallas, came out of the lineup. Brett Kulak moved up with Nurse. Advertisement Ekholm's return is an undeniably positive development for Edmonton. Toward the top of the list is what his presence will mean for their defense of Florida's relentless forecheck, a difference-making element both in their Cup run last season and their work getting through the Eastern Conference. Ekholm is solid all around, but at his best, he has the frame (6-foot-5, 225 pounds) and puck-retrieval ability necessary to both withstand punishment from players such as Bennett and Tkachuk and the skill necessary to start the possession-flipping process. Putting Ekholm back with Bouchard on a full-time basis would give Edmonton a top pair with a strong record of dealing with the forecheck. Bouchard, prone to the big mistake as he can be, has been the Oilers' best defenseman in terms of turning retrievals into zone exits, with about 11 per 60 minutes across the regular season and playoffs. We know Edmonton's forwards are lethal, but they can't do their jobs if they don't have the puck. Keeping Klingberg on a pair with Jake Walman, regardless of where Ekholm lands, also seems like the right move. Last season, Edmonton didn't have any great option beyond Ekholm-Bouchard when it came to getting the puck from the boards to the forwards. In the playoffs, Klingberg and Walman have both been terrific in that area, ranking among the league's best in terms of generating zone exits. More generally, the Oilers are going to have the option to zig where the Eastern Conference zagged. Tampa Bay and Toronto came into their series against the Panthers with defensive lineups that leaned a little more heavily on size than on puck-moving, at least along the top two pairs. We saw how that worked out for them. Ditto for Carolina, whose blue line lacked size, but still preferred to chip pucks out. Edmonton, even with a tank like Ekholm back in the lineup, focuses more on true puck-moving ability as a means of flipping the zone. Whether it works remains to be seen, but they're certainly situated more for success now than they were in 2024, and they're going to give the Panthers a different look than the ones they've seen thus far this spring. Can the Panthers keep up their road-ice advantage? Home ice was a big deal this season and has been an even bigger deal during the playoffs. During the regular season, home teams won 56.3 percent of games, up from 53.4 percent the previous three seasons. In the playoffs, home teams have won 61.3 percent of games, up from 51.7 percent in 2021-24. Both marks are the highest since 2012-13. Advertisement Here's what's even wilder: home teams that haven't played the Panthers have actually won 67.1 percent of games. The unlucky few that have are a combined 2-8. The Panthers have been dominant on the road. What makes that even scarier is that Florida's road record — an .800 win percentage matched by only 17 other teams in the modern era — actually undersells the destruction. The Panthers have outscored opponents by 27 goals (!) on the road, the most in the modern era. It hasn't even been close with seven of their eight wins being by three or more goals — all against the other best teams in the East. These Panthers thrive off the eerie silence that comes after a road goal, often doubling and tripling up on the pain in quick succession. One of Edmonton's many tough tasks in this series is limiting the damage when these Panthers smell blood. That's easier said than done, but the Oilers look well-equipped to handle the heat. As strong as the Panthers have been on the road, the Oilers have been equal to the task with a 6-1 record at home. Keeping that up will be vital. Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart are elite two-way threats at the top of the Panthers' lineup, taking on matchup minutes against the opponents' best. Already this postseason, that has meant a lot of time against Nikita Kucherov, Auston Matthews and Sebastian Aho — but Barkov and Reinhart are the ones left standing. This round, though, poses their biggest challenge yet: McDavid and Draisaitl. Last year, McDavid controlled play in his head-to-head minutes against Barkov in the Stanley Cup Final — but at the end of the day, Florida and Edmonton broke even in five-on-five scoring with a goal a piece. Against Draisaitl, the Panthers outscored the Oilers 3-1. That's the level Barkov (and Reinhart) have to at least match to be back-to-back champs; Barkov is playing close to his projected value, while Reinhart can still take it up a notch. The added wrinkle this time around is that the series will start in Edmonton, so Kris Knoblauch will have a bit more control over the matchup game to free up his big guns. Advertisement Those big guns get thrown together on a top line when the Oilers need a spark, but have generally been split across the top-six over the last two rounds. That forms a one-two punch that few can counter. McDavid's postseason was just fine (by his lofty standards) through two rounds, but he hit that next gear against the Stars. He put up a multi-point game in four of five Western Conference final games, and is up to a Net Rating pace of 31.3, which is a lot closer to the game-breaking level that's expected of him. Last year, he won the Conn Smythe in a losing effort — and now he's on a mission to change that. The challenge is maintaining that level with a little less help around him, now that Hyman is out for the series. Corey Perry has big skates to fill on that top line, but he's having a great postseason so far. So is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins after a down year; he has scored at a rate of 3.53 points per 60 through 16 playoff games, after only mustering 1.99 per 60 in the regular season. While that's likely the top line the Oilers use in this series, the second is a bit more in flux around Draisaitl. The key is that, unlike years past, it's not just McDavid and Draisaitl against the world — the Oilers have a lot more bottom-six support, from Connor Brown, Adam Henrique and even Jeff Skinner, who returned to the fold for Game 5 against the Stars. If McDavid and Draisaitl can keep driving their own lines, the Panthers need to respond with their second line. In Round 2, Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett earned a 56 percent expected goal rate, but were outscored 5-3 at five-on-five. The mid-series addition of Carter Verhaeghe to that combination helped turn things around. That new-look second line did some damage against the Hurricanes, with a 4-0 scoring edge in their minutes. What makes Florida so dangerous is that the offense doesn't stop below the top six — the third line of Eetu Luostarinen, Anton Lundell and Brad Marchand solidifies their deep attack. That line has been pesky all postseason, outscoring opponents 10-2, with a 58 percent expected goal rate. This line created plenty of problems for Tampa Bay and Toronto, but was held off the board against the Hurricanes. If they get back to their scoring ways from earlier this postseason, the Oilers will have to find a way to counter that. Those three lines will keep the Oilers' defense pairs busy; the Panthers' blue line will have their hands full, too. Advertisement What Florida's blue line lacks offensively compared to Edmonton's, they make up for in shutdown talent. It starts with Gustav Forsling, who has emerged as one of the best shutdown defensemen in the league. He plays a quietly effective game against the league's best forwards, while his partner, Aaron Ekblad, has added some more scoring and bite to his game this postseason. Niko Mikkola and Seth Jones help shoulder the burden of tough minutes on the second pair, and they have put up sparkling numbers despite their workload. They're extremely stingy, only giving up 1.48 xGA/60 in their minutes, which is one of the best marks of the playoffs. With the top four playing at this level, the third pair of Dmitry Kulikov and Nate Schmidt is maximized in sheltered minutes. That all gives Sergei Bobrovsky a lot of two-way support in net, which he needed earlier this postseason. But after falling below expectations in six of his first eight starts, he completely turned it around. Since then, he has earned quality starts in eight of his next nine games to bring him up to 9.46 goals saved above expected this postseason. Over the last couple of postseasons, Playoff Bob has taken on a new meaning — and Bobrovsky is back to embracing it. But his turnaround isn't as dramatic as Stuart Skinner's. Skinner lost his net to Calvin Pickard after two disastrous starts against the Kings. But an injury to Pickard gave him another chance at redemption. After a shaky first game against Vegas, he has found his footing with five quality starts in his next six games, where he's saved a collective 10.3 goals above expected. That's the Skinner that has to lock in for Game 1, unlike last year when he struggled until an outstanding Game 4. But if he struggles again, Pickard at least is healthy enough to take back over when or if needed. Advertisement Leon Draisaitl vs. Aleksander Barkov If Draisaitl takes home his second Hart Trophy — and he has the best case of any skater — his dramatically improved defensive play will have plenty to do with it. Edmonton earned nearly 60 percent of the goals with him on the ice, real and expected, and both numbers were the best of his career. Does he belong on the Selke shortlist? Nope. Still, if you're holding onto the notion of him as a superstar with some shaky five-on-five play, it's time to reassess. Nothing of the sort is necessary for Barkov, whose reputation as the best two-way center in the league (at least based on Selke voting) is deserved. Against the Hurricanes, his line had solid results against their shutdown line centered by Jordan Staal; their time against the top line, centered by Sebastian Aho, was a bit more of a mixed bag. In Game 3, when Paul Maurice had the last change, he sent Barkov's line out primarily against Staal's. In Game 4, it was more Aho. It'll be interesting to see where Maurice goes this time. Edmonton has the best player on Earth, another who's a Hart finalist, a goalie who might be peaking and a supporting cast that spent the playoffs proving its worth. All that, and they're still the underdog. So it goes when your opponent has championship pedigree and no real weaknesses. Florida's edge is real and earned. References How these projections work Understanding projection uncertainty Resources Evolving Hockey Natural Stat Trick Hockey Reference NHL All Three Zones Tracking by Corey Sznajder (Photo of Connor McDavid and Aleksander Barkov: Sam Navarro / Imagn Images)
