Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Stanley Cup match.
The Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers are set to clash in the Stanley Cup Final for the second year running. This marks the 12th time in NHL history that a championship series features a rematch — in the previous two such cases, Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby each lifted the trophy for the first time. This now represents a golden opportunity for Connor McDavid to carve his place in hockey history.
Edmonton Oilers
There are compelling reasons to believe the Edmonton Oilers can exact revenge this time. Chief among them is the condition of their roster. Last year, both Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane were hampered by significant injuries and underperformed. This season, both are fully fit. Furthermore, the Oilers have benefited from a clear upgrade on the blue line. In the Connor McDavid era, they have never had this level of depth among puck-moving defencemen: Evan Bouchard, Jake Walman, John Klingberg, and the now-healthy Mattias Ekholm. Against a side like the Florida Panthers, who capitalise on turnovers in the offensive zone with ruthless precision, this could be a game-changer. The Oilers lead the league this season in controlled zone exits, consistently avoiding wasteful puck clearances.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers’ primary strength this postseason has been their ability to shut down opposition stars. They achieved this against Nikita Kucherov in the opening round against the Tampa Bay Lightning, then neutralised the star-studded top four of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and followed that up by limiting the top-six forwards of the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference final. However, containing a fully fired-up Connor McDavid may be a step too far. No player in NHL history has tormented the Panthers quite like him — Connor McDavid averages 1.73 points per game in his career against the Florida Panthers.
Edmonton Oilers vs Florida Panthers Prediction
The Edmonton Oilers enter the Final in a much stronger position than they did last year. The Florida Panthers have yet to face a defensive unit in this postseason capable of escaping sustained offensive pressure with such composure. In addition, goaltender Stuart Skinner has hit top form at just the right moment — six wins in his last seven appearances, a 94.4% save percentage, and three shutouts in that span. Expect the Oilers to set the tone from the opening faceoff.
