Edmonton Oilers bold predictions for Stanley Cup Final vs. Panthers

The Edmonton Oilers have made it to the Stanley Cup Final and depending on what side of the fence you look at it from, it was either a long time coming or a complete surprise.

The Oilers have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who may be the NHL’s modern version of Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier. McDavid is something of a legendary player who fills up the highlight film with spectacular plays due to his speed, puck handling, on-ice intelligence, passing and scoring touch. Draisaitl is a brilliant running mate who can carry the load when McDavid is being double- or triple-teamed.

Still, this is a team that failed in multiple playoff opportunities in the past. Despite having superior offensive talent, the Oilers have fallen short in the playoffs year after year. There have been questions raised about the team’s focus, desire, toughness, supporting cast, coaching and goaltending. After reversing a brutal regular-season start and beating the Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars in the playoffs, many of those questions have been answered.

Now they face their biggest test as they compete against the hungry Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers made it to the championship round last year, but they were bested by the Vegas Golden Knights.

They have been bound and determined to get back to the title round all season, and players like Carter Verhaeghe, Matthew Tkachuk, Sasha Barkov and Gustav Forsling are not about to let their opponents cruise to the title. If the Oilers are going win their first Stanley Cup since 1990, they are going to have to earn it with bold and dynamic play.

McDavid will stand tall for Oilers

Every team needs its depth players to contribute in a significant manner when a championship is on the line. No one player can do it by himself.

However, the Oilers have the best player in the world in McDavid, and he must perform at the highest level against Florida. McDavid has been playing in the NHL since the 2016-17 season and he is completing his ninth season in the NHL.

He has put remarkable scoring totals on the board throughout his career including a 64-goal, 153-point season in 2022-23 and 100 assists and 132 points this year. McDavid has been compared to Gretzky, Bobby Orr and Mario Lemieux because a large majority of the NHL’s observers believes he has comparable talent to the all-time greats.

There’s no better place for the game’s brightest superstar to showcase his ability and desire than the Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers will do everything they can to slow him down, and that includes delivering hard hits that may cross the line.

While they won’t be able to catch him on a regular basis, they will hit McDavid. The Edmonton center must absorb the hits and continue to make plays.

Look for McDavid to put his imprint on this series by playing his best hockey in the third period and making decisive plays when the game is on the line. He will score at least one game-winning goal in this series and also set up a teammate for a similar goal in the third period or overtime.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will come through for Oilers

There was a time when the Oilers expected Nugent-Hopkins to become a dominant superstar. He was the No. 1 selection in the 2011 NHL draft. It took Nugent-Hopkins several years to develop into a consistent NHL player and many thought he was fairly disappointing early in his career.

That is no longer the case. He has played center and wing throughout his career, and he is currently the left wing on McDavid’s top line with the Oilers. Nugent-Hopkins is a smart and talented player who knows what to do when he gets the puck on his stick. He will wait an extra split second before shooting or passing, and that often provides the difference when it comes to scoring a key goal.

Nugent-Hopkins had his best individual season in 2022-23 when he scored 104 points, and that total labeled him as a legitimate star. He followed up with 67 points this season, and while that was a downturn, he has been huge during the playoffs.

He has scored 6 goals and added 14 assists in 18 playoff games, and has given the Oilers the kind of support that is needed to win a title.

It’s not all on McDavid, and Nugent-Hopkins will play a vital role in the Stanley Cup Final.

Stuart Skinner must continue to answer questions and step up in goal

This has not been an easy postseason for the Oilers goaltender. Skinner was benched during the second-round series against the Canucks when his play was ordinary, but head coach Kris Knoblauch went back to him in Game 6 of that series. That move helped the Oilers turn a 3-2 series deficit into a 4-3 series win.

Skinner backstopped the Oilers to a 4-2 series victory over the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals. Dallas had a 2-1 edge after three games, but the Oilers won the final three games of the series to earn their spot against the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.

Skinner allowed just 1 goal in Games 5 and 6, and he appears to have transformed himself from a shaky netminder to a confident and capable one.

Skinner has an 11-5 record in the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 2.50 goals against average and an .897 save percentage with 1 shutout.

The goalie must show he can shut down the Panthers when they start to throw the puck around in the offensive zone and deliver a barrage of shots. If he can do that, the Oilers will have a great chance to win their first Stanley Cup in 34 years.

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