As the Stanley Cup Final approaches, both Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice and Edmonton Oilers counterpart Kris Knoblauch have nothing but praise for their opponent.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Maurice expressed his admiration for the opposing team’s skills. He stated that he saw no weaknesses in their game and went on to praise their defensive abilities. Additionally, he remarked that their offense was exceptional and required no further discussion.
Knoblauch had nothing but praise to offer.
In praising the opposing team, he acknowledged the abundance of talent within their lineup. “There are a lot of skilled players on their roster, from their defense to their forwards. It’s especially impressive to see Aleksander Barkov leading the pack, as he’s considered one of the top two-way centermen in the league,” he remarked.
The Final will see the Panthers making their second consecutive appearance, while the Oilers last participated in 2006. The best-of-seven series is set to commence on Saturday.
Offense
The Edmonton Oilers boast a formidable offensive unit, with their top five scorers combining for a whopping 124 points, led by the exceptional Connor McDavid with 31 points. On the other hand, the Florida Panthers’ top five, led by Matthew Tkachuk with 19 points, have a total of 77 points. Notably, four Oilers players have outscored Tkachuk. Moreover, Zach Hyman has scored five more goals than Carter Verhaeghe, who is the leading scorer for the Panthers. Despite trailing the Oilers by a quarter goal per game, the Panthers have greater depth in scoring. Nevertheless, Edmonton’s top-notch talent makes all the difference.
The Edge: The Oilers.
Defense
With 27 points to his name, Evan Bouchard has outperformed the combined point totals of the top three defensemen on the Panthers team. However, Gustav Forsling has emerged as an exceptional all-around defender for Florida. Despite injuries to key players Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad, the Panthers were able to deepen their defensive lineup with the addition of three new defensemen in the offseason.
Goaltending
In terms of stats, Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky boasts an impressive record of 12-5, with a goals-against average of 2.20 and a save percentage of .908. On the other hand, Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner has a record of 11-5, with a goals-against average of 2.50 and a save percentage of .897. However, it’s worth noting that Skinner struggled in some games during the Vancouver series, leading Knoblauch to bench him for two games. After returning, Skinner came back stronger than ever. While Bobrovsky leads Skinner in Moneypuck’s goals saved above expected, it’s important to note that Skinner did not face the Panthers in the regular season, whereas Bobrovsky has a perfect record of 2-0 against Edmonton this season.
Panthers: Have the Edge
Special teams
The Edmonton Oilers are currently thriving on the power play, boasting an impressive 37.3% success rate, even surpassing their regular-season performance. This is likely due to the elite roster they put on the ice, featuring the likes of McDavid, Draisaitl, Bouchard, Hyman, and Nugent-Hopkins on their top unit. What’s truly remarkable, however, is their league-leading penalty killing, which has improved significantly from their 15th place ranking during the regular season. With the exception of two games in the second round, the Oilers have been perfect on the penalty kill. Their remarkable performance has been highlighted by the fact that the Panthers were only able to score one power-play goal against them in the conference finals.
The Edge Goes to the Oilers
When comparing two teams, it’s essential to look at their strengths and weaknesses. In this case, the edge clearly goes to the Oilers. With their impressive lineup and strong performance this season, the Oilers have proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with. While the other team may have their own strengths, it’s hard to deny that the Oilers have the upper hand in this matchup. So, if you’re a fan of the Oilers, you have every reason to feel confident about their chances in the upcoming game.
Coaching
In his first NHL season as a midseason replacement, Knoblauch has shown that he’s not afraid to make difficult decisions. He made the tough call to sit Skinner and veteran Corey Perry, which proved to be the right move. Meanwhile, Maurice has an impressive coaching record with nearly 2,000 regular-season and playoff games under his belt, but he’s also experienced two losses in the Final. In the last series, he mixed up his lines to help Florida overcome a 2-1 series deficit against the Rangers.
Panthers have the edge: This means that the Panthers are in a better position than their competitor.
Physicality
Despite playing one less game, the Panthers have a considerable advantage over the Oilers in hits, with a total of 739 compared to 563. Sam Bennett is known for playing on the edge, as Brad Marchand can attest, while Tkachuk is not afraid to get in your face. Among the remaining players, Evander Kane of Edmonton leads with 62 hits.
Panthers have the Edge: When it comes to the given situation, the Panthers are considered to have the advantage.
Overall
In the playoffs, winning mainly comes down to defense and goaltending. Although the Oilers have improved their defense under Knoblauch’s guidance, the Panthers have a clear advantage in this department and are likely to come out on top in the series. Additionally, the Panthers are in a better position health-wise compared to last year’s Final, which could also work in their favor.
Edge: Panthers
