By Nathan Moser

The first two games of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final are in the books. If the hockey world voted on who they believed should be the current leader in the Conn Smythe Trophy voting, Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky would be winning that vote. He has been absolutely dominant in net and he has stifled the Edmonton Oilers’ offense to just one goal in two Cup Final games. Connor McDavid has been held to just one assist, and despite his offensive skills like skating and puck-handling, Bobrovsky has stopped him every step of the way so far.

This is the type of play that the Panthers wanted out of Bobrovsky when they signed him to a seven-year contract with them back in 2019 free agency. He had already put up significant numbers, such as being a two-time Vezina Trophy winner before as well as leading the NHL in shutouts for 2018-19. However, there was a time since he had joined Florida that the contract looked like a mistake. The Panthers have been paying him each season as one of the best in the league, and there were times when those results did not make the deal he signed. He was not living up to making $10 million a season for them. This was frustrating for management and the fanbase when the Panthers were not getting the right amount of solid play from him to justify the contract. Trying to get rid of him was going to be hard if they went down that route, given that the contract was monstrous.

Fortunately for the Panthers and their fans, they did not part ways with the 35-year-old netminder as he has been phenomenal for them in the crease. Even before getting to this playoff run specifically, the man they call “Bob,” had a tremendous 2021-22 season. He put up a record of 39-7-3 in 54 games played. He has not stopped making an impact, as Bobrovsky has been a significant part of Florida’s run to the Cup Final for the second time in a row. As the stats stand right now, Bobrovsky has a 2024 postseason record of 14-5. His goals-against average (GAA) so far is 2.02, while his save percentage (SV%) is currently .916. He also has two shutouts on this playoff run, including in Game One of the Cup Final when the Panthers beat the Oilers 3-0.

Many people in the hockey world had their doubts at times with Bobrovsky on the Panthers. There were times when I thought Florida was going to move in another direction and feel strong enough about it that they would retain half of his salary. He has proven the doubters wrong and should be the top choice for the Conn Smythe Trophy if he continues to be a brick wall in net for them.

Florida is only halfway there though, and they have had the benefit of playing the first two games of the series at home. Now, they head to Edmonton to take on the Oilers in Games Three and Four. Playing in front of the Oiler faithful might be a harder task, but Bobrovsky and the rest of the Panthers will make a huge difference if they can skate away with at least one win while in the province of Alberta.

Speaking of the rest of the Panthers, the group in front of Bob deserves credit for helping him out as well. Longtime NHL head coach Paul Maurice has put together a game plan that the rest of the roster has executed well. They make Bob’s job easier. Forwards like Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, and Evan Rodrigues (specifically in this series) have been carrying some of the offense. Meanwhile, the defense held down the fort in front of Bobrovsky on this run. Gutsav Forsling, Brandon Montour, Aaron Ekblad, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Niko Mikkola, and Dmitry Kulikov have done what they can to result in only one Oiler goal so far in this series. To do that to an Oiler team that has McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, Evander Kane, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins among others is impressive. The team in front of Bob deserves its fair share of credit. Bobrovsky, the last line of defense for this Florida squad, has just managed to stand out the most. When all is said and done and the Cup is officially won, I think Bobrovsky skates away with the Conn Smythe Trophy. He has stood on his head throughout the playoffs, has played a massive role in helping shut down other star players, and he is a matchup nightmare for all opposing offenses. The Oilers have a little bit of time to plan out their next attack before Game Three. They need to execute it almost to perfection. If they are not successful and Bobrovsky and the Panthers take Game Three, that may basically be a wrap for this Cup Final series.

By Nate Moser

The 2024 Stanley Cup Final matchup is set, and Game 1 is almost here. It is a clash between the Florida Panthers, who are making their second straight Cup Final appearance after losing last postseason to the Vegas Golden Knights. It is the third Cup Final appearance overall for the franchise and they are hoping that the third time’s the charm so they can get their first Cup championship. This time around, they have to face Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers were last in the Cup Final back in 2006 when they lost a seven-game series to the champion Carolina Hurricanes. The last time the Oilers won a Cup was back in 1990. A Canadian team in general has not hoisted the Cup since the Montreal Canadiens back in the 1993 Final. It has been a long road for the Oilers and their fanbase getting back this far in the playoffs. Now, one of these two teams will be getting the Cup. Here are a few notes heading into this Cup Final matchup.

The 2014 Draft Representation

The top picks in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft are all playing in this Cup Final. Defenseman Aaron Ekblad went first overall that year, forward Sam Reinhart went second overall to the Buffalo Sabres, Sam Bennett went third to the Calgary Flames, and fourth overall was Leon Draisaitl to the Oilers. Reinhart and Bennett have since joined Ekblad in Florida, while Draisaitl has been the best player on the team not including McDavid. Reinhart had a breakout season for goals. He has become a significant contributor to the Panthers, and the impending unrestricted free agent will be making a lot of money on his next contract. Below are all his stats ever since he was traded from the Sabres to the Panthers:

• 2021-22: 33 goals and 49 assists for 82 points in 78 games
• 2022-23: 31 goals and 36 assists for 67 points in 82 games
• 2023-24: 57 goals and 37 assists for 94 points in 82 games

A crazy side note is the fact that Reinhart did not even have the most goals in the league this season. That went to Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews who netted 69 goals. 57 isn’t too shabby either. Panthers general manager Bill Zito should do everything he can to make sure that Reinhart does not leave to go elsewhere, come July.

Currently, in the postseason, Reinhart has eight goals and four assists for 12 points in 17 games. That is good for fourth on the team behind Matthew Tkachuk (19 points), Carter Verhaeghe (17), and Aleksander Barkov (17). Bennett, meanwhile, has 10 points in 12 games (six goals and four assists). Ekblad has five assists in 17 games on this playoff run.

On the other side, Draisaitl is second on the team in points with 28 in 18 games on this playoff run (10 goals and 18 assists). Only McDavid has more points with 31 (five goals and 26 assists). Draisaitl was the fourth pick out of the group from the 2014 Draft in this Cup Final, but he has been a superstar accruing points out of the rest. McDavid is the face of this era for the Oilers, but Draisaitl very much deserves his share of credit. He is a star in his own right. Below are the stats he has put up in the last few regular seasons:

• 2018-19: 50 goals and 55 assists for 105 points in 82 games
• 2019-20: 43 goals and 67 assists for 110 points in 71 games
• 2020-21: 31 goals and 53 assists for 84 points in 56 games
• 2021-22: 55 goals and 55 assists for 110 points in 80 games
• 2022-23: 52 goals and 76 assists for 128 points in 80 games
• 2023-24: 41 goals and 65 assists for 106 points in 81 games

McDavid putting up 100+ points is more expected. Draisaitl also becoming a player who can produce that much per season is crazy and also a great decision on the Oilers management who drafted him. If the 2014 Draft was redone, Draisaitl is most likely going higher than Reinhart and is most definitely going higher than Bennett and Ekblad. Draisaitl has become a face of that draft, and if it was not for McDavid being his teammate, he would be the face of this era of the Oilers.

All four of these talents from the 2014 Draft will be called upon to be keys to their respective teams winning the series. Ekblad, Reinhart, and Bennett need to take care of their business, while Draisaitl tries to do that for Edmonton.

Trying to Stop McDavid

This is the first taste of a potential Cup championship for McDavid since arriving to the NHL back in the 2015-16 season. There has been a lot of disappointment throughout McDavid’s time in Edmonton, but the wait could very well be worth it if the Oilers can win four more hockey games. Anytime a team has to play against McDavid and his absolutely insane playing style, it is a nightmare. That concept is cranked up a few notches considering this is the final round deciding a winner. If the Panthers want to take the Cup home, they are going to have to find a way to hold off his production. Seeing the way McDavid skates, stick handles, and shoots can make that seem like a monumental task, but it is not impossible. Whichever defensemen are out there matched up against him are going to have their work cut out for them. They also are going to be the pivotal blueliners who can help turn the tide in Florida’s favor.

Previously discussing Draisaitl, the Panthers also must prioritize holding off his production too. Not to mention, keeping eyes on McDavid and Draisaitl mean that other great players for Edmonton have opportunities to capitalize. Winger Zach Hyman notched 54 goals and 77 overall points in 80 regular-season contests for 2023-24. Defenseman Evan Bouchard tallied 18 goals and 64 assists for 82 points in 81 games. In the postseason, the points have continued to flow for both Hyman and Bouchard. Hyman in 18 playoff games has 14 goals and four assists for 18 points. Bouchard, meanwhile, has six goals and 21 assists for 27 points in 18 games. That is not even talking about Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evander Kane, and others.

The Oilers, simply put, are a matchup nightmare and McDavid is a matchup problem on his own. Planning for him specifically means taking eyes off other Oilers talent. It’s a juggling act almost in a sense. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice and his staff are going to have to figure out how to balance their defensive attack against McDavid, Draisaitl, and the rest of the Oilers’ offense. It’s a hockey version of playing chess in a way. Best strategy will win.

Regular Season Series Results

The Panthers and Oilers squared off against one another twice, both matchups being late in 2023. The first game took place in Florida, where the Panthers won by a 5-3 score. The Panthers goals came from Kevin Stenlund, Carter Verhaeghe, Bennett, and two from Niko Mikkola. The goals for Edmonton were two from McDavid and one from Evander Kane. The second game was in Edmonton, but Florida still won by a bigger margin this time. Panther goals were generated by Verhaeghe who had two, Bennett with one, Montour with one, and one by Aleksander Barkov.

The Oilers are going to need to figure out how to get four wins after not being able to at least split the regular season series. The Cup Final is a whole different stage though, and no doubt both teams will be ready to do whatever it takes to try and hoist the Cup. I do not expect any blowout wins for either team. I think there will only be close games, similar to the 5-3 one that happened in the first matchup of the regular season. The games may also have less scoring. That will depend on how Sergei Bobrovsky and Stuart Skinner look. This could be a series that has a massive amount of scoring or a series where every goal scored is going to be crucial.

Prediction

The winner for the 2024 Cup Final will be the Panthers. The Oilers have had a great run to the Final. They will certainly have a great chance to bring the Cup back to Edmonton. I feel like the Panthers are the hotter team. Their offense can really take over and while the Oilers have talents like McDavid and Draisaitl, I think Florida finds a way to shut them down enough where they will win the series in six games. I am curious to see how Bobrovsky and Skinner play under the big lights of this stage. One of them is going to be a champion after this series.

I think being in the Cup Final last postseason will help the Panthers. They are still fresh off not lifting the Cup the previous year. It is very hard to make it back to the Cup Final after being in it the previous playoff run. Being able to make the Final two postseasons in a row happens to special teams, and this Panthers team is special. The fans have waited a long time for their first championship. The third time in the Final could indeed be the charm. As for the Oilers, they want to bring the Cup back to Canada. The Canadian team Cup drought has gone on a long time now, with other franchises like the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames missing on their opportunities to capitalize and end it. The Oilers have not won the Cup since 1990. Their wait could be over soon. One fanbase will not have to wait for the Cup any longer. This series should be a great one. Buckle up everyone, this could be quite the ride.