4 Oilers X Factors Go to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Panthers – Hockey Writer – Edmonton Oilers
The Stanley Cup finals will be rematched for the first time since 2008 and 2009. The Florida Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes for the third straight Cup final in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final Wednesday, while the Edmonton Oilers returned to the dance, thanks to a five-game victory for the Dallas star in the Western Conference Finals Thursday.
The last two teams meeting in the Continuous Cup Finals were the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Red Wings played their first game, while the Penguins took revenge in 2009.
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This should be a memorable cup final. The Panthers and the Oilers held a show a year ago when Florida jumped out with a 3-0 lead before the Oilers struggled to return to Game 7. The Panthers are ranked number one, but not without a lot of drama and hatred, and we can look forward to seeing each other again this time.
However, the Oilers should feel confident as they enter the first game on Wednesday. They have won 11 of the last 13 games, including five series to win two great teams of the Vegas Golden Knights and the Stars. That said, the Panthers will be the toughest test yet, and in order to beat them, the Oilers have four X-factors and they need to show their best form.
Evander Kane
The big reason why the Oilers were unable to finish the series in last year’s Stanley Cup final was that Evander Kane was hampered by injury. He was a non-factor before he was divided into the roster.
However, the injury forced Kane to miss the entire 2024-25 season, but he is back now, making a big impact in the playoffs, playing as both physical and offensive. He has five goals and 11 points in 15 games. The oilers rely on him to continue the work to reach the finals.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Perhaps the most beloved oiler, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, was very impressive in the playoffs. The always reliable Two-way Centerman has been one of his team’s best offensive producers in the first three rounds, scoring five goals and 18 points.
In the past, the defeat against Nugent-Hopkins was that he had a uniform attack. He has impressed with the total playoffs he spent his entire career, but this is mainly due to the team’s outstanding performance. This is a far cry from this year’s case, and the 32-year-old will need to continue to be the strength of this series.
Mattias Ekholm
Although Zach Hyman missed the rest of the playoffs due to injury, the Oilers welcomed Mattias Ekholm for Game 5. The 34-year-old is not suitable for the playoffs after being injured at the end of the regular season.
Ekholm is widely regarded as the Oilers’ best all-around defender, recording only 15:52 in Game 5, but he recorded the assists. The extended break before the first game of Wednesday’s Cup final should give him more time to be fully healthy and find his own game, which will be huge for the Oilers, who need him to perform the best.
Stuart Skinner
Goalkeeper Stuart Skinner spent his own moment in the playoffs last year, but it was nothing compared to what we saw from the playoffs. The 26-year-old has been incredible since taking a step back against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round compared to the Los Angeles Kings in the second round.
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Skinner played the best hockey of his NHL career in recent weeks, with 189 shots in 203 photos to kick out with a savings percentage (SV%) of 0.931 since retrieving the network. If he could go on for a few more weeks, the Oiler would almost certainly rise to the Stanley Cup.
Incredible Stanley Cup Final Series Store
This series is worth a look, as we already know the teams don’t like each other. This competition will only go well in everything. The Oilers hope to win their first Stanley Cup since 1990, and the Panthers will win the Dynasty dialogue again this year.
