The 2023-24 NHL season may be down to its final few games, but there is still a lot left to unfold. The New York Islanders may have been eliminated in the playoffs over a month ago, but the team could still learn a lot in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Whether it be reconnecting with a fan favorite on the Florida Panthers or scouting a potential future Islander currently on the Edmonton Oilers, there is a lot to follow in the league’s final games of the playoffs.
Kyle Okposo
Kyle Okposo was an Islanders fan favorite over his nine-year career on Long Island. He suited up in 529 regular season games, totaling 139 goals and 369 points. He was also an alternate captain for much of his tenure and was a key leader on the team throughout some of the franchise’s worst-performing seasons. Once he became a free agent in the 2017 offseason, Okposo and the Islanders decided to part ways, but his contributions were not unrecognized.
Okposo signed with the Buffalo Sabres on a seven-year, $42 million deal. The deal did not age well for Buffalo, but it is not like it would have mattered if it was any lower since the team failed to make the playoffs in all seven years of his contract. In the final year of his contract, he was named captain, and then eventually brought back for an eighth season. From there, he played 61 games before getting traded to Florida at the deadline.
Okposo did not play much for the Panthers in the regular season, suiting up in just six games, but he has played 11 of the team’s 17 playoff games so far, registering two assists. He is no longer expected to put up strong offensive totals, instead focusing on his leadership and physicality to contribute. Now playing in his first-ever Stanley Cup Final, Islanders fans should be rooting to see the fan favorite etch his name into NHL history.
Evander Kane
While Evander Kane has a poor reputation among many hockey fans, he has been a sneakily amazing contributor to the Oilers’ forward core throughout his tenure. In 161 regular season games with Edmonton, he has 62 goals and 111 points. As well, he has 20 goals in 45 playoff games while averaging around 17 minutes per game.
Related: Insiders Emphasize Evander Kane’s Impact Ahead of Stanley Cup Final
While it may be considered easier to score goals when you are on a line with Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, that should not take away from Kane’s offensive production. He had strong offensive totals with the San Jose Sharks before he joined Edmonton, and he has good advanced analytics. He had 31.4 expected goals (xG) this past season, the second-best on the team and higher than both McDavid and Draisaitl, according to Moneypuck. He had 15.8 xG in 41 games in the 2022-23 season, and 18.5 xG in 43 games the season prior to that.
Making just $5.125 million for the next two seasons, Kane could be a prime trade target for the Islanders. While he is 32 years old, he is a left-handed shot, has physicality, and is a great goal scorer. He is affordable and would slot in on the first line alongside Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat, rounding out an already strong line. While the Oilers may not want to move him, they will be tight to the salary cap ceiling this offseason, so a Kane trade is a possibility.
Anton Lundell
Anton Lundell has been one of the best players on any team throughout the 2024 Playoffs. Not only does he have 12 goals in 17 games, but he has been an elite defensive forward. He has played just 16:36 per game but has been the most notable defensive forward for the Panthers outside of Aleksander Barkov. Lundell has won faceoffs at a 53.7% success rate, blocked shots, and killed penalties. He has scored crucial goals and showed up when it has mattered most.
The Panthers are in an incredibly tight salary position this offseason, with minimal space to sign pending free agents Brandon Montour, Sam Reinhart, and others. Lundell is a restricted free agent, meaning the Panthers will retain his rights if they choose to do so. However, he may have priced his way out of Florida, and the Islanders could propose an offer the team could not turn down. While this is all unrealistic, he is a player to keep an eye on as he is a dream acquisition with a small chance of becoming a future Islander.
Game 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final begins tonight at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+. The Panthers have home-ice advantage so they will begin the series at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. Islanders fans have not had much entertainment over the past month, but they should tune into the 2023-24 season’s final games.
