The Edmonton Oilers are preparing to face off against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final which starts on Saturday, June 8 in Florida. After a strong six-game series against the Dallas Stars, the Oilers will need to find a way to elevate their game even more if they hope to take down the powerhouse Panthers. As the clear underdog heading into their first Final since 2006, the they will need to find a way to shut down the Panthers’ superstars consistently and continue playing at the insane offensive pace they’ve been maintaining throughout the entire postseason. While Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and Evan Bouchard have all been strong, the Oilers’ depth will also need to continue providing stable play.
The Panthers have one of the deepest teams ever assembled, and they will be a tough task for the Oilers. With Aleksander Barkov, Vladimir Tarasenko, Sam Reinhart, and Aaron Ekblad among the stars that the Oilers will have to deal with shutting down, their biggest issue might come in a familiar foe, Matthew Tkachuk. Oilers fans remember Tkachuk for his time with the Calgary Flames when he was always in the middle of the Battle of Alberta rivalry, and they will need to face off against him again to get to their first Stanley Cup since 1990.
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The Panthers are entering their second straight Stanley Cup Final. Last season, they were defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights and weren’t able to get it done. In that series, Tkachuk was dealing with a major injury and wasn’t a difference-maker for his team like he usually is. The Golden Knights took full advantage of this fact and were able to attack physically, with little to no response from the Panthers. The Panthers have a much more physical lineup now, but limiting Tkachuk could be a major key to the Oilers winning this tough series.
Tkachuk Well Known by Oilers, Oilers Faithful
One of the most popular rivalries in NHL history is the one between the Oilers and Flames, and Tkachuk was right in the middle of it during his time in Calgary. He was hated by many Oilers fans because of his physical nature and ability to get under his opponent’s skin, most notably Zack Kassian, who was lured into taking a few penalties because of his antics, and was even suspended after Tkachuk angered him. While he is on a new team now, there is no way the Oilers have forgotten about how impactful he was on the ice in more ways than one. While the Panthers aren’t a one-man team by any means, Tkachuk can be a difference-maker on any given night. If the Oilers let him get in their heads, the series will be over before it even starts.
During the postseason so far, Tkachuk has scored five goals and added 14 assists for 19 points through 17 games and is coming off of an 88-point campaign during the regular season. While that was a bit of a step back for him considering what he has produced offensively before, he will have an extra gear as he tries to help lead his team to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. His success as a two-way player is impressive, and he has continued proving that he is a force to be reckoned with at all points of any game. The Oilers will need to limit Tkachuk’s impact if they have any hope of bringing the Stanley Cup back to Canada.
Now as I mentioned, the Panthers are by no means a one-man team. However, Tkachuk was dealing with a major injury during the Final last season, and it was clear they were rattled and couldn’t pull themselves together. That series proved how impactful Tkachuk was, and the Panthers weren’t able to take down the Golden Knights. If the Oilers’ physical guys (Evander Kane, Dyaln Holloway, and Darnell Nurse) can rough up Tkachuk and get in his head, the Panthers may fall back on their heels a bit.
Oilers Need to Elevate Again
McDavid, Draisaitl, and the rest of the Oilers’ lineup has exploded and found another level this postseason. However, the job isn’t finished just yet. It’s impressive that they were able to win the Western Conference championship, but that’s not the trophy they’re looking for. Their play up until this point has been stellar at all ends of the ice, but they need to elevate and find another level. The Panthers are on a different level than any of their previous opponents, so hopefully, they come ready to play in Game 1.
The Oilers have proven many fans around the NHL wrong time and time again this postseason, and they’re looking to do it again as the underdogs. They don’t have home-ice advantage or the stronger lineup on paper heading into the series, but they have exploded offensively and are hoping they can lean on their entire team for the result they want. With all factors considered, the Oilers have a real chance of winning the Stanley Cup this season, but it’s going to be a real challenge to get by the Panthers.
