Stanley Cup Finals: Predictions For Edmonton Oilers vs Florida Panthers

The Stanley Cup Finals begin tonight with the Edmonton Oilers taking on the Florida Panthers in what should be a heavyweight fight. Both teams come in looking to make some history, with Edmonton looking to break the long title drought for Canadian-based NHL teams, while Florida is looking to win its first Stanley Cup in history.

Edmonton hasn’t been to the Stanley Cup Finals since the 2005-06 season, giving the Oilers a chance to hoist up another trophy. The organization has won five Stanley Cups in its history, with them coming in the 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, and 1989–90 seasons.

The Panthers have reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the second straight season, having lost to the Las Vegas Golden Knights in five games last year. Florida is looking for some redemption, holding home-ice advantage this time around.

How Edmonton Reached The Stanley Cup:

Edmonton started out its journey here by taking on the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs. They proceeded to knock out Los Angeles in a hard-fought five-game series, marking the third straight postseason that the Oilers have eliminated the Kings. Edmonton then faced off against the Vancouver Canucks in a battle between two of the best teams in the NHL. The Oilers survived a grueling seven-game series with Vancouver, winning Game 7 on the road to advance.

The Oilers then faced the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals and proceeded to go down 2-1 heading into a crucial Game 4. Edmonton responded with a massive win which propelled them to rattle off three straight and eliminate the Stars. Dallas was the top team in the West so it was somewhat of an upset for the Oilers to knock them out.

How Florida Reached The Stanley Cup:

The Panthers begin their journey back here by knocking out the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. Florida overpowered the Lightning in the series, leading the Panthers to the next round. They would then be matched up with the Boston Bruins, who they finished off in six games. Boston gave them a fight toward the end but the Panthers were in control throughout.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, Florida faced its toughest test in the New York Rangers, New York came in as the best team in the entire NHL and looked primed to win the title. Florida took care of them in six games to reach the Stanley Cup Final again. Taking down the Rangers wasn’t easy but the Panthers used their scoring prowess to knock out New York.

Prediction: Oilers in 6

Both teams have been battle-tested this postseason but Edmonton has the best player in the series, Connor McDavid. He is the X-factor for this series and has the ability to take over at any point. For the Panthers to win, their defense will need to be on point. Edmonton is an explosive offensive team so the Panthers will be challenged early and often. Look for the Oilers to break the drought for Canada that has spanned since 1993.