5 players to watch in the Edmonton Oilers vs Florida Panthers Cup final feat. Connor McDavid

By Ryan Gagne

Modified Jun 08, 2024 22:29 GMT

The Stanley Cup Final begins on Saturday night (June 8), with the Florida Panthers challenging the Edmonton Oilers for the chance at hockey's ultimate prize.

Heading into this series, there are over a hundred storylines to follow. However, let's discuss which five players are worth watching in a series that could be over in four or extend to the pivotal seventh game.

5 players to watch in the Edmonton Oilers vs Florida Panthers Cup final

#1. Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)

Connor McDavid, Oilers' captain at Stanley Cup Final Media Day

Connor McDavid is on the cusp of NHL history, sitting at 26 assists ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. He's averaging 1.44 helpers a game and needs only five more to catch Wayne Gretzky's record of 31 assists in 1987-88.

Moreover, he's collected 31 points in 18 games, with a points-per-game average of 1.72, so if the Stanley Cup Final goes six or seven games and he keeps pace, there's a chance McDavid becomes the third skater to reach 40 points in a single playoff run.

#2. Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers)

Outside of McDavid, his Oilers' teammate Leon Draisaitl has the second-best odds of winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Even though he was quiet in the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars, with just four points, he had 25 points in the first 13 games of the postseason.

Draisaitl is just two points away from becoming the 37th player to collect at least 30 points in a single playoff drive. It won't matter if the Oilers win or lose the Stanley Cup Final; there's no denying that fans have gotten to watch Draisaitl have a remarkable second season.

#3. Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers)

Aleksander Barkov is the captain of the Panthers and one of the longest-tenured members in the current lineup. Realistically, he's the face of the franchise as the second overall pick from the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

However, Barkov is often overlooked in a lineup that includes 50-goal scorer Sam Reinhart and 100-point player Matthew Tkachuk. Despite not being the focal point of Florida's attack, he is the best defensive forward in the NHL and is the front-runner for the Frank. J. Selke Trophy.

Considering the Panthers are in the Stanley Cup Final by shutting opponents down, that part of their plan is built around Barkov, one of the league's unheralded leaders.

#4. Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers)

Tkachuk played for the Oilers' rivals, the Calgary Flames, for six seasons. He was a pest for several Edmonton stars and their goalies for years, with 26 points in 32 career games. When he got traded to Florida in 2022, there was no thought he'd be back to halt their quest for the Stanley Cup.

In 2023, Tkachuk was the reason the Panthers rolled into the Final. This season, he's still leading the team in scoring but not making the headlines every game like before. Maybe it was fate that he's flown under the radar, saving all his energy for this series.

Either way, he is one of the most significant game-breakers in this series, which says something since McDavid is on the other side.

#5. Evan Bouchard (Edmonton Oilers)

Evan Bouchard, a defenseman, has 27 points thus far in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, becoming the face of the Oilers' blueline. Whether it's chasing franchise records held by Hall of Famer Paul Coffey or just carving out his own legacy, his performance is a significant reason Edmonton is in the Final for the first time in 18 years.

Unless Bouchard has an outstanding series and challenges McDavid and Draisaitl for the scoring title, he's a long shot for the Conn Smythe. He could still win if Edmonton shuts down the Panthers' attack and wins the series in a sweep or five games with minimum damage on the scoreboard.