Panthers, Oilers poised for another long, dramatic Stanley Cup Final

EDMONTON -- The Stanley Cup was in the room Tuesday, all shiny and resting on a circular table directly next to the podium where the coaches and general managers conducted their pre-series press conferences.

The trophy's presence at Stanley Cup Final media day serves as a symbol and reminder for what's on the line starting Wednesday, when the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers play Game 1 at Rogers Place (8 p.m. ET; TNT, truTV, MAX, CBC, SN, TVAS).

But compared to last year, when they were preparing to battle for the Stanley Cup for the first time, the Panthers and Oilers each now have a different appreciation and a different level of respect for what this all could mean.

For the Panthers, what's at stake is a chance to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, to be known as one of the greatest teams of all time, to continue what very well could be a dynasty in the making.

"We got a taste of what it's like and once you get a taste, you just want more," Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe said.

For the Oilers, what's at stake is a chance to become champions, to prove, like the Panthers did last year, losing can provide the greatest lesson for how to win.

It’s also a chance for Connor McDavid to add the one missing piece that all but guarantees his status as a legend in this league and game.

"There are steps to everything," said McDavid, the Oilers captain. "When you're a kid you just want to play in the NHL. Then you want to be successful and do all these great things. And then there comes a point where it's only about winning. I think this group hit that point years ago. It's been a few years here with this core and we're looking to finish the job."

So, it is a Stanley Cup Final rematch, only this time with the series starting in Edmonton instead of Florida, as it did a year ago. And yes, much of what we're going to see in the Cup Final is the same from last year's epic seven-game series.

But the subtle differences guided by experience could very well make the biggest impact in determining who comes out on top because both teams feel they're better than they were a year ago.

"I think you just learn and your experience just helps you a lot," Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl said. "Having been in those moments, having been in those games and not being able to finish it, I think that's what drives us. We're excited to get another crack at it."

The Panthers feel they're better because they now know both what it feels like to lose in the Cup Final, as they did in five games against the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023, and what it feels like to win the whole thing.

"The first time we were just excited to be there and maybe that moment might have been too big and we were just too content with just being there," forward Sam Bennett said. "Now there's still a job to do and we're not going to be content until that job is done."

The Oilers feel they're better because they understand the moment.

"Last year felt monumental, it felt very dramatic," McDavid said. "This year it feels very normal.”

Maybe a better understanding of the moment means they'll have a better start to the series than they did last year. They were down 3-0 and had to battle back to force a Game 7.

"Having gone through it the first time there's things you can take away from it, whether that's the importance of the start of the series, the importance of the focus of our group," Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse said. "You go through a full playoff like we did last year and you get to the Cup Final and all of a sudden you're looking at everything very big picture. This year, it's taking care of one game at a time, one day at a time."

The Panthers feel they're better because they have more firepower, averaging 3.88 goals per game through the first three rounds this year compared to 3.24 through three rounds last year.

But this year they have 19 unique goal-scorers in the playoffs; last year they had 14 through three rounds. This year they have seven defensemen with at least one goal, including four with three. And this year they're 8-2 on the road and averaging 4.80 goals per game.

"We play the exact same style, but if anything we're maybe deeper," Bennett said. "You've seen it all playoffs long, we've had guys from the fourth line right through the first line to all our 'D' chipping in on offense. That's really helped."

They're doing it while still being as stingy defensively, allowing 36 goals through 17 games for a 2.11 goals-against average, down from 2.29 through three rounds last year.

"Continuity," defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. "That's the standard we've tried to bring to our team. Our identity is something that we always circle back to throughout the season. Whenever we're wavering from our identity, we get back to it. Coaches drive it into us every day."

The Oilers are, if you can believe it, more dangerous offensively this season than they were last season. Yes, they're still led by McDavid and Draisaitl, who are first and second in the League in playoff scoring with 26 and 25 points, respectively.

But as a team they're averaging 4.06 goals per game, up from 3.50 through three rounds last season. Like the Panthers, they have 19 unique goal-scorers; they had 16 through three rounds last year.

The difference, and where they feel they're better, is how they defend, such as outscoring their opponents 29-15 after the second period. They were outscored 20-14 after the second period through the first three rounds last year.

"I think we're more patient and more trusting in our game," Draisaitl said. "I think we seem to have an understanding of when to pounce and when to make the right plays, the plays that are needed in certain moments. Just maturity, a little more mature in those moments."

They both are, which is precisely why nobody had to look at the Stanley Cup on Tuesday to know what they're playing for, precisely why nobody seemed in awe of the moment or the shiny trophy sitting on the circular table.

"We're three years into this, they're two years into it," Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said. "It should be a great series."