Hockey is a Canadian game. The first hockey game was played in Montreal in the 1870s. The Stanley Cup began as a challenge cup for Canadian amateur teams in 1893. An American team didn't win the Stanley Cup until 1917. And yet, the Edmonton Oilers are looking to become the first Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup Final since 1993.
This is a narrative the Oilers won't be able to escape. But their own Stanley Cup drought predates 1993. Edmonton has not won the Stanley Cup since 1990. This came two years after the franchise traded Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. And it was a championship that has been left to last a lifetime.
In 2024, though, the Oilers can end both droughts. However, a very worthwhile opponent stands in their way. The Florida Panthers are seeking the first Stanley Cup in their history. And they have the talent to win this series. That said, one thing the Oilers certainly don't lack is talent. With this in mind, here are the reasons Edmonton can defeat the Panthers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
Elite special teams
Perhaps the biggest surprise entering the Stanley Cup Final is Edmonton's special teams. They have always had an elite power play. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisatil certainly ensure that is the case. But their power play has reached another level in this year's postseason. This is thanks in part to the emergence of defenseman Evan Bouchard.
However, Edmonton's penalty kill has also shown up in a big way. Last postseason, the Oilers had an okay penalty-killing unit. They played to a 75.6% penalty-kill percentage in 12 games last year. This year, though, they are a class above the rest. The Oilers own a penalty kill percentage of 94%, which leads all playoff teams.
The Panthers are a physical team. And their physicality inherently opens them up to penalty trouble. As a result, Edmonton will need their special teams units to remain elite in the Stanley Cup Final. If they can, an Oilers Stanley Cup will certainly become a reality later this month.
Connor McDavid and the Oilers' historic offense
To an extent, this coincides with the previous point. The Oilers have an elite power play because of their offensive attack. But again, McDavid and the rest of Edmonton's core have reached a truly historic level this postseason. And we could see some records broken in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
McDavid has 31 points through the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If he records six assists, he will set the record for most assists in a single postseason in league history. He has a legitimate shot at becoming the third 40+ point postseason scorer in NHL history, as well as the first since 1993.
Bouchard has had a historic postseason in his own right. The Oilers defenseman enters the Stanley Cup Final with 27 points. He needs just five assists to break the record for most assists for a defenseman in a single postseason. Furthermore, he needs 10 points to break the single postseason mark for points by a blueliner.
Draisaitl and Zach Hyman are also producing at elite levels. In fact, Hyman has an outside chance at breaking the single postseason record for most goals. The former Michigan product needs six goals to set a new mark. And he has the ability as he scored seven goals in the first round against the Los Angeles Kings.
The Oilers do not have a balanced offensive attack. But when the core players are firing like this, you don't need to. If Edmonton can maintain their form on offense, they will almost certainly defeat the Panthers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
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