The Edmonton Oilers are well aware of what awaits them with the Florida Panthers: numerous hits, post-whistle skirmishes, and a blend of skill and determination.
However, the Oilers are not daunted by the Panthers’ physical play. They’re prepared to meet the challenge as the Stanley Cup final kicks off on Saturday night.
“Florida plays a fast, aggressive game,” said Oilers captain Connor McDavid, the playoff scoring leader with 31 points. “I don’t think it changes anything.
“We expect scrums and such, but we’re a veteran team, one of the older ones in the league. That stuff doesn’t faze us.”
The Panthers have been dominant in the East, defeating the New York Rangers in six games in the Eastern Conference final, with the Rangers’ only wins coming in overtime. Before that, they overpowered the Boston Bruins in a six-game series, playing a rough, physical style. Aleksander Barkov, one of the top two-way forwards, contained Bruins star David Pastrnak, and Sam Bennett sidelined Brad Marchand with a borderline hit.
The Panthers’ first playoff victim was the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team rich in Stanley Cup experience, which they dispatched in five games.
The Oilers’ Western Conference final opponents, the Dallas Stars, were less physical than the Panthers. However, the Oilers believe their second-round series win against the Vancouver Canucks was good preparation for facing Florida.
Trailing 3-2 in the series, the Oilers rallied to win in seven grueling games against Vancouver, who tallied 289 hits, averaging over 40 per game.
If the Oilers win the Cup, Edmonton fans might thank the Canucks for toughening up their team for the Panthers.
“We faced a physical team in Vancouver,” McDavid noted. “It’s the playoffs, it’s the finals. Physicality is expected no matter who the opponent is.”
Leon Draisaitl, second in playoff scoring with 28 points, added, “We can be physical too. We prefer to control the puck, but we’re not intimidated by physical play. We handled it well against Vancouver and L.A. Dallas was different, but we know how to play that way too. We’ll be ready.”
The intense, all-Canadian series against Vancouver also helped prepare the Oilers for the finals, says defenseman Mattias Ekholm.
“The pressure and hype of playing Vancouver helped calm things down for us,” he said. “That series showed us the intensity we can handle.”
The Oilers’ power play success, with a 37.3-percent conversion rate and a 93.9-percent penalty kill rate, could be crucial if the Panthers resort to physical play. In comparison, Florida’s power play stands at 23.3 percent, with an 88.2 percent penalty kill rate.
A key matchup will be Barkov against McDavid. Barkov has excelled both offensively and defensively with 17 points in 17 games, often shutting down top opponents. McDavid acknowledges Barkov’s prowess, saying, “We’ve faced many good players and teams. Barkov is one of the best in playing both ways. He’s really solid.”
