The 2024 Stanley Cup Final promises an exciting series, featuring generational talents, strong defensive players, contrasting coaching styles, and plenty of dramatic storylines.
The Edmonton Oilers will face off against the Florida Panthers in Game 1 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET (ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS, CBC). Regardless of the outcome, the sport of hockey will be the real winner.
If Edmonton wins, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will lift the Cup for the first time, joining the ranks of Oilers legends. The Oilers, in their first final since 2006, aim for their first championship since Mark Messier captained the team in 1990. A victory would mark Canada’s first Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.
A Florida win would also be historic, as the Panthers would capture their first Cup. Once struggling to make the playoffs and fill their arena, they are now in the final for the second consecutive season. Florida would be the third champion from the Sunshine State in five years, following the Tampa Bay Lightning’s wins in 2020 and 2021.
McDavid and Draisaitl seem destined for this moment. With four MVP trophies and six scoring titles between them, they are among the greatest playoff scorers ever. McDavid averages 1.58 points per game, while Draisaitl averages 1.56, trailing only Wayne Gretzky (1.84) and Mario Lemieux (1.61).
McDavid leads the playoffs with 31 points (five goals, 26 assists), aiming to break Gretzky’s playoff assist record (31) set in 1988. Draisaitl follows with 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists). Edmonton also boasts the leading playoff goal-scorer, Zach Hyman (14), and top-scoring defenseman, Evan Bouchard (27 points), who is close to breaking Paul Coffey’s assist record (25) from 1985.
Florida, however, is formidable. They have kept top players off the scoresheet and are scoring 3.24 goals per game while allowing 2.29. Edmonton averages 3.50 goals per game, allowing 2.61.
Edmonton’s captain, McDavid, will face Florida’s captain, Aleksander Barkov, a two-time Selke Trophy winner for best defensive forward. Florida also has top defensive pair Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling, and elite goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner and current finalist.
The Panthers are tough opponents—deep, physical, and relentless on the forecheck. They wear down opponents and stifle attacks.
Expect early intensity, not just from the Florida heat forecasted at 98 degrees Fahrenheit. Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk, with 19 playoff points (five goals, 14 assists), and Sam Bennett, both former Calgary Flames, love to agitate. Oilers’ Corey Perry, appearing in his fifth Cup Final with a record fifth team, adds to the mix.
The coaches bring contrasting styles. Kris Knoblauch, an NHL rookie, led the Oilers to the best league record after taking over on Nov. 12. Paul Maurice, with 1,848 regular-season and 130 playoff games coached, seeks his first championship in his third Cup Final appearance.
The narrative is rich, with each team featuring a long-awaited No. 1 pick: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for the Oilers (2011) and Ekblad for the Panthers (2014). Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak aim to win the Cup with their hometown team.
Whose dreams will be realized? The excitement is just beginning.
