For the second straight season the Edmonton Oilers will meet the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final. For the past two seasons these teams have proven themselves above the rest of the league, setting up what projects to be one of the great rematches in NHL history.
There will be tons of familiarity on both sides, and lots to break down across both lineups. Let’s take a closer look at how the forwards for each team lines up.
Panthers’ strong forward lineup
As has been the case the past three seasons, Coach Paul Maurice builds his top-nine around duos, swapping thirds options in and out as necessary. There is a ton of defensive and physical prowess throughout the lineup, and naturally enough scoring talent to carry the Panthers to this point.
Rodrigues—Barkov—Reinhart
Verhaeghe—Bennett—Tkachuk
Luostarinen—Lundell—Marchand
Greer—Nosek—Gadjovich
Extras: Samoskevich, Boqvist, Sturm
The first line has the combination of Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart, both nominated for the Selke Trophy this season. While not the fastest, the pair are both very responsible and cerebral players. Barkov should be a perennial Selke Trophy candidate for years to come, adding in skill as a playmaker. Reinhart has a great shot from the bumper position, finding quiet ice in the slot to pair nicely with Barkov’s playmaking. For now, the industrious Evan Rodrigues finds himself on the top line, a well rounded player who is more effective than he is dynamically skilled.
The second line is built on the physical duo of Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett. Tkachuk does seem to be dealing with a lingering injury after the 4 Nations Face-off. Still, he is extremely effective near the net front, and the time off before the series starts might be a big help. Bennett is a pending UFA with a growing reputation as a playoff performer and a cheap shot artist. Over the years there have been more and more incidents of cheeky blows to the head from Bennett, including knocking Toronto Maple Leafs starter Anthony Stolarz out of the playoffs with an elbow to the back of the head. For now Carter Verhaeghe subs in as the third linemate, his speed and shooting range an appreciated complement to a rough and tumble duo that thrives in tight spaces.
The third line is built off the duo of Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen. The two Finns are both responsible defensively and big enough to win physical battles. Neither is willing to cheat for offence, making them a formidable duo that can match up against more heralded opponents. A potential issue here is that Luostarinen is injured, though there is little clarity on his availability for the series the time off will be a help. Brad Marchand has stuck since being placed with the duo, having found more success here than anywhere else in this Panthers lineup. Marchand brings a level of offensive creativity his linemates appreciate, as well as some snarl despite being the smallest member of the trio.
Maurice switched out his entire fourth line during their second round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, a bold manoeuvre that has since pid off. There should be an expectation that Maurice will do so again if the Panthers need a jolt. It will likely be one of Tomas Nosek or Nico Sturm at centre, both with size to work with. Jonah Gadjovic is a physical winger, while Jesper Boqvist brings some speed and skill. The mystery upside here is Mackie Samoskevich, a young player who seems on track to play higher in the lineup in the coming seasons.
The Oilers also boast a lot of depth
No doubt Oilers fans are more familiar with their group, led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The two superstars have been full value this playoffs, as always seems to be the case. Still, the Oilers have been even more dangerous than usual, as their depth has been incredible over this run. Coach Kris Knoblauch seems to have a knack for bold adjustments, meaning the Oilers lineup is more fluid in nature. Of course, the season ending injury to Zach Hyman puts a damper on things and alters the status quo.
Nugent-Hopkins—McDavid—Perry
Kane—Draisaitl—Kapanen
Podkolzin—Janmark—Arvidsson
Skinner—Henrique—Frederic
Extras: Brown, Jones, Ryan, Philp, Savoie
Naturally, things start with McDavid and Draisaitl and how they are deployed. Having them on two separate lines gives the opponents a lot to think about, and likely the Panthers will be trying to deploy Barkov and Lundell against them. The Oilers are not afraid to use the duo together circumstantially, late in periods, after a penalty kill, or late in games if need be.
After a down season Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has rekindled his excellence alongside McDavid. Perry serves as a Human stand in, having a fantastic season of his own, still wrecking havoc at the net front. Perry is not the player Hyman is, but having a net front presence is extremely important for complementing McDavid.
Kasperi Kapanen has played well above expectations, his speed a clear benefit on Draisaitl’s wing. With Evander Kane up to speed his physicality has replaced Vasily Podkolzin as the other winger, providing a bit more offensive upside than Podkolzin does.
Mattias Janmark has continued his playoff effectiveness, stepping up as a centre. It can be difficult to discern how to number the lines, as Adam Henrique is often thought of as the third line centre. The Oilers have a ton of depth to work with, as a number of wingers can and likely will be bumped up or down the lineup throughout the series. Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner provide some offensive firepower, while Trent Frederic joins the aforementioned Podkolzin as a physical option.
No doubt Connor Brown will find his way into the lineup if available, benefiting from the schedule break. Brown could easily find himself on McDavid’s wing, even. The other extras are unlikely to find their way into the lineup without the necessity of further injury, but the Oilers have some options to choose from. Max Jones brings some physicality, while Derek Ryan is a responsible two way player. Some higher upside options are less likely, though Noah Philp and Matthew Savoie could work their way in if the Oilers are desperate for either a centre in Philp or a scorer in Savoie.
Who will come out on top?
In all, the Oilers should feel quite good about their chances against the Panthers. While the Panthers are a formidable foe, the Oilers are poised for a better result than last season. The blueline is stronger, and moreover the team as a whole is much more poised than last season. McDavid acknowledged as much, but clearly this team has the skill and maturity to master the moment.
Obviously, finding a way to avoid the three games to none deficit the Oilers found themselves in last season will be crucial. The Oilers came close to battling back last year, and so should not be counted out this time around, no matter the circumstance. There should be no shame in either team losing this series, and the Oilers are well positioned as the slight favourite and with home ice advantage.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
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