Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

Oilers Player Airs Frustration Over Brad Marchand's Game 5 Goals

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 8:22 AM ET

Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final was a night to forget for Edmonton Oilers defenseman Jake Walman and one that could define Brad Marchand’s legacy with the Florida Panthers.

For one, Florida’s 5–2 win in Edmonton put them one victory away from back-to-back titles. Regarding Marchand, he scored twice, with both goals coming at Walman’s expense.

The second came on a brilliant solo effort capped with a five-hole finish, leaving Walman visibly frustrated, as he admitted in comments made to The Athletic after the game.

“That’s a good player,” Walman said about Marchand. “(Expletive) feeling as a defenseman. I want to have that one back. I’ve just got to play everybody hard. It doesn’t matter who they are.”

Oilers are unfazed in the face of defeat: ‘This was always going to be a long series’ https://t.co/p3il00wABg
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) June 15, 2025

Marchand’s addition at the trade deadline already looked like a coup for Florida. After Saturday’s game, it may go down as one of the most impactful mid-season moves in years.

The veteran now has six goals in the Final, the most in a single series since Esa Tikkanen in 1988. His 13 career Cup Final goals are the most among active NHL players.

The Panthers acquired Marchand from Boston on March 7 and once in the playoffs, he’s tallied 20 points in 22 postseason games, including 10 goals.

Oilers superstar Connor McDavid, in contrast, just found the net for the first time in the finals in Game 5, although that helped him make history once again.

McDavid's goal was his 150th career playoff point, a mark he's reached in just 95 games, thus becoming the third-fastest player in NHL history to hit that figure.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: