Five reasons why the Florida Panthers will win the Stanley Cup

1. That 5-on-5 offense

The Panthers have done a lot of work over the last several years to acquire pieces to boost their offense. Remember, they didn't acquire Matthew Tkachuk until summer 2022, less than a year before they went to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.

Florida's efforts have resulted in incredible 5-on-5 depth that has owned the competition all season long. Per Covers, the Cats had the third-best goals-for percentage in the league during the regular season (56.6%) and the best overall in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs (56.4%). This is thanks to captain and top-line center Aleksander Barkov leading the charge while players like Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart help rack up goals with supporting help from bottom sixers like Anton Lundell.

2. Defensive depth

This defense has come a very long way since Florida selected Aaron Ekblad with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. Ekblad, Brandon Montour and Gustav Forsling make up half of a Panthers blue line that plays a two-way game that can leave opposing offenses in tatters.

"All six Florida blueliners are on the plus side of the CF% and xGF% battles, and the Cats are allowing the fewest expected goals per 60 minutes (2.17) at 5-on-5 in the playoffs," Covers tells us.

This is a defense that can stand up to a top-heavy team like Edmonton and not leave all the work to their netminder, although he happens to be playing quite well. Which brings us to our next point.

3. One word: Bob

Sergei Bobrovsky is listed at +450 at at DraftKings to win the Conn Smythe at the end of the Final behind Barkov at +400 and — surprise surprise — Connor McDavid at +200. However, the way Florida's starting goalie has played down the stretch in these playoffs deserves a lot more praise than that, given they might not be back in the Final without him.

Since an uneven opening series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Bobrovsky has registered a 1.89 goals-against average and .920 save percentage. That means he has allowed two goals or fewer over his last 13 starts. 

The Oilers are a team that tries to score its way out of trouble, and Bob will make it hard to do that.

4. Overall physicality

The Panthers led the NHL with 2,348 hits in the regular season and have continued that physicality into the playoffs, countering it with a penalty kill that has an 88.2% success rate. And even when they aren't throwing big hits, they have a physicality that takes time and space away from the opposition.

"Florida takes a rink that might feel like an Olympic-size rink...and they're going to shrink it down to a backyard rink," former NHL defenseman P.K. Subban said ahead of the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers. "That makes it very, very difficult to play in a Stanley Cup playoffs when you know that you're going to get hit every second."

5. The redemption run

This isn't to say the Oilers have nothing to fight for, considering their star-studded top six and the turnaround they had to have in the regular season to be in playoff contention in the first place. That doesn't compare, however, to the Panthers' need for redemption after falling to the Golden Knights in last year's Final.

As NHL.com staff writer Willian Douglas explains, these Panthers are "a little more serious" than last year's squad.

"This isn’t a Cinderella team or a 'just glad to be here' bunch in their return to the Final; Florida has handled its business in a methodical way," Douglas writes. "The Panthers played a heavy game with an aggressive forecheck to wear down and eliminate the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers, and they’ll frustrate the Oilers the same way. Edmonton’s offense is formidable with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman, but the Panthers defense with Gustav Forsling and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky will be up to the task."