Top applicants to obtain Stanley Cup first on Oilers, Panthers

It’s some of the enduring visuals in hockey historical past.

Joe Sakic, passing the Stanley Cup to Ray Bourque, who, at age 41, used to be after all ready to have a good time a championship for the primary time in his Hall of Fame occupation.

It took Bourque 22 seasons to reach without equal praise, and his Colorado Avalanche captain Sakic made certain he did not have to attend any more to have his second with the Cup.

It has grow to be custom within the NHL for the captain of the champions to go the Stanley Cup to a teammate whose adventure to that second holds additional particular that means. Last 12 months, Aleksander Barkov handed the trophy to Sergei Bobrovsky, the longer term Hall of Fame goalie who overcame criticisms about his long-term contract with the Florida Panthers to steer his crew to a Game 7 win over the Edmonton Oilers.

With the Panthers and Oilers set for a rematch within the Stanley Cup Final, listed below are 3 gamers from every crew who may well be applicants to obtain the best go a captain could make.

Connor McDavid is the face of the Oilers, however Draisaitl has been his 1A spouse for a complete decade now.

The duo have mixed for 6 scoring titles and 4 Hart Trophies (with Draisaitl a finalist once more this 12 months) whilst being inseparable off and on the ice.

Entering the Stanley Cup Final, McDavid leads the playoffs in scoring with 26 issues, however Draisaitl is correct at the back of him with 25. If the Oilers win the Cup, each gamers should paved the way, and it could then best be becoming that they’re the primary two to boost the trophy.

Nugent-Hopkins is the longest-tenured Oilers participant and the final one status from the membership’s decade of darkness. The Oilers ignored the playoffs for 10 directly years from 2007 to 2016 and decided on Nugent-Hopkins first general within the 2011 NHL Draft. The lanky ahead from Burnaby, B.C., made his NHL debut in 2011-12, and 14 years later, he stays a core piece for the Oilers.

The now 32-year-old has 5 targets and 18 issues getting into the Stanley Cup Final. Seeing Nugent-Hopkins after all elevate the Stanley Cup can be a symbolic reminder to the Oilers and their fanatics of the way some distance the crew has come from the ones darkish days all the ones years in the past.

Perry is the one participant at the Oilers who has received a Stanley Cup earlier than, doing so with the Anaheim Ducks again in 2007. He’s bounced across the NHL lately however has persistently been an affect participant on contenders. Perry has now reached the Final six occasions in his occupation, together with dropping in 2020 with Dallas, 2021 with Montreal, 2022 with Tampa Bay and 2024 with Edmonton.

If he and the Oilers get the activity executed this June, it may well be the general act in a occupation that looks destined for the Hall of Fame. Perry became 40 in May and has stepped up for the Oilers in this run, scoring seven targets and 10 issues after netting 19 targets all over the common season. The former Hart Trophy winner indubitably has proven he has extra gasoline within the tank, however going out as a champion can be a becoming finish for a man who has received the whole thing there may be to win in hockey.

Honourable mentions: Stuart Skinner, Mattias Ekholm, Zach Hyman

Only Barkov has been a member of the Florida Panthers longer than Ekblad, and the duo represents probably the most a success technology in franchise historical past. But that partnership may come to an finish after this collection.

The Panthers decided on Ekblad first general within the 2014 NHL Draft, twelve months after deciding on Barkov with the No. 2 select. Before the 2 of them arrived, the Panthers had best made the playoffs 5 occasions of their first 19 years within the NHL. Now the crew is recently on its 6th consecutive playoff run and, after all, already has one Stanley Cup banner putting within the rafters.

Ekblad has skated in 809 video games for the Panthers (moment best to Barkov in franchise historical past) and has been a pillar at the blue line. But he’s because of grow to be an unrestricted loose agent this summer season, and, after the mid-season industry for Seth Jones, the Panthers would possibly now not have the cap house to retain him.

If this in point of fact is the tip for Ekblad in South Florida, it could make highest sense for the 2 long-time companions to finish one ultimate go.

The Panthers made two high-profile additions forward of the industry closing date — Jones and Brad Marchand. Both can be worthy of receiving the Cup from Barkov first.

Jones joined the Panthers from the deep-rebuilding Blackhawks and has stepped into a big position at the blue line. Entering the Final, he leads all Panthers skaters with 24:59 of reasonable ice time and has scored 3 targets and 7 issues.

The 12-year veteran hasn’t performed within the playoffs because the 2020 bubble match and had by no means made it previous the second one spherical in his occupation. Winning the Stanley Cup right here will be the greatest success of his occupation up to now.

Marchand arrived in Florida after a surprising last-second industry on the closing date following a 16-year occupation with the Boston Bruins. The 37-year-old is an unrestricted loose agent this summer season and had one thing to turn out after failing to conform to a freelance with the one crew he is ever recognized.

So some distance in those playoffs, he is executed simply that through enjoying with an edge and scoring in large moments. Marchand has 4 targets and 14 issues within the playoffs up to now, together with the time beyond regulation winner in Game 3 in opposition to the Maple Leafs when Florida used to be trailing 2-0 within the collection. While he has received a Cup earlier than, with the Bruins in 2011, Marchand has temporarily discovered a house with the Panthers and can play an important position in the event that they repeat as champions.

Honourable mentions: Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Anton Lundell