The Eastern and Western conference finals are set as the Dallas Stars will take on the Edmonton Oilers and the Carolina Hurricanes will take on the Florida Panthers. All four of these teams have depth up and down the lineup with elite goaltending that led them here.
I expect standout players like Matthew Tkatchuk, Mikko Rantanen, Jacob Slavin, and Connor McDavid to make a huge impact on their series. They all have a tremendous amount of playoff experience and they can lead their teams to victory.
Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers plays with heart and never gives up on a game. He’s a grinder who’s not afraid to get his hands dirty but also can score big time goals when you need it.
Mikko Rantanen of the Dallas Stars, recently acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes, has been on a different level this series. He leads the postseason in points with 19 and goals with 9 including a series clinching hat trick against his former team the Colorado Avalanche.
Jacob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes is always reliable in big moments as he’s a veteran and leads by example in big time games. He plays a hard physical defensive game that could slow down some of Florida’s star players.
Lastly is Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, the undisputed best player in the world. His combination of speed, stickhandling, and will to win could change the postseason in his favor. He’ll be looking for revenge after losing in game 7 of the finals last year.
A dark horse team that I could see winning it all has to be the Carolina Hurricanes. They’ve been contenders for years now and they easily took care of their first two opponents, winning both in only 5 games. They now have experience and talent that could propel them to take down the defending champions and win their first Stanley Cup in 20 years.
Another very possible outcome is a rematch of last year’s finals with the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers. The Panthers took a commanding 3-0 lead until the Oilers fought back by winning 3 straight and forcing a game 7. The Panthers ended up winning game 7, but it was a tremendous series between two very good teams. The Oilers are loaded with skill while the Panthers are gritty and play very well together as a team.
In the end, there’s nothing quite like the excitement, drama, and unforgettable moments that make the Stanley Cup playoffs so much fun to watch. My prediction is that both the Hurricanes and Oilers win their conferences and play each other in the Stanley Cup. Neither team will give an inch and it’ll be a hard fought series, but ultimately, the Edmonton Oilers will win their first Stanley Cup in 35 years, one year after a heartbreaking loss.