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Stanley Cup Final difference-makers: Connor McDavid, Aleksander Barkov among 10 stars to watch
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- Stanley Cup Final difference-makers: Connor McDavid, Aleksander Barkov among 10 stars to watch
Edmonton Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been two of the top players in the NHL since they started playing together in 2015.
McDavid, the No. 1 overall pick of 2015, leads all players with 982 points since he joined the league, has won the Hart Trophy (MVP to his team) three times and is a finalist this season. Draisaitl, the No. 3 pick of 2014, is second with 841 points and won the Hart Trophy in 2020.
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They'll get even more attention as they play in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in their careers, starting Saturday . The Oilers will face the Florida Panthers , who reached the championship round last season and fell to the Vegas Golden Knights .
Here are 10 difference-makers in the series:
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid will be making his first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.
Florida Panthers players to watch
Center Aleksander Barkov :He won the Selke Trophy (best defensive forward) for the second time in his career, plus has three game-winning goals in the playoffs. He missed this season's first meeting with the Oilers but was used against McDavid in the second meeting and limited him to one assist.
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Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky :He's a finalist for the Vezina Trophy and has won it twice. He has given up two or fewer goals in 10 of his last 11 games. He played in both of the Panthers' victories against the Oilers, making 38 saves in the second one. He'll be motivated after being pulled in Game 2 of last year's Final and giving up eight goals in the clincher.
Winger Carter Verhaeghe :He leads the Panthers with nine goals this postseason and had three goals and two assists during the season series. He has five career playoff overtime goals .
Winger Matthew Tkachuk :The Oilers are quite familiar with Tkachuk from his days with the rival Calgary Flames . He's the Panthers' leading scorer and was dominant , too, in last year's playoffs. He has unfinished business after missing Game 5 of the 2023 Final with a fractured sternum .
Forward Sam Reinhart :He had a career-best 57 goals this season, second in the league, and has eight goals this postseason, matching last year's total. Four were scored on the power play. His timing is perfect because he's an unrestricted free agent this summer.
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Others to watch:Forward Sam Bennett , another former Flame, is a hard-hitting forward who plays on the edge . He also has six goals. ... Defensemen Gustav Forsling and Aaron Ekblad will try to shut down the Oilers stars. Forsling also is putting up offense .
Edmonton Oilers players to watch
Center Connor McDavid:He seemed to be passing up shots earlier in the playoffs, leading to speculation he might be hurt. No one is saying that anymore. He leads the NHL playoffs with 26 assists and 31 points. His goal in the clinching game against Dallas was spectacular. His speed and moves make him hard to stop.
Center Leon Draisaitl:He's second in the NHL with 28 points and opened the playoffs with a 13-game point streak. He leads the league with six power-play goals and is tied with McDavid with 14 power-play points.
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Defenseman Evan Bouchard :The defenseman had a breakthrough 82 points in the regular season and has continued that in the playoffs. He's the NHL's top-scoring blueliner with 27 points. He has a powerful shot from the point on the power play.
Winger Zach Hyman:McDavid's linemate had his first 50-goal season (54) and leads the playoffs with 14 goals. He's dangerous around the net.
Goalie Stuart Skinner :He faces a lot of scrutiny and coach Kris Knoblauch sat him out for two games in the second round. The reset worked. He has allowed two or fewer goals in seven of eight games since his return and made 34 saves in the clincher against the Stars .
Others to watch:Forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is fifth in playoff scoring with 20 points. His two power-play goals helped the Oilers win Game 5 vs. the Stars. ... Defenseman Mattias Ekholm's arrival in a trade last season helped steady the Oilers' defense. He's paired with Bouchard, helping that player's development. ... Forward Corey Perry is making his fifth appearance in the Final, all with different teams. He won with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stanley Cup Finals stars: 10 players to watch in Panthers vs Oilers
