Author: NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

Another spring, another Toronto heartbreak.

In the wake of the early exits by the Maple Leafs, once again, speculation is rampant about Mitch Marner's future. The 27-year-old winger, who was once thought to be a franchise pillar, will see out the final season of his deal with a $10.9 million cap hit and an absolute no-movement clause.

While he hasn't requested a trade, it's time to begin penning the discussions after nearly a decade of playoff underachievement for the Leafs' core. It would be smart for the Maple Leafs to explore trades because if you're the GM of the Leafs, you don’t want to lose Marner for nothing come July 1st. 

Several teams will be interested in trading for Marner or signing him outright. Potential teams could be the Los Angeles Kings, the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Dallas Stars. 

This is where the Los Angeles Kings come in as a fit that could take them to the next level. 

A Natural Fit in L.A.

With new general manager Ken Holland now calling the shots and over $21 million in projected cap room, the Kings are primed to make a franchise-altering move this offseason.

A Marner trade wouldn't be about skill entirely—it would address one of the team's most significant issues head-on: consistent top-line scoring and playmaking aside from Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala.

We saw in the playoffs once again how the Kings were unable to dethrone the Oilers for a fourth straight year, even with home-ice advantage; they still lost in the first round. The same history repeated with the Maple Leafs who once again couldn’t get over the hump of reaching the eastern conference finals. 

Both teams have had early exits in the playoffs over the last 8 years or so, and have played at a lesser version of what was expected of them come playoff time. 

Although the Kings' foundation is solid, particularly on defense and in goal, there's an apparent need for another top-notch playmaker to go along with Fiala's vision and Phillip Danault's two-way play.

The Kings need another right wing to fill their depth chart alongside Quinton Byfield and Adrian Kempe. Byfield didn’t have the best series against the Oilers, while Kempe had great moments, but it wasn’t enough to win. 

But someone like Marner, who accumulated 102 points last season and plays tough minutes on the power play and penalty kill, aligns with the Kings' identity of speed, structure, and defensive responsibility.

Imagine a Fiala, Danault, and Marner line—or even a power-play combination of Drew Doughty, Marner, Fiala, and Quinton Byfield. It could give L.A.'s struggling offense a boost.

🚨 Is Mitch Marner swapping Maple Leafs blue for LA Kings silver and black?! 👇#lakings#LeafsForever#NHLTradeRumors#mitchmarnerhttps://t.co/NEJCkJ6e2S

— NHL Trade Rumors (@nhltraderumours) May 24, 2025

What Would a Trade Cost?

If the Maple Leafs decide to trade Marner before he becomes a free agent on July 1st, the deal would cost assets, future draft picks, and cap space. 

The Kings could be asked to trade at least one of their players from their young core or rising stars (look at Brandt Clarke or Quinton Byfield), a first-round draft choice, and perhaps a player such as Kevin Fiala or Trevor Moore to balance out salaries. 

But, again, this is all hypothetical because a trade might not be necessary unless the Maple Leafs want to get something in return rather than letting Marner walk. Again, there will be several teams that will have a better and more enticing offer that fits with what the Maple Leafs are looking for. 

Why It Makes Sense—For Both Sides

For the Maple Leafs, trading Marner would provide cap relief and the ability to retool their roster, which is currently top-heavy. For the Kings, it would bring new offense to a core that has now shown up for four straight playoff runs without a series win.

And again, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said a few weeks ago after another early exit in the Stanley Cup playoffs that changes will come in the offseason, and the first significant change could be to find Marner a new home. 

Bottom Line: If Mitch Marner becomes a possibility, the Kings should be highly in the running. He's the kind of elite-level forward who might put them over the top—and bring playoff success to Los Angeles for the first time in history.

Mitch Marner, Bowen Byram, Brad Marchand…

Let’s have some fun looking at a few routes Ken Holland and the Kings can take this offseason.#GoKingsGo | @Hockey_Royaltyhttps://t.co/JqWqkYtsQ1

— Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) June 3, 2025

The NHL Draft Lottery was held on May 5, and it was determined that the Anaheim Ducks would hold the tenth overall selection in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, dropping two spots after holding the eighth-highest odds to win the lottery.

This will mark the Ducks' seventh consecutive year drafting in the top ten. Ownership and the front office have a public mandate to make the playoffs in 2025-26 and put an end to the third-longest active playoff drought in the NHL.

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With one of the deepest and most potent cores of young players in the league, having taken a significant step in the standings in 2024-25, and holding the third-most available cap space in the NHL, the idea of Anaheim trading the tenth overall pick, whether on its own or as part of a package, in exchange for a proven impact player is something often speculated, validly so and especially in a draft where the caliber of player potentially available at ten may not reach that of year’s past.

The drawback to that idea lies in the rarity of such trades. In the last 15 years, only six top ten picks have been traded in the days leading up to or at the NHL Draft:

2011

To CBJ: Jeff Carter

To PHI: 2011 eighth overall pick (Sean Couturier), 68th overall pick, Jakub Voracek

2012

To CAR: Jordan Staal

To PIT: 2012 eighth overall pick (Derrick Pouliot), Brian Dumoulin, Brandon Sutter

2013

To NJ: Corey Schneider

To VAN: 2013 ninth overall pick (Bo Horvat)

2017

To ARI: Derek Stepan, Antti Raanta

To NYR: 2017 seventh overall pick (Lias Andersson), Anthony DeAngelo

2021

To VAN: Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Conor Garland

To ARI: 2021 ninth overall pick (Dylan Guenther), Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel, 2022 second-round pick, 2023 seventh-round pick

2022

To OTT: Alex DeBrincat

To CHI: 2022 seventh overall pick (Kevin Korchinski), 39th overall pick, 2024 third-round pick

When asked about his opinion on the infrequency of top ten picks being traded at the draft, Ducks assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Martin Madden gave his thoughts.

“I just think that most staffs, most GMs, you see it coming throughout the season,” Madden said. “You work hard to assess those top-15 guys in the draft. You know them best.

You know what you like, you know what you want, and, as it gets closer, you don't want to let that go. I think that's why most of those picks are never traded.”

Top ten picks in any draft are franchise-altering pieces. If they hit, they typically have the talent to become a core piece with the capacity to stabilize a roster for the foreseeable future. If a team misses on a top ten pick, however, it can set them back in their climb toward contention significantly. As seen in the above examples and in countless others where top picks were traded a year or two in advance, the team trading the pick away usually comes away worse off.

A couple of NHL teams are projected to be closing in on the salary cap ceiling for the 2025-26 season, leading some to speculate on the availability of talented players on their rosters. The Colorado Avalanche are projected to have $1.2 million in cap space with 19 players under contract, and the Dallas Stars are projected to have $4.96 million with 16 under contract.

Speculation suggests Stars forward Jason Robertson and Avalanche forward Martin Necas could be made available, as their UFA years are on the ever-nearing horizon. If speculation turns to reality, those are the caliber of players teams would likely be willing to part with a top ten pick for.

Deals involving top ten draft picks have become scarce in the landscape of the NHL trade market. However, in the event that a young, potential core piece becomes available, a team like the Ducks may be a candidate to be persuaded into trading their highest pick in the upcoming draft. If such a trade is to occur, it will likely be finalized on the first day of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft or the day preceding it.

Photo Credit: NHL.com

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As expected, the Dallas Stars dismissed coach Peter DeBoer Friday morning, ending DeBoer’s time with the Stars after three seasons. DeBoer burned his bridge with star goalie Jake Oettinger in the Western Conference final, making it more likely that Dallas would part ways with the veteran bench boss. 

However, longtime observers of the NHL’s coaching community know many coaches with resumes like DeBoer’s aren’t unemployed for very long. There are always teams that are impressed by someone with the pedigree that DeBoer possesses, and his next NHL coaching opportunity may come sooner rather than later.

Where could DeBoer wind up? Let’s look at three teams below and see if there’s a potential fit there.

1. Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres have missed the playoffs for 14 straight seasons, and while you can say many things about DeBoer’s coaching style, you can’t deny that he’s been able to guide teams into the post-season. Indeed, while DeBoer struggled to be a playoff coach in the early part of his NHL career, in nine of his past 10-and-a-half seasons coaching, he has led the Stars, Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks into the playoffs.

Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is under extraordinary pressure to end his team’s playoff-less streak, so while veteran Lindy Ruff will probably start the season as Buffalo’s coach, we can see a world in which the Sabres stumble out of the gate and turn to DeBoer to salvage their season. Buffalo’s underachieving core may test DeBoer’s patience, but if he were able to turn things around, Sabres fans would more than welcome him, warts and all.

DeBoer may quietly prefer to coach a team that’s a lock to make the playoffs, and that doesn’t describe Buffalo right now. But there are only 32 jobs in the NHL to choose from, and DeBoer might see the Sabres as his last, best chance to get it right. And hockey fans in Western New York would at least get the satisfaction of knowing DeBoer has a wealth of experience to draw from.

2. Nashville Predators

Like the Sabres, the Predators had a brutal 2024-25 season, failing to make the playoffs despite major additions including Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos. Preds GM Barry Trotz – himself an accomplished coach – can’t do both main management jobs, so giving Nashville’s reins to DeBoer would instill a sense of urgency to an organization that desperately needs it.

Because of the Predators’ subpar 2024-25 season, current Predators coach Andrew Brunette is on a short leash. Trotz is likely to make some notable roster changes this summer, but the pressure Nashville’s coach faces to get the team back into the playoffs is considerable. And Trotz may decide that DeBoer’s long shelf life as an NHL coach makes him a great fit with the Preds.

DeBoer can draw on his ability to squeeze strong play out of his teams to turn the Predators back into a reliable playoff team, and while a change behind the Preds’ bench may not happen until well into next season, DeBoer has the luxury of sitting back and waiting for an opportunity to fall into his lap. And that opportunity definitely could come in Music City.

3. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings have already had tumult since the Edmonton Oilers eliminated them in the first round of this year’s playoffs, parting ways with GM Rob Blake and replacing him with multi-time Stanley Cup-winner Ken Holland. So, right off the hop, you have to wonder if current Kings coach Jim Hiller’s job is in jeopardy. Holland undoubtedly wants his own coach running the Kings, and although Hiller has done well in the regular season, playoff success has eluded him.

DeBoer has experience coaching in California from his four-and-a-half years coaching the Sharks, including the only time he’s reached the Cup final, back in 2015-16. Holland may not want to hand over power to a young coach, because the Kings are a team trying to contend now while transitioning into a new era with their younger players.

The balance that’s needed in L.A. calls for someone who can add structure and instill confidence in their players, and his experience with Oettinger aside, DeBoer has the resume that GMs like Holland will be intrigued with. 

The Kings are the longest shot in this group of three potential destinations for DeBoer. But DeBoer’s veteran know-how may ultimately be what makes him the right person for the job in Los Angeles. The Kings need someone who can get them out of the first round, and DeBoer has done exactly that with the Stars. So you have to think he’s a candidate to get the job in L.A. if it becomes available.

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ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Blues coach Jim Montgomery finished fourth in voting for the Jack Adams Award, falling short of being in the top three and being a finalist.

First awarded in 1973-74, the Jack Adams Award is presented annually “to the coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success.”

Montgomery finished with 38 points, including two first-place votes. Washington Capitals coach Spencer Carbery (464 points) won the award, followed by Scott Arniel of the Winnipeg Jets (249) and Martin St. Louis of the Montreal Canadiens (66).

Montgomery, who turns 56 on June 30, was hired by the Blues on Nov. 25 after Drew Bannister was fired and was 35-18-7 and helped fuel a turnaround that included a franchise-record 12-game winning streak that culminated in the Blues' first playoff appearance since 2021-22 before falling to the Presidents' Trophy-winning Jets in the first round in seven games.

Montgomery, who signed a five-year contract after being fired by the Boston Bruins on Nov. 19 despite coaching the Bruins to an NHL-record 65 wins in 2022-23, was an assistant coach with the Blues under Craig Berube for two seasons starting in 2020-21.

If Kent Hughes wants his Montreal Canadiens to become a perennial contender, there are a few key areas the general manager needs to address. At the top of the list is a second-line center, and not far behind is a right-shot defenseman. Unfortunately for Hughes, the organization has just lost another right-shot defenseman.

Gustav Lindstrom wasn’t a Canadiens’ draft pick; he was selected 38th overall at the 2017 NHL draft by the Detroit Red Wings and first joined the Habs before the 2023-24 season. In the second Jeff Petry trade. After just 18 games with the organization, he was claimed by the Anaheim Ducks on waivers.

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The defenseman returned to the organization after being released from his professional tryout agreement with the Ducks, signing a one-year, two-way contract. In 42 games with the Laval Rocket this season, he put up 11 points and added another two in 13 playoff games.

The Swedish side Djugarden announced earlier this week that they had signed the blueliner to a 5-year deal. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as he found himself behind players much younger than him, such as David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux. While no one likes to see assets leave an organization, Lindstrom wasn’t what the Canadiens needed and was unlikely to have a significant impact at the NHL level.

Hughes and Co. are not scrambling to find a replacement right now. Lindstrom might be the first of many veterans who decide to take their game elsewhere this Summer.

Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

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EDMONTON – “That’s hockey.”

You win some, you lose some.

In the words of Edmonton Oilers forward Corey Perry, who knows more about puck than I do, that’s just hockey.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. 

After the euphoria in Edmonton in the wake of their Game 1 victory, the City of Champions is picking itself up after a Game 2 defeat. They lost a double-overtime heartbreaker to the Florida Panthers, who tied up the series 1-1.

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“We made some great plays, they capitalized on some plays where we could have been there,” Perry told reporters after the game. “One mistake and it gets magnified, and it did tonight.”

One of those great plays came from the mind (and stick) of Connor McDavid. He made a tremendous play on Leon Draisaitl’s powerplay goal that put everybody’s head into a tailspin.

CONNOR MCDAVID IS NOT HUMAN 🤯 #StanleyCup

🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctFpic.twitter.com/mfLZeTz7E2

— NHL (@NHL) June 7, 2025

The second period was another sore spot for the Oilers in Game 2, which isn’t surprising given that the Panthers were down 3-2 after the opening 20 minutes.

Perry discussed how the Panthers executed their strategy, a style that the Oilers can also employ. 

“We talk about it all the time; you hem them in and roll the lines over, keep them tired,” Perry revealed. “That’s the way we play. They’re going to do it as well; they’re a great team.” 

Perry shines in moments like these. His calm optimism mirrors that of McDavid and head coach Kris Knoblauch. He hasn’t lost sight of what the Cup Finals are – the two best teams going toe-to-toe until one bests the other.

“They’re a good team, like I keep saying,” Perry stated. “They’re going to push us to the max, and we’re going to push them to the max.”

Best on best is the name of the game. The Oilers were never going to sweep the Panthers in the Cup Final. But if the Cup Final from last year taught us anything, it’s to expect everything.

You win some, you lose some, that’s just hockey. Get a good night’s sleep and move on to the next game. The series is tied 1-1 heading back to Florida.

The Oilers got to this position by taking the regular season one game at a time. Perry has carried that mentality into the postseason. And the Oilers will get another crack at the can on Monday for Game 3.

“Yeah, it’s frustrating right now, but we are in the final for a reason.”

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Philadelphia Flyers GM Danny Briere has seen and done it all during his brief time in charge of his former team, and his first piece of business is looking like his best so far.

On June 6, 2023, two years ago yesterday, Briere made his first trade as the general manager of the Flyers, sending Ivan Provorov and Hayden Hodgson to the Los Angeles Kings (and then the Columbus Blue Jackets) in exchange for what would become Oliver Bonk, Helge Grans, the 22nd overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, Cal Petersen, and Carson Bjarnason.

Petersen's albatross contract has, of course, expired, leaving the Flyers with just the good stuff: a great goalie prospect in Bjarnason, an NHL-caliber defenseman with an elite toolkit in Grans, a promising potential top-four defender in Bonk, and a first-round pick that became much higher than expected as the fruits of the Sean Walker trade.

In the last two years, Briere has swung his fair share of deals, like the Cutter Gauthier one that yielded Jamie Drysdale, and the other that offloaded Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost for diminishing returns.

Bringing in Grans, Walker, and other draft picks has proven to be one of Briere's best moves so far, if not the very best.

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The 22nd pick in this year's draft, whether used on a prospect or traded for future-facing roster player, will assuredly aid the Flyers in taking the next step.

With an extended opportunity at the start of the upcoming season, Grans, 23, could replace the older, more expensive, and oft-injured Rasmus Ristolainen, though he'll have to earn his place on the NHL roster.

The same is true of Bonk, a back-to-back OHL champion and Memorial Cup winner who will be starting his professional career in the Flyers organization this fall.

Provorov, since leaving Philadelphia, has scored a total of 65 points in Columbus while playing in all 82 regular season games two years in a row. Despite that, the Flyers' former top draft pick and his Blue Jackets have yet to make the playoffs.

For Briere, this trade was an easy win at the time and is looking even better with the time that has already passed. 

The future will decide what happens next, but the Flyers have all the pieces in place to take multiple successful steps forward on the backs of the assets they acquired in Briere's first deal as Flyers GM.

Much to the perpetuated disappointment of Philadelphia Flyers fans, former Flyers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky continues to steal the show in the NHL playoffs, setting a new postseason record while playing with the Florida Panthers.

Bobrovsky, 36, made 42 saves against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Friday night, powering his Panthers to a crucial 5-4 overtime victory to tie the series at 1-1.

In Wednesday's 4-3 overtime loss in Game 1, Bobrovsky also made 42 saves, meaning he has invented and holds an NHL record that will make Flyers fans' skin crawl.

The Russian netminder is now the only goalie in NHL history to start a Stanley Cup Finals series with back-to-back 40-save efforts.

If it makes you feel any better, Bobrovsky, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, passed Boston Bruins legend Tuukka Rask for 18th all-time in wins in the NHL playoffs after posting his 58th career postseason win with the Game 2 victory Friday night.

The former Flyers goalie is now three playoff wins away from catching Henrik Lundqvist, seven away from Dominik Hasek, and nine away from fellow countryman Andrei Vasilevskiy.

We can only hope that the Flyers made good use of the second-round pick and two fourth-round picks they received from Columbus for 'Bob' back in 2012.

Bobrovsky is now 13-6 this postseason with a 2.21 GAA, a .912 save percentage, and three shutouts.

Former NHL legend and recently appointed SKA St. Petersburg coach Igor Larionov made some waves in his first official press conference as reported by RG.org. The man who took over from Roman Rotenberg said he wants to bring Ivan Demidov back to the KHL for one more season.

The 19-year-old forward finished the last year of his contract with SKA in April before signing an ELC contract with the Montreal Canadiens. Still, the bench boss say he would love to speak to the organization to plead his case.

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Saying he knows both Kent Hughes and co-director of scouting Martin Lapointe, the former centerman explained that if he could talk to them, he would say that sometimes in life you have to take a step back to move three step forward.

While Larionov may well believe this would be good for the youngster’s development, there’s no way the option would even be entertained by the Canadiens. Montreal played by the rules and let the youngster honor the last year of his contract with SKA, but he’s now under the Habs’ control and needless to say the team has big plans for him.

After making his NHL debut in two regular season games, the youngster played five playoffs’ games with the Habs and has already showed that he belongs. Still, the winger is serious about becoming an impact player for his new side and he’s decided to spend the Summer in town where he’ll be able to train under the watchful eye of the Canadiens’ staff while also polishing his language skills in both French and English.

That kind of program is not at all compatible with Larionov’s wish and while he may dream of getting to work with as talented a youngster as Demidov, it will remain just that, a dream.

Photo credit:  Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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The Buffalo Sabres seemed to find a good replacement in Rochester for Seth Appert when he joined Lindy Ruff’s coaching staff in Michael Leone, but there is some speculation that the Amerks head coach may be garnering interest to join another NHL club’s staff.

Jeff Marek of Daily Faceoff reported on Friday that the 37-year-old could be a candidate to join Dan Muse’s coaching staff in Pittsburgh. Muse coached and worked with Leone in the US National Development for two seasons. 

The Michigan native joined the Sabres organization last June and led the Amerks to a second place finish in the AHL’s North Division (42-22-8)record in his rookie season and a sweep of Syracuse before falling to Laval in the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. He previously serving as an assistant coach for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program for three years and for two seasons as head coach and general manager of the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers.

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Former Buffalo Sabre and Rochester Americans alum Scott Metcalfe passed away on Friday. The 58-year-old was a former Edmonton Oilers first round pick and was acquired by Buffalo in 1988. He played 19 career NHL games with the Oilers and Sabres, and multiple stints with the Amerks over nine seasons. 

The Amerks mourn the loss of Hall of Famer and Calder Cup champion Scott Metcalfe, who passed away earlier this morning at the age of 58.

READ MORE | https://t.co/gLfWp0bP1hpic.twitter.com/QxN8WWo2fL

— Rochester Americans (@AmerksHockey) June 6, 2025

The Florida Panthers evened the Stanley Cup Final with a 5-4 double overtime victory over the Oilers in Edmonton on Friday. Former Sabres on both sides factored in the contest, as Evander Kane scored in the first period to wipe out an early Panthers lead and Dmitry Kulikov tied the score 3-3 in the second period. 

Evander Kane (EDM) 1G, +1, 24:25 TOI, 1 SOG, 8 Hits

Jeff Skinner(EDM) Did Not Play

Sam Reinhart(FLA) -2, 30:37 TOI, 6 SOG

Evan Rodrigues(FLA) 1A, 20:54 TOI, 6 Hits

Dmitri Kulikov(FLA) 1G, +2, 23:40 TOI, 3 SOG, 5 Hits

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

These first two games of the Stanley Cup Final have been something.

The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers are treating hockey fans to some incredibly entertaining hockey, with both teams earning a victory during the series’ first two games at Rogers Place.

On Friday, the was the Panthers evening the series at one game apiece with their thrilling 5-4 double overtime win on a goal that came off the stick of Brad Marchand.

Now the Cats will head back to South Florida quite pleased with the series split and will look to take a lead in the series when they host Game 3 on Monday.

Let’s get to the takeaways from Game 2:

SECOND OT THE BETTER OT

For the second straight Stanley Cup Final game, Florida carried a one-goal lead into the third period, and for the second straight game, Edmonton forced the game to overtime.

In Game 2, the Panthers looked much better while trying to hold the lead, only allowing a goal in the final seconds on a great play and shot by Corey Perry.

Unfortunately, that goal gave Edmonton a jolt of energy that carried into the overtime, where they outshot the Panthers 13-8 and forced Sergei Bobrovsky to make several big saves.

It was a different story in the second overtime, though, as Florida played much more sound defense while keeping possession and sustaining pressure.

“I didn't love our overtime,” Maurice said. “We'll focus on that, and then, even the goal, I liked our second overtime period. I thought we were right there. They had some chances, we had chances, they’re a really good team we’re playing, and we're a really good team, but I didn't love that (first overtime), so that will be our place of growth here in the next couple of days.”

FORSLING BACK TO FORM

Gus Forsling is usually as steady as you can find on the blue line.

He had a rough night during Florida’s Game 1 loss to the Oilers, but boy did he bounce back on Friday.

While he didn’t factor in on the scoresheet and actually finished with a minus-1 rating, Forsling made several elite plays with his stick to shut down high danger opportunities for Edmonton.

His ability to stay with Connor McDavid on multiple rush opportunities, whether with his body or with his stick, was a critical piece of why Florida was able to get out of Edmonton with a win.

“He's one of the elite skating defensemen in the league, and most elite skating defensemen have a completely offensive bent,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “If you skate that well as a young man, you're put into offensive situations, you become a power play guy. But he's has taken that skill and applied it to the defensive side of the game. To fully appreciate, you'd have to be down at ice level to see how fast Connor McDavid is and Leon Draisaitl, they’ve got a very fast team, but he excels in that game.”

BENNETT THE ROAD WARRIOR

The Panthers are now 9-3 on the road during this postseason after their OT win in Game 2.

A big part of that success has been Sam Bennett.

On Friday, Bennett set a new NHL record for most road goals in a single playoff, netting his 12th away from Sunrise.

He’s now scored in five straight road games, racking up seven goals and nine points during those away contests.

“We've started and played most of our playoff lives this year on the road, and then there is no part of his game that changes home to road,” Maurice said of Bennett. “He's not intimidated by anything. He's not a home performer, and he's not a match-up guy. He'll play against anybody.”

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Panthers Gritty Forward Ruled Out For Game 2 vs. Oilers

Photo caption: Jun 6, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) skates past Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling (42) during double overtime in game two of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. (Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)

EDMONTON – For one night at least, there were indeed rats in Alberta as Brad Marchand scored the double overtime-winner to tie the Stanley Cup final at 1-1.

Marchand played the hero for the Florida Panthers with his second goal of the game to cap off a 5-4 victory and another dramatic match against the Edmonton Oilers.

"He's been incredible for us this whole playoffs and scoring massive goals at massive times," Sam Bennett said post-game. "That one's definitely the biggest."

Game 2 got off to an explosive start, with special teams playing a big role.

Edmonton came out flying and very aggressive – but Evander Kane got a little too aggressive and ended up with a high-sticking penalty 40 seconds in. Florida cashed in on the power play when Nate Schmidt found Bennett for yet another road goal on a nice passing play. Bennett's 12th goal on the road set a record for the most by any NHL player in Stanley Cup playoff history.

"I don't think there's any difference between at home or on the road for me, but right now, they seem to be going in," Bennett said.

The teams traded more man advantages, and there were numerous scoring chances. Sergei Bobrovsky made a big stop on Trent Frederic, while Eetu Luostarinen backhanded one over Stuart Skinner after the Panthers winger was sent in alone by Marchand.

Kane made amends for his early penalty by sending a laser past Bobrovsky after a Florida turnover eight minutes into the frame, while Evan Bouchard gave Edmonton its first lead of the game when he followed up his own rebound and rifled in a wrister during 4-on-4 play. But a deadly passing sequence minutes later knotted things up again when Seth Jones was set up by Luostarinen.

The most controversial moment of the game came when Bennett, scourge of the Oilers, fell on Skinner's leg, causing the Edmonton goalie to remain down on the ice for an extended period.

Bennett received a goaltender interference penalty for the incident.

"I was pushed, and then the goalie kicked out my heel, which made me fall," Bennett said post-game. "I didn't agree with that one, but got to move on."

Matthew Tkachuk and Frederic took coincidental roughing penalties after the whistle as well. Tkachuk gave Bennett a pat on the chest as he stepped into the box, but the Oilers made Bennett pay.

Connor McDavid pulled off another dazzling display of offensive splendor, cutting through the Florida defense before dishing off to his favorite target, Leon Draisaitl, who made no mistake.

The second period was slightly less eventful, but not by much. Bobrovsky and Skinner made crucial saves early, but Florida tied up the game 3-3 when a Dmitry Kulikov point shot evaded a screened Skinner midway through the period. The Panthers continued the party on the penalty kill, with Marchand getting sprung for a shorthanded breakaway and sinking one for a 4-3 Florida lead.

Bobrovsky was still challenged in the third, particularly on a tricky Bouchard point shot, but the veteran netminder made the save. Disciplined and defensive hockey in front of him aided the Panthers as they protected the lead. Bobrovsky had to be sharp again with Adam Henrique blazing toward him with a backhand attempt, but he couldn't beat the Florida goalie.

The Oilers pulled Skinner for the extra attacker with around two-and-a-half minutes to play, though an offside forced him back into the net temporarily. Bobrovsky made a sprawling save on Draisaitl with a minute to go, but it was Corey Perry finding a loose puck on the doorstep that drew Edmonton even with 17 seconds to go.

In overtime, the Panthers had a close call when Verhaeghe slid one under Skinner, but it stuck to the outside of the post and was cleared away. Later, Sam Reinhart was sprung for a breakaway, but he shot wide.

At eight minutes into the second overtime, Marchand received a breakout pass and sprung through the middle of the ice. He didn't get a clean shot off on Skinner, but the puck squeaked through the five-hole to seal the deal with Marchand's parents in the stands.

"These are memories that you have for the rest of your life, not just for yourself but for your whole family, and we're all enjoying the journey right now," Marchand told Sportsnet's Gene Principe post-game.

"These are the opportunities you dream of as a kid and the moments you wish you could hold onto forever."

The teams now head to Sunrise, Fla., for Game 3 on Monday at 8 p.m. ET.

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The Florida Panthers picked up a crucial win to get on the board in the Stanley Cup Final.

Florida scored first, took a lead into the third period and held on for the Game 2 victory, taking down the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 in double overtime to tie the series at one game apiece.

An early power play got the Panthers off to a great start.

A couple of great passes from Matthew Tkachuk and Nate Schmidt led to a shot by Sam Bennett sliding past Stuart Skinner to give Florida a 1-0 lead just 2:07 into the game.

Similarly to Game 1, it didn’t take long for the Oilers to respond.

Evander Kane snapped a shot under Sergei Bobrovsky’s glove to tie the game at one less than five minutes later.

About 100 seconds later, Evan Bouchard picked up his own rebound after a shot block by Sasha Barkov and beat Bobrovsky to give the Oilers their first lead of the game.

The goals kept coming fast and furious, as Seth Jones finished off a pretty passing play from Eetu Luostarinen and Schmidt to tie the game at two.

Exactly one minute later, Leon Draisaitl scored his second power play goal of the series, giving the Oilers a 3-2 lead that they would take into the first intermission.

Florida gradually began regaining some momentum during the second period, and it led to a tying goal by a Panthers defenseman.

Dmitry Kulikov wired a wrist shot from just inside the Oilers blue line that went off the backside of Evan Bouchard and into the net to knot the score at three at the 8:23 mark.

The third period was a defensive battle between the two teams, keeping shots on goal and scoring chances to a minimum.

That worked out just fine for Florida, right up until it didn’t.

Cory Perry picked up a loose puck and scored with 17.8 seconds to go, sending Game 2 into overtime.

Edmonton actually earned more shots on goal during the first overtime session, finishing with a 13-9 advantage, but it was the Panthers with the better scoring opportunities, 10-7.

The game ended on a Marchand breakaway goal 8:04 into the second overtime, beating Skinner through the legs with a sneaky backhand.

On to Game 3.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Scmidt recorded his second straight multi-point outing and fourth of the playoffs.

He’s got four points over his past two games and 11 so far during the postseason.

Bennett has now scored in five straight road games.

He has seven goals and 11 points over his past seven outings.

Evan Rodrigues has points in three straight games after picking up an assist on Bennett’s goal.

He’s logged 10 points in eight games since returning from an injury.

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Photo caption: Jun 6, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) scores a goal against Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) during the second period in game two of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images