- What: 2024 Stanley Cup Finals
- Who: Edmonton Oilers vs. Florida Panthers
- When: Game 1 on Saturday, June 8 at 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida
- How to Watch: ESPN and WatchESPN
We have now reached the final round of the NHL playoffs and people are fired up to see what's going to end up happening. We've got two of the best teams in the league still battling it out for the title, as the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers are dreaming of closing out the season in style. Both teams are coming off thrilling wins in their respective conference finals. With that said, the Panthers are slight favorites over the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals. Which team will come out on top?
Florida is riding high, as they were able to handle the New York Rangers in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Before that series got started, a lot of people thought that the NYR would go on to the Stanley Cup Finals, but Florida didn't fold under the pressure and they managed to really impress with their strong play on the ice. Now, they're hoping to do the same against Edmonton, which will be no easy task.
| Stanley Cup odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers to win | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Oilers to win | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Under 5.5 games | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Over 5.5 games | -110 | -110 | -110 |
“Both teams have almost identical travel over the year,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said. “They have Calgary, and we have Tampa. That’s it. Two teams in one province; two teams in one state. Then everything else is a long flight. They’re used to it. It’s part of how they operate, and it’s the same with us. We all know how to deal with it. I don’t know if there’s an advantage. Both teams have sort of identical time off, which is good. It’s fair.”
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the Panthers hold -110 NHL betting odds, while the Oilers have been set with +125 Stanley Cup Finals betting odds. This has the potential to be a thrilling series and folks can't wait for Game 1 to get here on Saturday night. It will be interesting to see how things shape out here, but a lot of people think Florida will take care of business. However, we're going in a different direction for the title winner.
WE ARE BACK-TO-BACK EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPS pic.twitter.com/u6EPnSuR3a
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) June 2, 2024
The Oilers are our pick to win the Stanley Cup Finals over Florida
Leading up to this big event, the Oilers are our pick to win the Stanley Cup Finals over Florida. While Florida may have more depth, Connor McDavid continues to remind us that he's one of the best players in the NHL. McDavid was a man on a mission in the Western Conference Finals, being a major reason why Edmonton was able to get past Dallas with a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals on the line.
In Game 5, McDavid had a great assist. Then in Game 6, the series-clincher for the Oilers, McDavid had a great goal and an assist to his name. When he's at the top of his game, he's a nightmare for people to try and slow down. The Florida defense is going to have one heck of a time in trying to contain him. With McDavid looking so sharp in the postseason, plenty of Oilers fans are feeling like an upset can be on the way.
Four wins away. #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/N8BWS8WMAq
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 3, 2024
“We’ve closed out big games. It’s not always the prettiest, but we got it done and that’s all that really matters,” McDavid said about winning the Western Conference Finals. “I thought we gave up a couple looks coming down the stretch that we’d like to not give up, and guys were sacrificing their bodies with big blocks or 'Stu' making timely saves, whatever it was. We got it done and that’s all that really matters."
As we mentioned above, the Oilers have +125 NHL playoffs betting odds to win the title. Florida is going to do everything possible to prevent that from happening and countless experts think they'll be able to do so. However, this is McDavid's chance to shine under the bright lights and prove to everyone that he can lead Edmonton to their first title in more than 30 years. With all of that said, we're confident the Oilers will be lifting the cup high into the sky later this month.
How many games will the Stanley Cup Finals last?
A big question people have in mind right now is how many games will the Stanley Cup Finals last? Both teams needed six games in their last series, but now things are going to be a bit more interesting. Both of these offenses are going to look to make life a nightmare for the opposing defenses. Sam Bennett has been on a tear for the Panthers, while McDavid is leading the way for Edmonton.
As things stand, the over/under for this series has been set at 5.5 games, with -110 NHL betting odds for both. With how balanced both of these teams are, and with how well-coached they are too, we think this series has the potential to go the full seven games. With that said, we're definitely going with the over as our pick.
