Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers is tonight. For the second straight year, these two elite rosters will go head-to-head for the chance to hoist hockey’s most prestigious trophy in what should be another epic series.
Connor McDavid is the player to watch. Not only is he the best player on the planet, but he has yet to win the big one, and winning the Cup would automatically put him in the conversation as one of the best to ever lace up skates. That said, there is a big dispute over who is number two. Names like Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Nikita Kucherov, Auston Matthews, and even Sidney Crosby are all argued to be the next best player after the Oilers captain. Then we have Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov and Leon Draisaitl.
They are different players. Barkov is more defensive-minded and, until a few years ago, was often overlooked as the second-best player in the NHL due to playing in a smaller market. Draisaitl is more offensive-minded, though he has rounded out his game in a big way, proven by his sixth-placed finish in Selke Trophy voting.
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The stats suggest that Draisaitl is undoubtedly the second-best player on the planet. Over the last nine seasons, his 896 points are second only to McDavid’s 1,034. His 378 goals are also second, trailing only Matthews’ 401. That said, many still seem to place him behind some others when it comes to the game’s best. This Stanley Cup Final will be Draisaitl’s chance to change that narrative.
Draisaitl Can Be Oilers’ Best Player
For the Oilers to win the Cup, they will need McDavid and Draisaitl to be at their best. McDavid was incredible in last year’s series versus the Panthers, though Draisaitl struggled due largely to the fact that he was battling injury. The 29-year-old appears to be much healthier this time and has had a solid playoff run so far, with seven goals and 25 points through 16 games. For many players, those would be unfathomable numbers, though Oilers fans know that he has more to give.
When at his best, Draisaitl can take over games. He’s not only one of the best distributors in the NHL, but he is also capable of scoring consistently, thanks to his quick and accurate release. Fans who only tuned in to last year’s Final weren’t able to witness that. Now healthier and with the experience of a Cup Final, Draisaitl can showcase how good he is. In fact, some have argued he’s better than McDavid. This is his chance to step up and show his skill set to the hockey world.
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However, to do that, Draisaitl will need to be better than Barkov in this series. That is no easy feat. Barkov might not produce as much offense, but he is widely considered the defensive centreman in the league. Should Draisaitl go nuclear offensively, the Oilers will take over the series.
Winning the Stanley Cup Trumps All
Of course, Draisaitl putting up absurd stats won’t make his case for the world’s second-best player if the Oilers come up short for a second straight year. To cement himself as number two behind McDavid, he will have to play a significant role in bringing the Oilers their first Stanley Cup since 1990. If he can do that, there won’t be many disputing that he’s the second-best player in the game.
