The Edmonton Oilers have had quite the journey this season, with coaching changes, injuries and a slow start, however they’ll have a chance to be the first Canadian team to hoist the cup since 1993.
The Oilers, who made the Western Conference final in 2022 and the second round last spring, were a well-documented 3-9-1 in November when Kris Knoblauch took over as head coach.
Edmonton started its slow climb from 31st in the standings and then shot up the ledger thanks to a 16-game winning streak. The Oilers made the playoffs as the Pacific Division’s No. 2 seed before besting the Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars.
Head Coach Kris Knoblauch has always maintained a “move forward” mentality which seems to inspire the room to maintain that mindset. Knoblauch spoke to media ahead of game 1 in Florida discussing the new challenges that come with being in the Stanley Cup Final.
While many players have had a long journey to the cup, goalie Stuart Skinner has been faced with alot of criticism in the playoffs, having a hard time finding his game in the first few rounds, taking a seat for backup Calvin Pickard but has since settled into his role and has played lights over his last few games with a phenomenal performance against the Dallas Stars.
He spoke to media about some of the challenges he may face playing against a physical team like Florida.
The Edmonton Oilers are four wins away from glory, the series kicks off in Florida Saturday night.
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