BLOG: Stanley Cup Final Media Day

SUNRISE, Fla. -- The calm before the storm isn’t very calm.

With Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers set to begin on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET in Sunrise, players from both teams will power their way through a gauntlet of interviews during Media Day at Amerant Bank Arena on Friday.

To keep up with the busy day, follow along with our live blog below.

Check back for regular updates.

11:00 AM: Prior to Media Day, the Panthers held a regular practice at Amerant Bank Arena. As it has been over the last week, the lines were exactly the same ones that we saw in the series-clinching win over the New York Rangers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final.

One fun moment of practice came when the goal horn got stuck. When it finally stopped blaring after about 30 deafening seconds, the players erupted into cheers and stick taps.

The boys seem ready to go!

11:40 AM: Panthers general manager Bill Zito and head coach Paul Maurice arrived to the podium.

A reporter jokingly asked Zito if he regretted hiring Maurice. "No, I want to hug him!" Zito smiled.

Zito gave a lot of credit to his staff for helping build the Panthers into the incredibly deep squad they've become.

"They debate, they argue and then they come to a decision," he said of his scouts. "Then they support it. Some of the guys who may not even support it in the moment will get in and support it at the end. It makes for a real healthy environment."

Paul Maurice got plenty of laughs when asked about his desire to win the Stanley Cup.

"I'm 30 years into this thing," he said. "I wouldn't mind winning one."

12:00 PM: The first batch of Panthers arrived at their podiums!

12:05 PM: Evan Rodrigues talked about the threat of Edmonton's offense.

“We defend as a team, and we’ll do the same in this series,” he said.

Rodrigues also talked about managing the emotions of waiting for the Stanley Cup Final to kick off.

“It’s what we’ve been doing all playoffs. You play the game and then you move on to the next one,” he said. “With a day like today, you go through your media stuff, you turn the page and you get ready for Game 1. There’s obviously a little extra attention, but we’re fine with it. I think the focus is pretty clear right now on what we have to focus on.”

As a father of three kids, Rodrigues said the buzz at home for the series has been building.

“We’ve got a little hockey rink at our house that we always play mini-sticks in,” he said. “There’s been some games that end with our ultimate goal. They’re excited, I’m excited, and it should be a fun few weeks.”

12:10 PM: In speaking with various members of the national media in between scrums, everyone expects a close series. That being said, there's about a 70/30 split in favor of the Panthers when it comes to their predictions. The less time the Oilers spend on the power play, the more confident folks in the media are that the Panthers can find a way to come out on top.

12:15 PM: Steven Lorentz was asked a lot about his personal journey.

Beginning his career in the ECHL, he’s now in the Stanley Cup Final.

A dream come true.

“Up to this point, it’s been too good to be true sometimes,” he said. “It’s been a heck of a ride. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. Even the days when I wasn’t in the lineup, I just came to the rink with a positive outlook. We just have such a good group in that locker room.”

With two goals already in this year’s playoffs, Lorentz is ready to keep on contributing.

“We’re here and we can do something about it,” he said. “We’re not finished yet.”

12:20 PM: Dmitry Kulikov said everything is going according to plan for the Panthers.

“I think it started at training camp,” he said. “Everybody’s mindset’s is the same. I noticed when the guys first came in, they weren’t just satisfied with last season. They wanted to get going and be in this position again. That determination and that mindset affected all of us.”

Originally selected by the Panthers in the first round of the 2009 NHL Draft, Kulikov, who re-joined the team as a free agent last summer, is relishing his second tour in South Florida.

“Everyone is pulling in the same direction,” he said. “It’s been great.”

12:25 PM: Jonah Gadjovich knows how big this moment is.

“This is what every kid dreams of,” he said of being in the Stanley Cup Final.

A first-year Panther, Gadjovich, who became a father of twins during the Eastern Conference Final, is doing whatever he can to help out despite not being in the lineup.

“When I first signed with this organization, my goal was just to contribute,” he said. “It was very clear what the team’s goal was. They obviously made it to the Final last year, and this year they had a bigger agenda. They want to finish the job this time around. I haven’t played during playoffs, but we’re working hard. We’re working hard in the gym. We’re on a long time after practices, working on skills and just staying ready. If we get called, we’ll be ready.”

Gadjovich was also asked what makes Paul Maurice such a good coach.

His answer was short and sweet.

“He cares,” he said. “He cares about every single guy.”

12:30 PM: Uvis Balinskis couldn’t have imagined this even a year ago.

After making a name for himself in the Czech league, the 27-year-old defenseman made the jump to the NHL with the Panthers this season and is now in the Stanley Cup Final.

“It’s unreal,” he said. “I can’t believe I’m here and part of this team.”

As the only Latvian in this year’s Final, there’s certainly some buzz back home.

“I’m happy they’re following and hoping for the Panthers to win the Cup,” he said.

As a defenseman, Balinskis was also asked Gustav Forsling’s stellar playoffs.

“You can learn a lot from him,” he said. “He’s the best defensively.”

When asked about Forsling’s incredible stick, Balinskis joked he’d done some research.

“I took a look at his stick today and it’s nothing special,” he laughed. “He just knows how to use it.”

12:35 PM: Matthew Tkachuk is a popular guy, eh?

Looking at that big scrum, it's probably best to just talk to him next time.

"Chucky-mania" is in full effect!

12:40 PM: Like many other free agents, Kevin Stenlund signed with the Panthers for a chance to win the Stanley Cup.

Now that they’re only four wins away, he knows he made the right choice.

“It’s kind of surreal,” he said. “It’s crazy how many people are [at Media Day]. I don’t know if I can even get a hold of the fact we’re here now. You’ve just got to enjoy it.”

Looking back at the season, Stenlund can’t remember a group this tight.

“It actually feels like a family,” he said. “It’s crazy. Everyone gets along with everyone. I’ve never experienced chemistry like this with all the guys. It’s a joy to be a part of every day.”

As for the role he'll play in trying to stifle Edmonton's lethal power play, Stenlund is looking forward to the challenge.

"That's exciting," he said. "It's going to be so fun to play. It's going to be fun to do my best and try and shut them down."

12:45 PM: Oliver Ekman-Larsson made the playoffs just twice before joining the Panthers.

Preparing for his first Stanley Cup Final, he’s planning to make the most of the moment.

“Not a lot of playoff games, but a lot of games in the league,” the 14-year NHL veteran said. “A lot of hard work to get to this point – a lot of ups, a lot of downs. At the same time, you kind of have to go through that to appreciate this opportunity and where you’re at in life.”

Like Balinskis, Ekman-Larsson was also asked about Forsling’s epic stick.

He also can’t explain it.

“I wish I knew,” he laughed. “If I did, I’d do the same thing. He’s able to get his stick on the puck every time, it seems. He’s one of those guys that you can’t beat. It’s a really good advantage for us.”

Like Stenlund, Ekman-Larsson has also felt the love in South Florida.

“When I first got here, everybody was super friendly and brought me in right away,” he said. “I don’t think it matters if you’re playing 30 minutes or five minutes, everybody knows they’re valuable to the team and feels the same way. That’s why I love this team. It’s been a blast all year. We’ve worked hard all year, but managed to have fun with it. That’s the key.”

12:50 PM: Kyle Okposo was one of the last players to speak, and he summed up the moment perfectly.

After waiting 17 seasons for a shot at the Stanley Cup, he’s ready to leave it all on the ice.

“I'm too old for those superstitions,” the 36-year-old veteran forward said. “‘Oh my gosh, we can't talk about winning the Cup!' No, that's our goal. Why wouldn't we talk about that? We're four wins away; they're four wins away. It's a ton of fun to be this close. I feel like we're here for a reason because we've done the right things. Yeah, we can talk about it, but then - boom! Once the game starts, once it's time to get ready for the game, then you stay in the moment. You consume the moment; you don't let it consume you. I think that that's extremely important. You have to embrace the moment. The second you start looking around and go, 'Oh my gosh, we're four wins away from winning the Stanley Cup,' that’s when you start doing things you haven't done all year. You have to make sure that you're staying in the moment, but you also understand where you're at and don't let that bog you down."

If that doesn't get you fired up for Game 1, nothing will.

1:00 PM: That's a wrap for the Panthers at Media Day!

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