Panthers ready for ‘big, big challenge’ of slowing McDavid, Draisaitl in Stanley Cup Final

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Having learned their next -- and last -- challenge this season will be trying to slow the Edmonton Oilers’ high-powered offense, the Florida Panthers got to work Monday preparing for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday (8 p.m. ET ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS).

Expecting this matchup, which was determined when the Oilers advanced with a 2-1 victory against the Dallas Stars in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final on Sunday, would mean a lot of media questions about the best way to defend Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Panthers coach Paul Maurice tried to plan an answer ahead of time.

“But I don’t have one,” Maurice said.

McDavid, a three-time winner of the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player (2017, 2021, 2023) and a finalist again this season, leads the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 31 points (five goals, 26 assists) in 18 games. Draisaitl, who won the Hart in 2020, is second with 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists).

So, of course, the Panthers will have a plan for the dynamic forward duo, along with defenseman Evan Bouchard, who is third in the playoffs with 27 points (six goals, 21 assists), and the rest of the Oilers. Although Florida plays Edmonton just twice each regular season (winning both this season), Maurice saw McDavid and Draisaitl enough during his tenure coaching the Winnipeg Jets (2014-2021) that he has a very good idea of what they’re all about.

“We saw a bunch of different rotations whether Leon Draisaitl plays with Connor McDavid or not, and that changes some of the dynamic you’ve got to prepare for,” Maurice said. “But these two men, you can’t play a 1-on-1 game with them. They’re just too fast, too strong, too skilled, so it’s just a five-man defensive game, and everything else that’s going to come out of my mouth would be cliché.”

Whatever the clichés, Florida has experience defending high-end offensive talent in the playoffs. After getting past Nikita Kucherov and the Tampa Bay Lightning and David Pastrnak and the Boston Bruins, it frustrated the New York Rangers’ top offensive players in the Eastern Conference Final to punch its return ticket to the Cup Final.

Artemi Panarin, who was fourth in the NHL during the regular season with 120 points (49 goals, 71 assists), had four points in the six games in the conference final with his lone goal, scored 6-on-5, coming with 1:40 remaining in the Panthers’ 2-1 series-clinching victory in Game 6 on Saturday. Chris Kreider, who had 75 points (39 goals, 36 assists) in the regular season, had two points in the series (one goal, one assist), with his goal coming short-handed in Game 5, and Mika Zibanejad, who had 72 points (26 goals, 46 assists) during the regular season, was limited to two assists in the conference final.

“Beginning with our experience, I think we’ve learned kind of our way, our style of what makes our great, what makes us win hockey games,” defenseman Brandon Montour said. “I think we’re just at that point where we’re feeling good.”

The Panthers also have confidence from having been here before. They reached the Final last season, battered by injuries before losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games, so they know what to expect as far the excitement and energy when the puck is dropped Saturday.

They acknowledge the Oilers will be a different beast, though. McDavid was third in the League with 132 points (32 goals, 100 assists) in 76 regular-season games, the seventh time in his nine NHL seasons he reached 100. Draisaitl was seventh in the NHL with 106 points (41 goals, 65 assists) in 81 regular-season games for his fifth 100-point season.

“These top players on this team are matched by nobody,” Panthers forward Sam Reinhart said. “I think we’re a confident group. I think (if) you play them a little more passive, that’s when they’re going to get you. So, we’ve got to try to take away their time and space. They’re going to make plays. They’ve got some of the best players in the world, so we’re excited for the opportunity and challenge.”

Florida will also face a daunting task in trying to contain Edmonton’s power play, which is first in the NHL in the playoffs at 37.3 percent (19-for-51). McDavid (two goals, 12 assists) and Draisaitl (six goals, eight assists) share the League lead with 14 power-play points each.

“It’s going to be a big, big challenge,” Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling said. “They’re obviously two unbelievable players. They’ve got speed and skill, so it’s going to be tough.”

Forsling and defense partner Aaron Ekblad will likely see a lot of McDavid and Draisaitl at even strength, along with Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, who won the Selke Trophy this season as the NHL’s top defensive forward for the second time.

Maurice was also quick to point out that Edmonton is no longer a team that relies mostly on its offense to win.

In addition to being second in the playoffs in scoring (3.50 goals per game), the Oilers are seventh in allowing 2.61 goals per game and third in yielding 25 shots on goal per game. The Panthers, who tied the Winnipeg Jets for first in the NHL in allowing 2.41 goals per game during the regular season, are tied for second in the playoffs in giving up 2.29 per game, and second in allowing 24.5 shots on goal per game.

“Their defensive analytics are almost as good as ours,” Maurice said. “We’re a way better offensive team than people know as well, so it’s both sides of the puck. You have to defend against the whole group -- active back group, clearly superstars up front. But we’ve got some really good players, too, so it’s both sides of the puck equally weighted.”