This is what it is going to take for the Oilers to get this Stanley Cup Finals back to Edmonton

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I have lost count of how many people have already written the final epilogue of these Stanley Cup Playoffs and picked the Conn Smythe winner.

And while I get it, Florida was dominant on Game Five and the Oilers now face elimination…

…last I checked, this is a Best-of-Seven, and not a Best-of-Five.

But Edmonton needs to do some very specific things to turn this series back in their favor. And they need to do it tonight, with The Cup in the building.

Here they are:

Yes, you need to stay out of the box. But you can not let change your game, either. Play with intelligence and passion, but not with fear.

The Panthers will smell blood in the water. They are the defending Stanley Cup Champions. This will be the hardest game for Edmonton to win. They need to be ready to go.

This is a repeat, as I have written it before, but it still applies: The Oilers need to swing a forward deep to help deal with Florida’s forecheck. Having a ten-foot option lessens how often the Oilers’ D-men need to attempt a stretch pass.

The Oilers’ Power Play needs some puck luck. I see this team getting their looks with the man advantage. And the fancy stats in terms of expected goals bears that out. With or without Zach Hyman, Edmonton has the manpower to do it. But another 0-3 start is not an option.

I would begin with both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the same line. It is critical that the Oilers not chase this game. They have had to do so most of this series. So, give yourself the best possible opportunity to score first. Then you can roll lines. More on those two in a minute…

No matter who starts in Game Six (I would start Stuart Skinner), your goalie needs to make a save or two early that he should not make. The Oilers do not absolutely have to have their goaltender to steal a game. But he does need to be the best goalie on the ice. How this goes probably dictates Oilers goaltending and where Skinner plays next season.

Play in and up the middle. It is not that the Oilers can’t play along the walls. I just think Florida is better at it. But Edmonton’s lineup is better suited to transition up the middle of the ice. And the Panthers’ forecheck, while difficult to defend against, can also present counter-attack opportunities that may feed into that kind of approach by Edmonton. It is the better option.

Play “free”. I felt as if I watched the Oilers play tentative in Game Five. And I get that the coaching staff had to address inconsistencies in some of their player’s games. But based on the results we saw, I question the wisdom of “coaching mad”. Did Evander Kane and Troy Stecher look “better” in Game Five for having ridden the pine for a while? Paralysis is not a winning game plan.

Finally, we come back to Edmonton’s big guys. In some ways it is an unfair ask since Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have practically carried this franchise since they entered the league. But in critical moments with your backs against the wall, even the best clubs need their most special players to do the most special things. And here is where I have confidence in the Oilers in Game Six: McDavid and Draisaitl have been good in this series. But they have not yet been “great”. Greatness of high-end talent is one area where the Oilers probably have a narrow advantage on the defending Stanley Cup Champions. And most great players I have ever encountered thrived on pressure.

So, it is time to play those cards. Bet that one of them has “that moment” that leads to triumph in the hardest of moments. That helps define their career.

It that a lot to ask? Sure. But name a bigger stage.

Now on Bluesky @kurtleavins.bsky.social. Also, find me on Threads @kleavins, Twitter @KurtLeavins, Instagram at LeavinsOnHockey, and Mastodon at KurtLeavins@mstdn.social.

This article is not AI generated.

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In memory of Bruce McCurdy, 1955-2025.

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