The Edmonton Oilers are just one win away from winning the Stanley Cup and completing what could be considered one of the greatest comebacks in NHL and professional sports history. This upcoming Game 7 will be their toughest challenge yet, as the Florida Panthers are expected to bring their best performance, despite not performing well in the past three games. The last team to achieve this feat was the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, in a much less competitive era, particularly in terms of goaltending. Many players are vying for their first Stanley Cup, making this Game 7 a high-stakes battle. The question remains: will the Oilers pull off the greatest comeback in NHL history, or will the Florida Panthers avoid a reverse sweep and win their first-ever Stanley Cup in franchise history?
Projected Lineup:
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was given a maintenance day on Sunday ahead of Game 7 on Monday night. Head Coach Kris Knoblauch says, “He is fully expected to play,” and will likely be on the top line with McDavid and Hyman, just like in Game 6. I expect the rest of the lineup to stay the same, with Evander Kane sitting out the final game as well. I would not insert him back into the lineup and take anybody out if I were Coach Knoblauch since this lineup has seemed to be firing on all cylinders in Games 4-6.
Sunday’s Post-Practice Media Availability
Thank You Toronto
Arguably the best free-agent signing recently in the NHL, Zach Hyman joined the Edmonton Oilers in the summer of 2021 and has been a consistent producer for the team ever since. It’s puzzling why Toronto didn’t sign him, but as an Oilers fan, I’m grateful to the Toronto management for their decision. Zach Hyman has been outstanding in the current playoffs, leading all active players with 16 goals in a single postseason.
