When the time comes for defenseman Matthew Schaefer to take the stage at the NHL draft inside the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles this week, the top-ranked prospect won’t be climbing the stairs alone.
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Bennett scored 15 goals during a postseason run that culminated with a victory in Game 6 of the final against the Edmonton Oilers.
The Florida Panthers repeated as Stanley Cup champions by beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game 6 of the final on Tuesday night, becoming the NHL’s first back-to-back winners since Tampa Bay in 2020 and ’21 and the third team to do it this century.
Stuart Skinner started the first four games of the final before getting replaced by Calvin Pickard, who won in relief and lost in Game 5.
The Panthers are on the verge of winning 11 of 12 series since Paul Maurice took over. Not once was he close to the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year, but that’s a regular-season trophy, and he has done nothing but win in the playoffs.
Their first chance to clinch the franchise’s second championship comes at home after a dominant performance in Game 5 at Edmonton.
They also know what to expect this time around.
NHL players will participate in the Olympics for the first time since 2014.
All 12 Olympic men’s hockey teams named their first six players on June 16.
Brad Thomas and Vaughn Dalzell preview Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Oilers and Panthers, predicting that Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart and company will close out the series Tuesday night at Amerant Bank Arena.
NHL players will return to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.
