Florida Panthers defeat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3, and are your 2024 Stanley Cup Champions!

[Artemi Panarin]

You swim on Jealous Beach.

Do you guys even have a beach?

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

 

[Crosby2010]

The Panthers deserved it, I think somewhere along the way in this series the idea was that the Oilers were going to win. They were down 3-1 and 3-2 and there was this idea that the Panthers were at a disadvantage. They still had a home ice crowd for Game 7 regardless. Anyway, it is very hard to win 4 in a row.

McDavid deserved the Conn Smythe. Come on, let's face it, if there was a time a guy on the losing team wins it this is the time. It wouldn't have been criminal for Barkov or Bob to win it but when you have historic acheivements that rival Gretzky's best postseason, or at least surpass one of his records, then you have to sit back and soak that in. I am of the belief that he should have come out and proudly accepted the award. This is a huge honour, one that he might look back on someday and relish in. I can understand him not caring about it at the moment, but to me that isn't the point. Look at Giguere, he came out on the ice - on the road - in an arena where the Devils fans weren't all happy about him winning it. He just lost the Cup, he looked like his dog had died, but he accepted it. Hextall, Leach, Hall and Crozier before him all would have had it presented to them after the celebration and outside of their locker room. Or at least Hextall has the pictures of him doing that. There was an announcement in 1987 that Hextall was the playoff MVP and the Oilers fans didn't like it either as they booed, but who cares? That is the hardest trophy to win in the NHL. How does McDavid know he'll ever be in the position to win that again? He may, he may not.

 

[cowboy82nd]

Don't forget the Oilers beating themselves.

Delete

 

[Three On Zero]

Do you guys even have a beach?

The Tkachuk tears are quickly making one

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrots]

Same with Vegas and LA but they are huge in their cities

Vegas's barn is literally on the strip, LA's is similarly accessible. They're *in* their city proper. Sunrise isn't *in* Miami.

My sister and her family used to live in Miami, so I got us tickets for a game for Christmas a few years back. As the crow flies, it's not that far away, but the traffic is legit a nightmare and the public transport there, to my knowledge, isn't great. It was a Saturday game at 7 and we - three adults, two preteens - were still in a rush to get concessions before puck drop leaving their place around 4.

I can stay on the other side of Pittsburgh and start getting ready at 4 and comfortably watch warmup.

In Denver, Calgary, and Edmonton (I live in Montana), there are also places to stay and eat within walking distance. The amenities around Amerant aren't all that exciting, comparatively, or walkable.

The logistics just aren't great.

 

[Pablo El Perro]

Vegas's barn is literally on the strip, LA's is similarly accessible. They're *in* their city proper. Sunrise isn't *in* Miami.

My sister and her family used to live in Miami, so I got us tickets for a game for Christmas a few years back. As the crow flies, it's not that far away, but the traffic is legit a nightmare and the public transport there, to my knowledge, isn't great. It was a Saturday game at 7 and we - three adults, two preteens - were still in a rush to get concessions before puck drop leaving their place around 4.

I can stay on the other side of Pittsburgh and start getting ready at 4 and comfortably watch warmup.

In Denver, Calgary, and Edmonton (I live in Montana), there are also places to stay and eat within walking distance. The amenities around Amerant aren't all that exciting, comparatively, or walkable.

The logistics just aren't great.

Florida as a whole isn't that walkable. And, yeah, public transit sucks. Having said that, it takes me two hours or so to drive to games from SWFL.

 

[la25ecoupe]

I think Oilers' coach was pretty bad in the third.. why would he keep playing McD and Drai when both of them seem gazed, especially Drai. Play your other fresh and motivated players, not the snakebitten ones. McDrai both flopped everywhere.

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrots]

Florida as a whole isn't that walkable. And, yeah, public transit sucks. Having said that, it takes me two hours or so to drive to games from SWFL.

It may be easier to get there from further away, ie, places that are not Miami. Trying to pull people there from the nearest city when that city has so much going on itself has proven to be a big ask wherever the team is.

 

[Rschmitz]

Jesus I just realized that the Panthers have been in existence for 31 years, and that is less time than it's been since a team from Canada has won the Cup.

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

It shouldn't take you 2+ hours to get to the rink. Even going from Miami Beach (worst case scenario in SEFla) and leaving at 5pm, it's probably under an hour on most days.

I live near the rink and I can get to a Marlins game in under an hour, and that's with the absurd traffic vortex around the park. No such issues at Sunrise Arena, where you just hop right off the Sawgrass and you're in the parking lot (or in the mall parking lot) in about three seconds.

 

[CaptainScrewy]

That is absolutely stupid lol. We went to the conf final three years ago, and now in the cup this year. Arguable it was the bottom lines that got the top lines going in game 4. Drai was hurt through the entire playoffs and didn’t play great….. many have stayed that, and now you’re saying we are an injury away from not even being top 5 lol. Well… he was hurt so that doesn’t make any sense. Our depth actually played extremely well in the playoffs

I can’t stand this stupid argument of, “you are one or two injuries away from not being that good”

Hey Patriots fans. Thank god Brady didn’t get hurt all those years; or you wouldn’t have the super bowls you did. Right now as it stands when healthy this oilers team WILL compete for the cup again next year. No Oilers fan is saying we will make it, but to think we are crazy for thinking we will compete for it is stupid

No f***ing shit if we lose our top two players to injury, we won’t be that good. That’s a lot of teams. It’s a crazy concept I know. But that is in any sport. If the Colts lost Peyton in all those years, or Patriots lost Brady, if Saints lost Brees they aren’t the teams they are

If the oilers lose McD and Drai OBVIOUSLY we aren’t the team we are. But assuming they are healthy next year , we will be just fine and our bottom. 6 played well through the playoffs.

I'm sorry you misunderstood me. My point was even as is I think you're borderline top 5 favorite to come out of west next year. I'd put my money on the Avs, Vegas and Vancouver with Dallas and the Jets being borderline. I just think its silly to act like you're a shoe in to return.

 

[Zaar]

First of all: congrats to the Panthers. They earned it when it counted. Hats off.

I feel the difference in the end was goalie talent. Skinner could have stopped that one.

There's never a single reason, although we usually tend to search for a single point of failure. You cannot expect to win a hockey game by getting one single goal. I assume that playing four games with your back to the wall will do something to you. Apart from physical tear, you just get mentally exhausted. And a goalie is even more exposed than any other player on the team.

Nevertheless ... after more than 100 hockey games with ups and downs, it came down to one goal that the panthers kept by competent turtling over a whole period. That's how close it was between winning everything and having nothing. I don't get all this gloating by so many different fan bases, as if the Oilers (and their star players) are a bunch of losers.

They aren't. They gave everething and lost by one goal. Feels sour, but - believe it or not - is a massive though unrewarded achievement.

 

[CaptainScrewy]

Pretty strong words for a fan of a team that went to game 7 of the SCF to the Edmonton Oilers depth players.

McDavid was wrecked all season and still put up those numbers. Insane when you think about. Likely needs abdominal surgery he wasn't shooting all season. He wasn't right all year. Drai has broken finger and broken ribs and Kane had a hernia, not many teams can loose 3 top six players and still get to game 7 of the SCF. again, the oilers depth is woefully disrespected here.


or the series.

First it was refs, then it was league, then it was we outplayed them and deserved to win, now the new excuse will be they were injured? Bro every player is playing injured this time of the year, relax with the injury excuses already, please.

 

[aviators99]

Makes more sense to stay in Ft. Lauderdale, where there's plenty to do and it's 30 minutes at worst.

The amenities around Amerant aren't all that exciting, comparatively, or walkable.

The logistics just aren't great.

Across the street from Amerant Arena is the Sawgrass Mills Mall, the 11th largest shopping mall in the USA. At one point I read that it was the 2nd most visited tourist attraction in Florida after Disney World (but more than Universal), but I can't find that now. It has some very good restaurants. Very many people park there and walk to the game (as opposed to paying $40 during the regular season and $100 during the playoffs).

 

[MVP of West Hollywd]

As good as the Oilers PK was, I believe their PP was disappointing. They have such a stacked PP on paper, it's ridiculous. The next time they make a deep playoff run I believe we may see the reverse of this year where a god PP is the story.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

As good as the Oilers PK was, I believe their PP was disappointing. They have such a stacked PP on paper, it's ridiculous. The next time they make a deep playoff run I believe we may see the reverse of this year where a god PP is the story.

Their PK is what got them to the final game. With an average or below average PK, they were done in the semis. I've never in my life seen a PK that good, it was like they welcomed it because of the momentum shift.

 

[tardigrade81]

I'm sorry you misunderstood me. My point was even as is I think you're borderline top 5 favorite to come out of west next year. I'd put my money on the Avs, Vegas and Vancouver with Dallas and the Jets being borderline. I just think its silly to act like you're a shoe in to return.

Fair enough

I do agree. Colorado and Vegas scare me. Jets, Canucks… we will wait and see what happens with them next year. Canucks had a fantastic year, but see if they can do it again

I still don’t think there are many of us thinking we are automatic to make it. If healthy though, we will compete against anybody. But… there is always a surprise team. Who knows. Maybe Nashville will be super good

 

[MikeyMike01]

View attachment 887184

Giguere had the decency to accept the award

 

[Coffey]

Giguere had the decency to accept the award

You mean he was a huge sucker going out there with a teary eyed look accepting a consolation prize.

 

[Superlative Soup]

I think Oilers' coach was pretty bad in the third.. why would he keep playing McD and Drai when both of them seem gazed, especially Drai. Play your other fresh and motivated players, not the snakebitten ones. McDrai both flopped everywhere.

Used them up right before he pulled the goalie and then they could barely skate when they finally had the man advantage. Wild.

 

[Sniperberg]

Draisaitl should have been suspended after elbowing Barkov like he did

 

[Bumpus]

Congrats, Florida fans … enjoy the feeling!

 

[nuxnux1]

As someone that was hoping the Oilers win, I congratulate the Panthers and their fans.

Sadly, hfboards has become overly toxic by fans of many teams over a sport.

It’s always been this way broski

 

[Ratsreign]

Many people seem to be under the impression that while the arena is in a western suburb of Ft Lauderdale, all the fans fight through traffic coming up from Miami. Fans come to games in Sunrise from all points of the compass. It’s not a bad compromise in getting there from the various locales, at all.
The only problem has really only ever been shoddy owners fielding a farce of a team.