It’s set.
Welcome to the first week in June, folks!
Hockey season officially ended around these parts with PWHL Boston’s loss last week, but the show goes on in the NHL with the Stanley Cup Final now set.
The Edmonton Oilers eliminated Dallas last night, punching their ticket to their first Final in nearly 20 years.
Earlier in the weekend, the Florida Panthers eliminated the New York Rangers, sending them back to the Final for the second time in as many years.
On paper, it should be a pretty intriguing match-up. Florida is probably the better overall “team” in terms of talent distribution, but Edmonton also boasts two of the best players on the planet.
Plus, their power play has sprung back to life after a brief middling stretch.
I’d like to see Edmonton win because 1) Florida doesn’t deserve nice things and 2) Connor McDavid has been head-and-shoulders above his peers for years now and it’d be nice to see him rewarded.
However, Edmonton winning would also mean a Canadian team winning the Cup, so that bit of banter would no longer be usable by American fans.
Decisions, decisions.
I’m also determined to find out of this is the longest-distance Cup Final ever.
Quick Google searching (which is no longer as reliable as it used to be) tells me an Edmonton to Miami flight is 2,569 miles, 49 miles longer than a Boston to Vancouver flight.
I thought of a couple of other coast-to-coast finals (Los Angeles vs. New Jersey, for example) but those aren’t longer.
Hey, we have to fill our time somehow, right?
If not, I’d subject myself to reading increasingly ridiculous Linus Ullmark trade packages, including Alexandar Georgiev and a draft pick for Ullmark.
Good times.
What’s on tap for today?