Hockey

Six years in a row in the final: Who can stop the Florida clubs?
Marc-Olivier Cook
Six years in a row in the final: Who can stop the Florida clubs?
Credit: It’s done. The Panthers have (YET AGAIN) booked their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final. It’s the third year in a row that the Florida team has been in the Final. And if we take it a step further… it’s the sixth year in a row that a Florida team (Lightning or Panthers) has made […]

It's done.

The Panthers have (YET AGAIN) booked their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.

It's the third year in a row that the Florida team has been in the Final. And if we take it a step further… it's the sixth year in a row that a Florida team (Lightning or Panthers) has made it to the final round of the NHL playoffs.

Hockey in Florida is working right now.

The Panthers and Lightning are able to have big clubs all the time because the tax advantage helps, too.

Tax-free” states can – more easily than others – build good teams, and we're clearly seeing the result of that right now in the National League.

It's as if they have an advantage. And at some point, National League executives may have no choice but to sit down and revisit this problem, because if they don't, it's going to get even worse.

Because if the NHL wants to establish parity in all four corners of the league…

Hate It Or Love It, the Panthers really do have what it takes right now to lift the Stanley Cup for a second year in a row.

They have what it takes to beat the Oilers. And they also have what it takes to beat the Stars.

It would have been different talking about the Canadiens, though, since the Panthers haven't been able to win this season against the Habs… Hehe. #Sarcasm

No joke, the Panthers lineup is impressive.

Bill Zito (GM) deserves credit because he's built a club with a lot of good, quality players, and we know that depth in the playoffs helps.

In fact, 10 of the club's players have scored at least 10 points since the start of the playoffs.

10!

Eetu Luostarinen hurt himself last night in Game 5 (and final) against the Hurricanes.

But after the game, Paul Maurice reassured the club's fans that the player should be OK for the start of the final.

The forward will have plenty of time to get back into shape, by the way: if the Oilers win tonight, the first game of the final will be played on June 4.

And if the Stars win… the final will begin on June 7.

In both scenarios, the Panthers have time to rest and heal their wounds.

In the midst of all this, it really seems like the acquisition of Brad Marchand has helped weld the group together even more.

The Panthers players loved to hate him when he was in Boston, but now Marchand has become an important piece in Florida and everyone likes him.

Seeing the guys throw rats at him after the game – the club's new tradition – is quite revealing…

If I had a two penny bet for the next Stanley Cup winner, I'd put it on the Panthers.

The Oilers have lost Zach Hyman for the rest of the playoffs, the Stars seem fragile at times… and on the other side, the Panthers really look like a club on a mission right now.

The guys hardly celebrated last night's win, and Matthew Tkachuk said after the game that the players had another goal in mind – which is pretty clear.

They're dangerous, the Panthers.

And they've looked virtually unstoppable for some time now…


Overtime

– Seen the same.

– Enjoy!

– The Rimouski Océanic's season is over. Meanwhile, the Wildcats are off to the semi-finals to face the London Knights in the Memorial Cup.

– Sick.

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