The Florida Panthers are aiming to avoid a similar fate as the early St. Louis Blues
By David Crum
Sorry, St. Louis Blues fans, it's history time.
The St. Louis Blues went to three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals and lost all three.
The Florida Panthers are seeking to avoid back-to-back losses in the finals.
Though there are similarities, the Panthers have, by all accounts, massively underperformed in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals, leading the series once 3-0 against the Edmonton Oilers.
If the Oilers win, they will have made one of the most impressive accomplishments in NHL history. It would be a comeback win for the ages.
The past few games, the Panthers looked stunned, not knowing what hit them.
The stars are nowhere to be seen. Outside of Aleksander Barkov, players like Sam Reinhart, Brandon Montour, and even St. Louis native Matthew Tkachuk have disappeared.
Despite his strong start, Sergei Bobrovsky is experiencing a lengthy and troubling losing streak.
The hammer will come down hard if the Florida Panthers lose
First, let's admit that if the Panthers win Game 7, it's a storybook ending.
Even though they have to be defeated psychologically, overcoming Connor McDavid and the red-hot Edmonton Oilers would be one of the NHL's greatest "come-back" tales.
However, if they lose, significant changes will have to take place in Florida. Paul Maurice's 26 years of coaching have led him to three Stanley Cups, but he's never won. He could be fired.
Sam Reinhart and Brandon Montour, both stars, are UFAs and have literally disappeared in the Stanley Cup Finals. Expect one or both to depart.
With such a respectable resume, the legendary Sergei Bobrovsky played terribly the past few games, even being benched at one point.
Sure, the St. Louis Blues lost three consecutive finals, but that was in the late '60s and early '70s.
We are in 2024, in the era of elite conditioning, rapid speed, and witnessing extreme talent, which makes the game the most competitive it has ever been.
The Edmonton Oilers have the talent to win the Cup. They have superstars and probably the best player in the world, Connor McDavid.
But the Florida Panthers also have a plethora of talent and were winning 3-0.
Never underestimate psychological factors in sports. In a recent piece, I noted that the Panthers were "struggling" and even took some criticism for my remarks. But they did struggle with their first loss and every subsequent loss. They looked so defeated, like they had all the air sucked out of them.
At one point, it looked like Evan Rodrigues would be the hero in the Panthers' history. But it should never have been that way. In crucial moments, the stars must come out.
If the Florida Panthers have any hope of winning Game 7, they must play their most competitive, resilient, and intense game ever.
Make no mistake, the Oilers are the favorites; they've proven as much. If the Panthers have any chance, every single star-player from Barkov, Tkachuk, Reinhart, and Bobrovsky must play the best game they've ever played.
The Oilers are coming, and it's downright terrifying.
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