Panthers played their style of game in Game 7
(Jean Doyon) – Oh yes, I was disappointed to see the Edmonton Oilers lose in the final by one goal to the Florida Panthers, who ultimately lifted the Stanley Cup for the first time in their history, but the 2024 series were interesting, captivating and emotional.
The Panthers were able to bring out their famous defensive system and neutralized the very powerful attack of the Oilers, particularly in game #7. By defensive system, it is not just the work of the defenders, it is rather an extremely tight forecheck on the part of the attackers, the closing of the center of the ice and the defenders who held back the attack entering the territory instead of letting them get to the guard.
The second an Oilers player regained possession of the puck, a Panthers player immediately came after him like a leech. That’s the perfect image, “leeches.” A style of play that I hate to see, but which has won a Cup for teams like Florida, New Jersey, Carolina…
Goaltender Bobrovsky was good, but certainly not as busy as during the Alberta team’s three straight victories. The 2nd best defense on the Betteman circuit pulled out all the stops at the right time. Well, they deserved this Cup, good for them. And even though I said after the match that I didn’t want to talk to anyone this week on my Facebook page… “that’s it, chu ok, my crisis is over! “.
Connor McDavid and the Conn-Smythe Trophy
Yes, it’s true, many hockey fans did not appreciate that the Oilers captain, the prolific Connor McDavid, did not deign to go and collect the trophy “best player of the playoffs”awarded for a rare time to a player from the losing team.
My hypothesis: The team was so devastated, that McDavid, as a good captain, stayed close to the team in solidarity, and ignored an individual reward. However, he broke a record for the number of assists in a series, 34, previously held by Wayne Gretzky with 31, (4th place). He deserved this trophy.
Many found that he had lacked respect for the hockey planet. The fans would have liked to see this great idol at least return to the ice and collect the “prize”. Another possibility would have been for all the Oilers players to push McDavid to return to the ice by accompanying him (or at least one of them), for this unique moment, again as proof of a team gesture and appreciation.
Bettman anti-Canadian teams? Not sure
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There is an image circulating on the internet that is difficult to explain and which clearly shows that since the arrival of the new NHL commissioner, Gary Bettman on February 1, 1993, except for the Montreal Canadiens a few weeks later, no Canadian team has lifted the precious medal since.
It’s true that it doesn’t seem right, it’s a bit funny. For 30 years, only American teams have won the Stanley Cup. Why don’t we like Bettman? For his slightly haughty, “mad”, almost condescending air, and also because he always says NO to the Nordiques? And because many NHL diehards believe he’s plotting against Canada? Come on!
Yet it is still not his fault that seven Canadian teams in the last 30 years have made it to the final and lost.
2024 : Oilers d’Edmonton.
2021: Montreal Canadiens.
2011 : Canucks de Vancouver.
2007: Ottawa Senators.
2006 : Oilers d’Edmonton.
2004 : Flames de Calgary.
1994 : Canucks de Vancouver.
Last Monday, we saw it clearly, Bettman had nothing to do with this game, and even in 2021, Tampa Bay was much too strong than our Canadiens who had given their all. We have to face the facts, Bettman has nothing to do with it. On the contrary, the oldest leaders of the circuit say that he is the best of the best, that he has raised hockey to dizzying heights.
When Gary Bettman was hired, the owners gave him two main tasks; one was to expand the NHL’s presence in America, primarily in the South and West, to catch up with the NFL and NBA in terms of the number of teams. And the other was to tie a tight budget to the growing player salaries at a time when teams were losing millions of dollars.
Even though, and this is the most surprising, the Commissioner has put in place a Canadian assistance plan. “The American teams were sending a check for $3 million a year to the Canadian teams and without this plan, there wouldn’t be all these Canadian teams today. Some of them would have been dissolved.”said a team leader.
When Mr. Bettman says that Pierre-Karl Péladeau must have other shareholders with him to embark on the adventure of an expansion team in the National League, he may be right after all. Besides, even PKP admitted that he was not wrong.
I found a very interesting article on the “unloved” and I strongly encourage you to read it.
https://www.nhl.com/fr/news/bettman-marque-l-histoire-avec-ses-31-ans-comme-commissaire
