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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Playoff MVP Sam Bennett agrees on 8-year, $64 million contract to stay with Florida Panthers
Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) stops Florida Panthers' Sam Bennett (9) during the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise, Fla., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) NHL commissioner Gary Bettman presents the Conn Smythe Trophy to Sam Bennett after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett lifts the Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Florida Panthers' Sam Bennett (9) raises the Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise, Fla., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) stops Florida Panthers' Sam Bennett (9) during the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise, Fla., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) NHL commissioner Gary Bettman presents the Conn Smythe Trophy to Sam Bennett after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett lifts the Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Florida Panthers' Sam Bennett (9) raises the Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise, Fla., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sam Bennett walked to the front of the stage at the Florida Panthers' latest Stanley Cup championship parade, and before he could even speak the crowd began serenading him with their request. 'Eight more years! Eight more years!' they chanted, over and over. Advertisement They got their wish. Bennett — who led the NHL with 15 goals in this year's playoffs and became the first Panthers player ever to score that many in a single postseason — is staying with the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. He and Florida agreed Friday to a new eight-year contract worth $64 million, or $8 million per season. 'Sam is a special player who has mastered a unique blend of skill and physicality in his game, becoming one of the most impactful postseason performers of his generation,' Panthers general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito said. 'He played an integral role in our two Stanley Cup championships, earning the franchise's first Conn Smythe trophy and is a dedicated contributor to our South Florida community off the ice. We are thrilled that he will continue his career with the Panthers.' Bennett was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as MVP of the playoffs, the first Florida player to ever win that award. The last time a Conn Smythe winner didn't open the following season with the same team he had that playoff run with was 1997, when goaltender Mike Vernon helped Detroit win that year's Cup — and then the Red Wings traded him to San Jose that summer. Advertisement It is the first of three big decisions that the Panthers have been waiting on heading into free agency, the others being what forward Brad Marchand — a trade deadline pickup who became an enormous part of the run to this Cup — and defenseman Aaron Ekblad will do going forward. The Bennett signing is another huge move by general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito, who now has eight players — all of them key parts of the team — under contract with the Panthers through at least the 2029-30 season. Bennett joins Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell, Seth Jones and Gustav Forsling on that list. The raise is a massive one for Bennett, who just finished the final year of a four-year contract that paid him just under $18 million. He had a postseason like almost none other; the only other player to have at least 15 goals and 48 penalty minutes in the same playoff run was Pittsburgh's Kevin Stevens in 1991. He had given indications throughout this offseason process — including at a nightclub during the Panthers' days-long initial Cup celebration — that he intended to remain in Florida, but nothing got officially done until Friday. Bennett is coming off perhaps his finest season, with 25 goals and 26 assists in the regular season for a career-best 51 points. ___ AP NHL:
New York Times
25-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
If the Oilers seek a goalie, here are their best trade and free agent options
The Edmonton Oilers, on the cusp of winning the Stanley Cup in consecutive years, are going to have to make changes to accomplish their goal. Goaltending is the most obvious area to address. Oilers GM Stan Bowman said last week that the position is being evaluated closely, after Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard rotated through the crease during a six-game Stanley Cup Final loss to the Florida Panthers. With the offseason underway, the clock is ticking for deciding how to proceed. Advertisement The one major benefit of the Skinner-Pickard duo is salary. At $2.6 million and $1 million, respectively, and with another year on each of their deals, they present a cheap tandem that is ideal when it comes to flexibility for building out the rest of the roster. They each won seven games in the postseason run, also. However, neither posted a save percentage above .900 in the regular season or playoffs. Both were in the red when it came to goals saved above expected in all situations through the four rounds this spring. The position was perhaps the Oilers' weakest. Unless Bowman unexpectedly opts to run Skinner and Pickard back again, he'll have to choose with whom to part — a decision that might depend on which goalie is added, and that new goalie's salary-cap hit. The Oilers have just under $12 million in cap space, per PuckPedia, but that's without re-signing forward Trent Frederic or defenseman Evan Bouchard. Those collective contracts could cost the Oilers more than that, so they must be prepared to move out money – on top of Skinner or Pickard – to bring in a new goalie. Let's get into the options, including potential trade targets and the sparse free-agent class. A regular on every trade board for the last few years, the Anaheim Ducks' John Gibson is the obvious place to start. The main reason he has yet to be traded likely is his contract, but that is becoming more palatable by the year. Not only does Gibson only have two years left at this point, his $6.4 million cap hit also looks less daunting with the rising salary cap. The understanding is Gibson isn't actively looking to be traded from Anaheim, but he wouldn't be upset if he were moved to a contender. We're talking about a talented goalie with more than 500 NHL games who hasn't played in the playoffs in seven years. He's only 31 years old and he showed last season he still has it, stopping 11.71 goals above expected with a .911 save percentage in 28 starts. Advertisement Yes, Gibson battled injuries throughout the season. It started with an emergency appendectomy in September, and he exited the lineup with injuries on several occasions during the season. When he was on the ice, though, Gibson was excellent. He hasn't shown any signs of slowing down to this point, still playing his aggressive style with his heels often at the top of his crease. Gibson still covers the bottom of the net well. He's quick to drop to his butterfly, which can be a bit of a fault at times, but it helps him more often than not. He's an athletic goalie who relies on reactions more than perfect techniques, but his post integrations did look much smoother and more natural this season, showing he's still improving facets of his game, even 12 years into his NHL career. This save on Pittsburgh's Erik Karlsson in late January is a good snapshot of Gibson's style, and evidence that he still has the lateral explosion required to play it. He recognized the three-on-one rush developing and jumped way outside his crease. Not only does Gibson tend to play with more aggressive depth than most, he also likes to play rush chances with a lot of back flow (slowly creeping back toward the net as the puck approaches). That back flow gives Gibson momentum, allowing him to spring across laterally in the event of a pass much quicker than he would be able to from a standstill with his feet set. These tendencies are worth pointing out because they could be an excellent fit behind the Oilers' defense. Edmonton plays a layered zone scheme which emphasizes taking away passes through the middle of the ice. Eliminating those cross-seam passes only gives a goalie with aggressive depth more confidence to challenge shots without worrying about being beaten by a lateral pass. A big reason why Gibson's stats slipped so dramatically over the past several years prior to 2024-25 was that Anaheim's defense was particularly bad at eliminating those plays. The Ducks have ranked in the bottom five in high-danger chances allowed in eight of the last nine seasons, and ranked dead last this past season. The last time Anaheim ranked in the top half in that stat was in 2015-16, when it ranked 12th in the NHL. Gibson won the Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals allowed that season and received Vezina Trophy votes. Advertisement This season, Edmonton allowed the fewest high-danger chances of any team in the league. Playing behind the Oilers' dependable defense could allow Gibson to play his aggressive style more freely. It's not likely at this age, but there's an outside chance we could even see the best version of Gibson we've ever seen. Throw in the fact that Gibson's athleticism gives him a ceiling we haven't seen from an Oilers goalie in quite some time. That's the type of playoff game-stealing potential they are desperately seeking. The major issue for the Oilers, aside from Gibson's injury history, is the cap hit. To bring in Gibson at full freight, they'd probably have to move out Skinner, Evander Kane and Viktor Arvidsson without taking back any money — and then they would have little to fill out their forward ranks. Let's start by saying that despite his injury history and the long-term contract given to Kevin Lankinen, it still doesn't make a lot of sense for the Canucks to trade Thatcher Demko at the moment. Vancouver still has him under contract for one more season, and the Vezina-caliber potential Demko clearly possesses when healthy is worth waiting for. Allowing this season to play out, to see if he can still play at that level for an extended period, seems like an easy choice for the Canucks. However, if there's any interest in moving on from him, the Oilers should be calling and not hanging up until the deal is done. Goalies like Demko simply don't become available very often. The chance to add a real difference-maker in net far outweighs the obvious injury risk. Demko would give Edmonton a goalie capable of singlehandedly winning games, to a degree even Gibson doesn't offer. Demko regularly ranks near the top of the league in high-danger save percentage and has a unique combination of size, athleticism and skating ability that allows him to make saves only he can make. This past season was a lost year for Demko. He began it on the injured reserve, dealt with setbacks and never found his rhythm, but he's still only a year removed from finishing as the runner-up in Vezina voting. Advertisement The injury problems should provide cause for hesitation here for the Oilers. They'd be wise to retain Skinner if the Canucks were even willing to deal the 29-year-old to a hated division rival, because it's likely they would need someone to play at least 35 games behind him. Demko's $5 million cap hit cap hit is a bit more manageable than Gibson's price tag. The single year limits the risk as well. Beyond the top two names, the potential goalie trade market thins out quickly. There are three veteran options — all in the middle of long-term contracts viewed as above their market value — who could be available. Columbus' Elvis Merzlikins, Pittsburgh's Tristan Jarry and Boston's Joonas Korpisalo have all shown stretches of excellence. They've also all seen considerable dips in their performance since signing their contracts. Merzlikins has posted a sub-.900 save percentage in three straight seasons and has allowed 33.98 goals above expected since 2020. He's a highly competitive goalie with scorching hot streaks, but those stretches haven't happened nearly often enough lately in Columbus. It's hard to envision the Oilers bringing in Merzlikins without the Blue Jackets eating some of the $5.4 million cap hit over two years. Jarry is almost the exact opposite. He's typically cool, calm and collected in the net and has a lengthy resume of above-average netminding, but he's also coming off the worst season of his career, in which he was actually waived to the American Hockey League for a stretch in mid-January. The Penguins would have to retain some money, given the $5.375 million cap hit for two more seasons. Jarry has worked with Oilers goalie coach Dustin Schwartz, so the organization would have some familiarity with him. After a disastrous 2023-24 in Ottawa, Korpisalo bounced back with a solid debut season with the Boston Bruins last year. He wasn't spectacular, with a .893 save percentage, but he put up superior statistics compared to Jeremy Swayman in 24 starts. Considering that the Senators are still retaining $1 million per season for the remaining three years on his deal, his $3 million cap hit is a bit lower than the other options. The Oilers know him well, having faced him in the 2023 playoffs when he was a Los Angeles King. Pyotr Kochetkov proved in 2024-25 that he's capable of handling a bigger workload, starting 47 games for Carolina while starter Frederik Andersen was out. He fared well in those starts, and showed a lot of promise – especially considering he's only 25 years old. Advertisement Then, in the playoffs, Carolina showed it still clearly prefers Andersen as its starter, then signed the veteran to a one-year, $2.75 million contract extension in May. Considering Andersen's age and the fact that he hasn't started more than 33 games in the last three years, it's unlikely the Hurricanes are looking to deal Kochetkov, but they might listen to offers. After all, Carolina did trade Alex Nedeljkovic after his spectacular rookie season in 2021. St. Louis' Joel Hofer is another young backup goalie who is trending positively and could be ready for more responsibility, but is stuck behind an entrenched starter. Jordan Binnington has now strung together two excellent seasons in a row, suggesting the hand-off to Hofer may be delayed longer than initially anticipated. That, combined with Hofer's contract status — he's a restricted free agent in need of a major raise from his previous cap hit of only $775,000 — could mean the Blues are willing to listen to offers. He's only 24 years old, moves well for a big, blocking-style goalie and is an excellent puckhandler. Blues GM Doug Armstrong sure doesn't sound like someone who's interested in letting Hofer go, though. Both Kochetkov and Hofer have upside, maybe even significant upside, but it seems like it would be asking a lot of either to backstop a team with Stanley Cup aspirations. Bringing in one of them means that having an experienced and capable goalie to work in a tandem is a must. Prior to the beginning of last season, the 2025 goalie free agent class was looking bountiful. Then Igor Shesterkin, Joey Daccord, Mackenzie Blackwood, Logan Thompson, Charlie Lindgren, Karel Vejmelka and Adin Hill all signed long-term extensions. General managers across the league anticipated a desolate free-agent market for starting netminders and locked theirs up early. Of the available unrestricted free agents, veteran Jake Allen had the best 2024-25 season by a big margin. The 34-year-old had arguably the most impressive season of his 12-year career statistically, stopping an impressive 19.07 goals above expected. He's an ultra-reliable backup, and he came up big for New Jersey with a fantastic stretch of play in February when Jacob Markstrom was out with an MCL sprain. Is Allen an upgrade as a starter for Edmonton? Unlikely. Does he make any team feel more comfortable with their goaltending room as a whole? Unquestionably. That might be the ticket for the Oilers, given the dearth of options, especially if they feel confident enough to keep the 26-year-old Skinner around for at least one more season. Advertisement Detroit's Alex Lyon and Vegas' Ilya Samsonov are the only other free agents who could be seen as upgrades as a No. 2. Neither had particularly great seasons, but they're both proven commodities at this point and have shown the ability to play at a high level for limited stretches. (Photo of John Gibson: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
Edmonton Journal
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
'This ends now': It's time for change in Edmonton Oilers nets, but what to do?
Article content The one big thing experts agree on when it comes to the goalie situation of the Edmonton Oilers is that it's time for change, even if that is for change itself. But in trying to make such a move, ESPN analyst Ray Ferraro said the Oilers are 'in a tough spot.' Article content On his Ray & Dregs podcast, Ferraro suggested there's no question that Florida's Sergei Bobrovsky was a better goalie in the 2025 Final than Edmonton's tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. Article content Edmonton could try to sign veteran New Jersey goalie Jake Allen as an Unrestricted Free Agents, but there a few teams competing to sign him, Ferraro said. 'He's a free agent. How much money can you put into your (goalie) position? Because you need it so definitively in other places (on the Oilers roster). They're in a tough spot.' Anaheim's John Gibson is another name out there, Ferraro said, but will Anaheim be willing to retain cap space? 'That's an expensive trade both, I would think, in assets and in dollars. Like, they're in a tough spot there. But I think might even be in the place of change for change, is part of what they need to do. I don't think you can go back with the same goaltending… There would be an undercurrent all year with the same goaltending. And that's unfortunately, I mean, that's the nature of that bloody position, right?' Article content At the New York Post, columnist Larry Brooks said $10-million-per-year Bobrovsky was, in fact, the difference-maker in both Florida's 2024 and 2025 Cup wins. It's wise to spend on a goalie, Brooks said. 'There have been exceptions to the rule, but the notion that legit contenders can get by with middle-tier netminders has always been patently absurd. I'm not sure whether Edmonton GM Stan Bowman was more derelict in his duty by attempting to get by with a goaltending tandem of Stuart Skinner ($2.6M per) and Calvin Pickard ($1M) — 3.6 percent of the cap, whoop-de-do — or failing to match last summer's offer sheets to Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway. Unless McDavid has already decided that it is best for him and his family to leave Edmonton for perhaps a major market city in the East — and we all know we are talking about New York and Toronto — then the Oilers' ability to acquire a franchise-type goaltender surely will impact No. 97's decision whether to sign an extension.' Article content And Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said on his 32 Thoughts podcast, 'I don't know if they're going to bring in another goalie to go with Skinner, or they're going to move on. But one thing I do believe is that they have to end the uncertainty. Like teams that win the Stanley Cup, you don't have as much turnover or upheaval in net the way Edmonton's had the last two years. And I could see McDavid and the organization saying, 'Enough of that. We have to end that one way or the other. Whatever you do, this ends now.'' My take 1. I don't want to see the Oilers trade Stuart Skinner, not with Skinner on a bargain contract of $2.6 million this season. But his save percentage has decreased three years in a row, from. 913 to .905 to .896, and he's always been a hot and cold goalie. He was inconsistent in the 2025 playoffs, cold against Los Angeles, hot against Vegas and Dallas, then cold against Florida. His playoff save percentages the last three years have been mediocre, .883, .901 and .889. Article content Skinner may have a break-out season where he puts his game together. But it's evident that to challenge for the Cup, the Oilers need a goalie who can challenge Skinner for the starting job. 2. Calvin Pickard, 33, had an OK .900 save percentage in the regular season, then went seven wins and one loss in the playoffs on an .886 save percentage. He's a good back-up goalie, but he's not likely the guy to lead Edmonton to the Stanley Cup in the playoffs. I agree with Brooks that Bobrovsky has been Florida's best player in the Finals two years running. He stole two wins for the Panthers in 2024 and was the better goalie in Game 7 as well. He was the better goalie in at least four out of the six games this Stanley Cup Final. 3. All that said, OIlers GM Stan Bowman truly is in a tough spot here. First, there's limited cap space on the Oilers to pay a goalie. There's also a limited number of goalies available just now. Third, goalies really are voodoo, as Bowman has suggested, with Skinner and Pickard outplaying much more highly-paid and highly-rated goalies in VGK's Adin Hill and Dallas' Jake Oetteringer in the playoffs this year. Article content 4 It may well be that change for change's sake is needed here. The Oilers have rolled the dice with Skinner and Pickard twice and had some success, but not ultimate success. If a starter is available, possibly in a trade for Viktor Arvidsson, Bowman should think hard before pulling the trigger, but also think hard before rejecting the notion. 5. I fear things could get ugly if the Oilers stick with Skinner and Pickard, and the teams continue to get inconsistent goaltending. Why not mix it up? Pickard could be kept on as a goalie in Bakersfield in case of injury, or in case either of the other goalies flops. Latest National Stories
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'Get over the hump': Doug MacLean slams Stuart Skinner for sabotaging Connor McDavid's Stanley Cup dream
'Get over the hump': Doug MacLean slams Stuart Skinner for sabotaging Connor McDavid's Stanley Cup dream (Image via Getty) The Edmonton Oilers came so close to winning the Stanley Cup this year, but not everyone was happy with how things went. After the final game, one former NHL coach and analyst pointed out a big problem. His comments focused on the team's goalie, Stuart Skinner, and raised questions about what went wrong behind the scenes. Doug MacLean calls out Stuart Skinner for lack of support to Connor McDavid Former NHL general manager and coach Doug MacLean discussed the Edmonton Oilers' Stanley Cup Final defeat during a Sportsnet broadcast on June 20, 2025. He stated plainly his viewpoint, saying that goaltender Stuart Skinner did not do enough to back superstar Connor McDavid. — msports_all (@msports_all) 'It's hard on star players at playoff time to get over the hump,' MacLean said. 'You need a supporting cast.' In Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, conducted on June 18 in Sunrise, Florida, the Oilers lost to the Florida Panthers. Although McDavid had a phenomenal playoff performance with 42 points over 23 games, Skinner was chastised for failing to be dependable in goal. Although Skinner looked strong sometimes, he also relinquished important objectives at the wrong point. Many fans and analysts believe that his performance made it difficult for McDavid and the rest of the team to stay in control of games. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Stuart Skinner's playoff run under heavy pressure Stuart Skinner, 25, has been the starting goaltender for the Oilers during their recent playoff runs. This postseason, he had an up-and-down performance. In several games, he was pulled and replaced by backup Calvin Pickard. Despite the pressure, Skinner stayed calm in interviews. But after Doug MacLean's comments, the focus is now fully on him. MacLean's words reminded fans that even the best players like Connor McDavid can't win alone. They need help from the back, especially from the goaltender. Also Read: ' We Need Some Different Players': Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman Hints Stuart Skinner And Calvin Pickard May Be Out After Stanley Cup Loss Connor McDavid did everything he could, including scoring and assisting in clutch moments. But without steady defense and goaltending, it wasn't enough. Skinner's save percentage dropped to .893 in the Final, while Florida's goalie Sergei Bobrovsky stood strong with .912. The Oilers now head into the offseason thinking about changes. Will they trust Skinner again next season? Or will they look for someone new to help McDavid win his first Stanley Cup? Follow all the live updates, scores, and highlights from the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stanley Cup Final averaged 2.5M US viewers, a drop from last year's Cup and the 4 Nations final
Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers players trade punches during the first period of Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Florida Panthers' Sam Reinhart, second left, celebrates his goal against Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) with teammates during the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise, Fla., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) The Florida Panthers team poses with the Stanley Cup trophy after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Florida Panthers' Sam Reinhart (13) celebrates his goal against Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) as Panthers' Carter Verhaeghe (23) reacts during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise, Fla., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) Florida Panthers' Sam Reinhart (13) celebrates his goal against Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) as Panthers' Carter Verhaeghe (23) reacts during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise, Fla., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers players trade punches during the first period of Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Florida Panthers' Sam Reinhart, second left, celebrates his goal against Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) with teammates during the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise, Fla., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) The Florida Panthers team poses with the Stanley Cup trophy after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Florida Panthers' Sam Reinhart (13) celebrates his goal against Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) as Panthers' Carter Verhaeghe (23) reacts during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise, Fla., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) U.S. television ratings for the Stanley Cup Final rematch between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers declined from their first matchup a year ago. An average of 2.5 million viewers watched on TNT, with 2.8 million tuning in for the Panthers' series-clinching Game 6 victory. The overall number on cable is down from 4.17 million last year when the final was on over-the-air TV on ABC and the lowest since Tampa Bay versus Montreal in 2021. Advertisement The share of viewers increased 15% from TNT's first Cup final in 2023 when Vegas defeated Florida. Social media engagements on NHL content were up 32% over the course of the playoffs. An average of 3.8 million viewers watched the final in Canada on Sportsnet, with Connor McDavid looking for his first championship. The 1.8 million on average for the playoffs, which included five out of the 16 teams involved being based in Canada, is a 6% increase from a year ago. Ratings for the Cup final were significantly lower than the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, the return of international competition featuring the NHL's best players. The final between the U.S. and Canada was watched by 9.3 million people in the U.S. and 10.7 million in Canada, after the six round-robin games averaged 4.6 million in North America. ___ AP NHL:
