We won’t tell you we know who’s gonna win the Stanley Cup just yet…
but we know one NFL star who earned a massive W today.
Oilers, Panthers Remain
What Happened: The race for the most storied trophy in sports has narrowed down to its final two teams.
On Sunday, the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars to end the Western Conference finals and set up a date with the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.
This will be Edmonton’s first appearance in the Cup final since 2006, while Florida returns after losing in last season’s version to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Why It Matters: The odds think that the Panthers are all set to exact revenge after missing out on a Cup lift last season, as they open the series as -125 favorites. The Oilers are +105 underdogs.
That confidence is a mix of Florida having been here just last season, as well as its well-balanced style. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice’s team can flash superstar talent, play a rough and gritty style, and lean on a big-money goalie all at once.
Boasting two all-world forwards in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, along with plenty of depth options that can score, the Oilers probably wouldn’t mind if this series veers into high-scoring territory. Still, goalie Stuart Skinner stepped his game up vs. the Stars, and we’ve seen plenty of teams ride a hot goalie to a Cup victory. Edmonton is not a one-trick pony, even if they do have one trick that might be the difference versus Florida.
How We’re Feeling Today
Starting to realize why seven wide receivers were taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, setting a record.
And that’s because another record was set today, when Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings agreed on a contract that will net Jefferson $110 million guaranteed. That’s the most ever for a non-quarterback.
That price tag (fully deserved, of course) makes NFL teams’ hunt for difference-making talent at rookie wages all the more rational. When Jefferson is set to average what Marvin Harrison Jr. will be paid for his first four NFL seasons combined, it only makes sense that teams will try to hit the jackpot with a rookie whose cost is controlled for several seasons.
Quarterbacks still get paid head and shoulders more than any other position group, but kids, there is plenty of money to be made if you are the person catching those passes. Look no further than Jefferson for proof of that.
The Look Ahead
Nathan Eovaldi STRIKEOUTS – The veteran right-hander is coming off a two-strikeout performance against the Diamondbacks, but we think there’s some intrigue in his 4.5 line anyway. In eight starts so far, Eovaldi has rang up 5+ Ks five times, including in three of his last four. He also faces a Detroit Tigers lineup that has struck out 520 times this season, good for fifth-most in the American League.
