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The Edmonton Oilers seem to be taking a page out of Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice’s playbook from the 2024 Stanley Cup Final when the Panthers hit everything that moved and eventually wore the Oilers down to the point that they had nothing left in Game 7.
In Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars, this philosophy seemed to be working for the Oilers for two periods until all hell broke loose, and they lost the plot in the third period of their 6-3 loss. I think the Stars are going to go all out to try and make this a short series, and they very well could do this against an Oilers team that still likes to play Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, even in the playoffs. You just never know what Oilers team is going to show up. If they are lucky enough to tie the series in Dallas in Game 2 on May 23, or even win both of their games at home on May 25 and May 27, I believe they could eventually wear the Stars down and win the series. But the key word is “if”.
Oilers Forwards Playing a Punishing Physical Game
When I see forwards such as Zach Hyman, Evander Kane, and Corey Perry hitting every player that moves, especially the Stars’ defensemen, I wonder if this strategy will pay off for the Oilers. I have my doubts if this is a short series in favour of the Stars, but if the Oilers can tie the series up, I can see this strategy paying off for Edmonton. Hyman is a perfect example of a player who saved up his energy from the regular season and is letting it all hang out during the playoffs.
His hits per game average has gone from 0.75 in the regular season to 7.09 in the playoffs, and in the series against the Los Angeles Kings and the Vegas Golden Knights, the physical play from Hyman and his teammates definitely took its toll on both teams. The Oilers will remain physical, but they have to play disciplined and stay out of the penalty box, because as the Stars proved in Game 1, their power play is lethal.
Physical Hockey Wins Championships
Watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2025, I’m noticing that once again, the teams that are playing physical hockey are coming out on top. The Panthers are a great example of this, as their intimidating style that won them the Stanley Cup in 2024 is on full display in the spring of 2025. I believe the Oilers learned a valuable lesson in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final from the Panthers in terms of playing physical and conserving their energy. When the Panthers won Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2024, the Oilers were a tired and worn-down team. In 2025, the Oilers look like a different team and IF they can make it to the Stanley Cup Final, they might have a good chance of winning it all – BUT they have to take care of business with a Stars team that is also battle tested and looking for revenge against the Oilers who took them out in six games in the 2024 Western Conference Final.
This current Oilers/Stars series almost feels like a race against time for the Oilers. If the Oilers can remain disciplined, keep their focus, and play physical, they might be able to tie the series up. If not, the Stars might make short work of the Oilers and leave the franchise with a lot of big question marks heading into the offseason.
Adjustments by Both Head Coaches Will Be Interesting to Watch
I’m a big fan of watching the game within the game, especially when it comes to coaches making the right adjustments with their teams. Both head coaches in this series, Kris Knoblauch and Pete DeBoer, are smart, savvy and have a good handle on what’s going on with their respective teams. Even though the Stars seemed to rely heavily on playing four defencemen in Game 1, I expect DeBoer to spread out the ice time to his third pair of D-men. If he doesn’t, it could be a big mistake, especially if the Oilers were to somehow tie the series.
Related: Oilers vs. Stars: 3 Crucial Differences from Their 2024 Series
Knoblauch, meanwhile, has made some wise moves with his team so far in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and it’ll be interesting to see what adjustments he makes going forward. One thing I don’t see Knoblauch and the Oilers changing is their physical approach to the game. I think this style of play is key if they want to win it all. But they have to play disciplined hockey. If they don’t, I think the Stars have a good chance of advancing. We’ll see which Oilers team shows up for the remainder of this series.
