2025 STANLEY CUP FINAL: GAME 4 - Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; TNT, truTV, MAX, CBC, TVAS, SN)
Player to watch for goal, assist and/or point: Anton Lundell, F, FLA
The Florida Panthers center has three assists in three games during the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, giving him 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 20 games this postseason. Lundell, who's thriving on a dominant third line with wings Brad Marchand (four goals in three games during Cup Final) and Eetu Luostarinen, has scored all five of his playoff goals from high-danger areas (tied for third in entire NHL). Per NHL EDGE stats, Lundell is also among the forward leaders in even-strength skating distance (47.36 miles; seventh at position) and high-danger shots on goal (12; 88th percentile). Lundell is also close behind Florida's leaders in even-strength points (14) this postseason (Sam Bennett, Luostarinen have 16 each; Marchand has 15). -- Pete Jensen
Player to watch for shots on goal, assist and/or point: Evan Bouchard, D, EDM
The Edmonton Oilers defenseman leads the 2025 Stanley Cup Final in shot attempts (41), shots on goal (24) and ice time (93:10) through three games against the Panthers. Bouchard, who is tied for first with five points (one goal, four assists) in the series, has 108 shot attempts and 44 SOG in his last 10 Stanley Cup Final games dating back to last year, including 58 attempts and 29 SOG in his past four games against the Panthers. Per NHL EDGE stats, Bouchard ranks first among all players in the postseason in 90-plus mph shots (18) and is second in max shot speed (99.62 mph). He has been a standout at his position as he ranks first in long-range SOG (37), is tied for first in midrange SOG (13), and is tied for second in high-danger SOG (three). Bouchard is tied for first among defensemen in high-danger goals (one) and long-range goals (two) and is tied for second in midrange goals (three). -- Chris Meaney
Player to watch for goal, point and/or SOG: Carter Verhaeghe, F, FLA
The Panthers wing has had at least one point in each game of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final and is tied for the series lead with five points (one goal, four assists). Verhaeghe, who has 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in 20 games in this postseason and leads the series with the Oilers in 5-on-5 points (four), scored his third career Stanley Cup Final game-winning goal in Florida's 6-1 win in Game 3 and became just the sixth player with that many in the past 30 years (Brett Hull, four). Since the start of the 2022 postseason, Verhaeghe leads all players in the NHL in game-winning goals (13), overtime goals (five) and is tied for first in even-strength goals (23). He ranks first all-time on the Panthers in postseason goals (33) and power-play goals (nine), and is second in points (72), behind Florida captain Aleksander Barkov (76). Per NHL EDGE stats, Verhaeghe ranks highly at his position in skating distance (61.83 miles; fifth), high-danger goals (four; tied for fourth), high-danger SOG (18; tied for sixth), long-range SOG (six; tied for third) and speed bursts over 20-plus mph (45; eighth). -- Meaney
Player to watch for goal, assists and/or point: Connor Brown, F, EDM
The Oilers wing has eight points (five goals, three assists) in 17 games this postseason, but none since he returned from injury for Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final after missing the last two wins of the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars. Brown has scored four of his five goals from high-danger areas, trailing only Corey Perry (eight) and Leon Draisaitl (six) among Oilers players this postseason (tied for seventh in NHL). Brown has found a home on the Oilers third line alongside center Adam Henrique and wing Trent Frederic, who figure to play a crucial role in Game 4 with Edmonton trailing 2-1 in the series. Per NHL EDGE stats, Brown ranks highly at his position in 20-plus mph speed bursts (49; 97th percentile) and skating distance per 60 (10.37 miles; 96th percentile). Edmonton has won each of its past 12 games when Brown records at least one point, including a perfect 5-0 mark in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. -- Troy Perlowitz
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Others to watch for goal and/or point:
Connor McDavid, F, EDM
Sam Reinhart, F, FLA
Leon Draisaitl, F, EDM
Others to watch for assist and/or point:
Aleksander Barkov, F, FLA
Brad Marchand, F, FLA
Corey Perry, F, EDM
Others to watch for shots on goal:
Connor McDavid, F, EDM
Brad Marchand, F, FLA
Sam Bennett, F, FLA
Others to watch for blocked shots:
Jake Walman, D, EDM
Aaron Ekblad, D, FLA
Darnell Nurse, D, EDM
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FUTURES WATCH
Players who could lead series in goals:
Sam Bennett, F, FLA
Brad Marchand, F, FLA
Leon Draisaitl, F, EDM
Connor McDavid, F, EDM
Players who could lead series in shots on goal:
Evan Bouchard, D, EDM
Connor McDavid, F, EDM
Sam Bennett, F, FLA
Sam Reinhart, F, FLA
Top 5 to consider for Conn Smythe Trophy:
1. Sam Bennett, F, FLA
2. Connor McDavid, F, EDM
3. Brad Marchand, F, FLA
4. Leon Draisaitl, F, EDM
5. Sergei Bobrovsky, G, FLA
