TORONTO — Kris Knoblauch pushed back at the notion his team had been bullied in last year's Stanley Cup final.
The Edmonton Oilers head coach also agreed the group is better suited to face the Florida Panthers some 11 1/2 months later.
"We're more physical team," he said. "We're bigger, we're stronger."
The Oilers showed that in Game 1 of the 2025 title series. They have no intention of backing down.
Edmonton delivered punishing blows to Florida's defence in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime victory, including a number of big hits on Panthers blueliner Aaron Ekblad, who played more than 33 minutes to top all skaters.
Knoblauch said his team "accepted that challenge and the physicality" in last June's seven-game Cup loss to the Panthers. The reality, however, is the Oilers are more physically ready to face the same opponent.
Edmonton is minus winger Zach Hyman (dislocated wrist), but has a trainers' room that's otherwise largely unoccupied.
Bruising winger Evander Kane sat out the final five games of the 2024 final before missing the entire regular-season following abdominal and knee surgeries. The Oilers also added size and toughness up front with the acquisitions of Trent Frederic, Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen.
The hits sat at 51-51 when Leon Draisaitl ended the opener on an OT power play, but Knoblauch said it's about more than just making life uncomfortable against an opponent that does it better than most.
"It's important that not only you're finishing your checks, you have that physical presence, but winning a lot of battles," he said. "The bigger you are, typically you're stronger, you're winning more pucks."
Kane said his group has shown in this post-season it's comfortable with any style of game that's required. The Panthers, known for bending the rules in their favour with hockey's dark arts alongside what can be characterized as an "accidentally-on-purpose approach" in certain moments, weren't able to nudge the Oilers off their axis Wednesday.
"We didn't really get too much into the after-the-whistle stuff," Kane said. "We kept it between the whistles. We're a team that has proven we're going to play hard throughout the entire playoffs, and just because we're playing Florida, that's not going to change."
Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse said a combination of health and roster construction means the Panthers are facing a different animal.
"We're a team built for a lot of the physical edge," he said. "Not afraid of that. (We're) playing a really, really good opponent that brings up the physicality each night, and we have to match that."
The gamesmanship also Florida brings — accented by forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett — is something Edmonton knows will be coming.
"There are going to be those moments where the edge kind of takes over," Nurse said. "Our group, it's the type and style of play that we're very comfortable play with.
"And obviously they are too."
RIVALRY RENEWED
Kane and Tkachuk battled it out in the 2022 Western Conference final when the latter was still a member of the Calgary Flames. Kane's injury issues last year meant the matchup that usually includes plenty of on-ice banter didn't really feature in Florida's Cup win.
That looks set to change after the pair went at it almost every time they were in the same vicinity in Game 1.
Kane was asked what it's like to play against Tkachuk.
"Like another player," he said. "Just likes to talk a little bit more."
TAKING IT IN
Oilers defenceman Jake Walman is enjoying his first true playoff experience after getting acquired from the San Jose Sharks ahead of the NHL trade deadline.
"It lived up to the hype," he said. "I wouldn't want to be doing it with any other group of guys."
The 29-year-old from Toronto played more than 23 minutes Wednesday, blocked a game-high four shots, and directed 12 pucks on goal.
"Every game is going to be a challenge," Walman said. "I watched a lot last year when these (teams) were playing. I think we're playing against a better Florida team than they did last year."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2025.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
