The Daily: Panthers Make It Right in Game 7; Hero Wants to Stay

Nothing came easy for the Florida Panthers this season. But their persistence paid off Monday with the first Stanley Cup championship in the franchise’s history. The Panthers downed the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in Game 7.

The win allowed the Panthers to escape the indignity of being the second team to lose a Game 7 after owning a 3-0 lead in the series. The Panthers won the first three games of the series, and then fell in Games 4, 5 and 6. The 1942 Detroit Red Wings are the only team to squander a 3-0 series lead and then blow the Stanley Cup.

“The Florida Panthers took perhaps the longest, darkest and most meandering road to becoming Stanley Cup champions,” Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards wrote. “But after 30 years, they finally got their prize.

“The Panthers, for years an afterthought in their own market much less the NHL, brought it all home on Monday night.”

Florida had been outscored 18-5 in its previous three losses and were on the verge of a historic collapse.

”It was Florida Panthers fashion,’’ Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “Nothing is easy, nothing is easy for us, and nothing was easy last year. They did everything could to win it last year. … We needed to lose three in the Final to learn how to win four. The fact that is was so hard to win makes it special.”

Absolutely legendary speech from Panthers head coach Paul Maurice on finally winning a Stanley Cup.

Chills 🔥 pic.twitter.com/mrgaxIiYul

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) June 25, 2024

By the way,  Sam Reinhart scored the Cup-clinching goal. He will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, but he said after the game he wants to remain with the Panthers.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

Detroit GM Steve Yzerman rooting for Holland in Euro Cup soccer.

The Red Wings’ new preaseason schedule matters this season as players such as Marco Kasper and Albert Johansson battle to earn a spot on the roster.

Paywall story: Windsor Spitfires’ Liam Greentree is a big forward with a scoring touch. To subscribe, click here. To receive a $10 discount on a yearly subscription, use the promo code kevin10.

Red Wings Offseason

The NHL buyout period starts Thursday and will run until Sunday at 5 p.m. That gives teams for days to finalize their decisions. The Red Wings’ top buyout candidate is defenseman Justin Holl. He has two years remaining on a deal paying $3.4 million. If they buy out Holl, the Red Wings would be on the hook for $1.33 million in cap space over the next four seasons.

With the #StanleyCup Final going the distance, this years buyout window opens June 27th (one day before the draft) and closes on June 30th.

It also means that clubs will only get 4 days this off-season to decide on whether or not to buyout a player.https://t.co/XV2Vqj9QE5

— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) June 22, 2024

Hockey Now Network

Boston: Linus Ullmark is the third high profile goalie to be traded in the past week. The Bruins sent him to Ottawa for a first-round pick (25th overall), plus goalie Joonas Korpisalo and forward Mark Kastelic (10 points in 63 games). Andrew Fantuccio has the story.  The Senators are retaining 25% of Korpisalo’s salary.

Chicago: Nate Brown writes that the curse of former Blackhawks player Corey Perry now extends to the Edmonton Oilers. Chicago Blackhawks

New Jersey: Devils re-sign depth defenseman Nick DeSimone. He could have become a UFA on July 1. New Jersey Devils

Philadelphia: Jonathan Bailey offers thoughts about how Matvei Michkov will change the Philadelphia Flyers. 

San Jose: Sharks GM Mike Grier talked Barclay Goodrow, free agency plans and the NHL draft. Sheng Peng has the details. San Jose Sharks.