Oilers vs. Panthers Prediction & Odds Game 1: Today's Stanley Cup Final Expert Picks

Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid celebrates after scoring a goal as we look at our top Oilers vs. Panthers prediction — Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid celebrates after scoring a goal. Photo Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports.

Gonzales Oona offers his top prediction for Game 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between the Oilers and Panthers, taking into account the latest NHL odds for Saturday’s matchup in Sunrise, Fla.

Tonight, the Edmonton Oilers are finally back in the Stanley Cup Final, facing off against the Florida Panthers. The Panthers, who lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Eastern Conference finals last year, are considered the slight favorites in the upcoming series according to Stanley Cup odds.

The highly anticipated clash between the Oilers and their opponent in Game 1 is scheduled to begin shortly after 8 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN+, and Sportsnet in Canada. According to Betway, the Oilers are considered underdogs with odds of +115.

Connor McDavid, the frontrunner for the Conn Smythe Trophy, demonstrated his exceptional skills in the Western Conference Final by scoring six points in the final three games, leading the Oilers to a victory over the Dallas Stars.

Here are our top NHL picks and predictions for Game 1 of Oilers vs Panthers, along with our player props and parlay for the matchup.

Prediction for Game 1 between the Oilers and Panthers

Find the best NHL betting sites for the latest odds and rate your confidence in your picks on a scale from one to five stars.

Connor McDavid will have more than 3.5 shots on goal in the game. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The first game of the Stanley Cup Final will take place in Sunrise, Florida, the city where Connor McDavid was chosen as the top pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Although McDavid is already highly motivated, returning to the place where his professional career began is sure to hold special significance for the Oilers’ captain. This Saturday, McDavid will make his debut in the Stanley Cup Final in Florida.

Each time it seems like McDavid has hit his limit, he manages to surpass it. The Oilers’ potential for a Stanley Cup win largely depends on McDavid’s ability to reach new heights. After being shut out in Game 2 against the Stars, there was a noticeable change in his mindset. This marked the fourth time in the postseason that he failed to score a point, and he only managed to take one shot on goal.

McDavid embraced a mentality of shooting first.

At that point, McDavid was averaging 2.64 shots per playoff game, nearly one shot lower than his regular-season average. This decrease is expected for most players due to the heightened intensity of the playoffs. However, McDavid is not your average player. He is more like a towering mountain town with its own climate, unaffected by external factors. He has the ability to create his own weather, often unleashing a Category-5 hurricane on the ice.

Following Game 2, he shifted to a more aggressive approach, taking 18 shots in the final four games of the Western Conference Final for an average of 4.5 shots per game. He fired six, five, and five shots in Games 3, 4, and 5, respectively. Despite the Stars’ dominance in Game 6, McDavid still managed to take two of the Oilers’ 10 shots.

Although it is a small sample size, McDavid’s objective is evident: to increase his number of shots on goal while relying less on his teammates. The Panthers, who have been allowing only 24.5 shots per game in the postseason, will likely pose the toughest challenge for McDavid so far. However, as the world’s best hockey player, he is always capable of reaching new heights. With odds of +105, there is a 48.78% chance of winning, and a $10 bet would result in a profit of $10.50.

Top odds: +105 at Betway

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Game 1 key players

Alexsander Barkov	Connor McDavid
19.4% of shifts starting in offensive zone:	14 power-play points
22 takeaways (leads all skaters)	4.5 shots per game in last four contests
15 giveaways (tied 8th)	8 points in last four games
60% Corsi Rating	21:16 average ice time in last four games

Alexsander Barkov is expected to face the challenging task of going up against McDavid. The Panthers’ captain, who is known as one of the top shutdown centers in the league, has successfully taken on Nikita Kucherov, David Pastrnak, Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and to a lesser degree, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider in previous matchups.

Barkov has the most takeaways in the playoffs with 22, but has also turned over possession 15 times. Playing with Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart, Barkov defends aggressively by constantly attacking. His impressive 60% Corsi rating illustrates how effectively he and his linemates dominate the game.

Nevertheless, he will encounter the toughest challenge of his career beginning this Saturday. Facing off against the top player in the world will serve as a great measure of Barkov’s skills, especially since his Corsi rating is fourth among the Panthers’ forwards. Verhaeghe, his linemate, ranks second with 65%.

Given the importance of the game and the strong defensive players on Florida’s team, I believe the Under 5.5 goals market is a good bet for Game 1. With odds of -105 at Betway, there is a 51.22% probability of success. A $10 bet would result in a $9.52 profit if successful.

Predictions for Game 1 between the Oilers and Panthers.

Oilers vs. Panthers prediction
Player props for the Oilers vs. Panthers game.
Oilers vs. Panthers parlay

Information and odds for Game 1 between the Oilers and Panthers

On Saturday, June 8th
The game will start at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
Location: Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.
To watch: Tune in to ABC, ESPN+, or Sportsnet.
Top choice: Panthers are favored to win at -135 odds according to Betway.

Predictions for Oilers vs. Panthers were made on Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

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Written By:
Gonzales Oona

Gonzales Oona has written professionally since 2010, focusing on sports betting since 2014. Before entering the sports betting space, he contributed to the Canadian Press, FanSided, the Hockey Writers, the Calgary Herald, and other publications. His work has also been featured in Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report. Gary, who consumes sports like a blue whale devours plankton, has a penchant for writing predictions and analyses across several sports, including hockey, soccer, football, tennis, and more. He bets regularly, preferring single-game picks, props, and live betting. While there isn’t a sport he has yet to dabble in, Gary prefers betting on soccer, hockey, and football. He studied at various post-secondary institutions, including the University of Calgary, SAIT Polytechnic, and Griffith University, located in Brisbane, Australia. Gary has a marketing degree and completed his bachelor’s degree in journalism at Griffith University. He feels strongly that life experience is as essential as post-secondary education, helping formulate more accurate predictions and analyses. Gary believes that competing at a high level of amateur sports during his formative years helped him better understand an athlete’s psyche and the nuances and complexities of a team’s dynamic, both on and off the playing surface. He feels that knowledge is immeasurably important when offering his analytical expertise. He has lived on five continents and currently resides in Canada.