Latest news with #StanleyCup
Time of India
22 minutes ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Contract extension on the cards? Sam Bennett drops major hint on staying with Panthers after playoff success
Is Sam Bennett hinting at a long-term future with the Florida Panthers? (Getty Images) Sam Bennett has just delivered a postseason for the ages, and as the Florida Panthers celebrate their back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, fans are now holding their breath over one critical question: will Bennett be back? The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs were a career-defining stretch for Bennett, who not only helped power the Panthers to glory but also walked away with the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the postseason. His 15 goals, including a record-setting 13 on the road, along with seven assists across 23 games, made him an unstoppable force throughout the playoffs. The performance was punctuated by five crucial goals in the Finals, including key tallies during the decisive 5–1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6. Are the Panthers and Sam Bennett close to reaching a new deal? While Bennett is set to hit unrestricted free agency on July 1, the signs of a potential return are impossible to ignore. In the middle of postgame celebrations, fans surrounded Bennett with chants of 'eight more years,' and rather than deny the idea, he embraced the moment—smiling, acknowledging the fans, and fueling speculation about a contract extension. The mutual admiration between player and franchise has never been clearer. 'It's harder than I ever imagined to win the Stanley Cup once, and twice was even harder,' Bennett reflected. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo 'So it's a huge honor to be a part of this group. I'm not going to take it for granted. I love being here, and I love this team.' Bennett's statement carries weight, not just for its emotion, but for the journey it represents. His transformation in Florida has been remarkable. After arriving from Calgary with doubts clouding his potential, he has evolved into one of the league's elite playoff performers. 'I always believed in myself,' he said. 'I always knew I could be more than I was when I first got traded. But it's all a dream, I guess, until you actually do it. ' Head coach Paul Maurice also highlighted Bennett's journey: 'There's a lot of heaviness that he had... There's a lot of work that had to go into it. He didn't show up with his talent and say, 'OK, feed me, and I'll show you how good I am.'' Sam Bennett | 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy Winner While contract negotiations will test the Panthers' salary cap flexibility, there's a growing sense that both sides want to make it work. With FanDuel having taken down the odds on Bennett's return—previously favoring it at -230—it's clear insiders suspect a deal might already be in motion. For now, Bennett has etched his name into Panthers lore. The only thing left is to see whether that legacy will continue to grow in Sunrise. Also Read: After being 'silenced' in Final, Connor McDavid's name surfaces in bold Maple Leafs trade prediction Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Sport
- Time of India
"Oilers are the second-best hockey team": Mattias Ekholm's wife Ida offers comfort to Oilers fans after Stanley Cup dreams shatter
Mattias Ekholm's wife shares touching open letter with Oilers fans (Instagram/@ibjornstad) The Edmonton Oilers' dream of clinching the Stanley Cup came to a devastating end yet again, this time in Game 6 against the Florida Panthers. With a 5-1 loss sealing a 4-2 series defeat, the heartbreak ran deep — not just among players and fans, but also within the families who've stood by through every exhausting moment. Mattias Ekholm 's wife praises Oilers Nation with raw, emotional letter after crushing Stanley Cup loss Amid the emotional wreckage, one voice quietly stood out — not from the locker room, but from the sidelines. Ida Björnstad, wife of Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm and a respected Swedish sports journalist, took to Instagram to deliver a deeply moving message that resonated far beyond the final score. 'As you might know, I'm a writer, and I love to put my thoughts into sentences and stories,' Ida began, in a post that felt more like a journal entry than a public statement. 'Most of my texts stay with me. This time, though, I would like to share some words with you.' Her post was more than a show of support; it was a heartfelt window into the emotional toll a Stanley Cup run takes on not only players but also their families. Ida's perspective came not as a reporter, but as a partner who's been living the ups and downs of the season behind closed doors. 'I know how much hockey means to the Canadian people, and I understand that the people in Edmonton are heartbroken today, including our family,' she wrote, capturing the collective disappointment that enveloped the city after the Oilers fell short again. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Scam Exposed: What They Won't Tell You about zero trust! Expertinspector Click Here Undo She went on to highlight the intense mental and physical demands that playoff hockey imposes: 'Throughout the playoffs, many things are happening behind the scenes. Boundaries are being pushed in the most demanding way, both physically and mentally. For the players and their families, everything is about maximizing the chances of winning.' Despite flashes of brilliance from Edmonton — including two hard-fought overtime wins — the Panthers controlled much of the series. Edmonton was behind for a record-setting 255 minutes and 49 seconds and was outscored 28-17 overall. Game 6 saw Florida dominate early, with the Oilers unable to find their rhythm again. Still, Ida chose to focus on the positives. 'For two years in a row, we have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Oilers are the second-best hockey team in the world, and we have fans who support this team in both good times and bad. There is so much to be proud of and thankful for.' And in her final thought, she reminded everyone of the bigger picture: 'As much as it hurts when you lose, this is a journey we will look back on one day, reflecting on the highs and lows and understanding that everything made sense.' As the Oilers now prepare for a pivotal offseason, Ida's message offers something rare — a sense of grace and perspective in the face of loss, reminding fans why they fell in love with this team in the first place. Also Read: Wayne Gretzky loved Panthers' Cup win over Oilers but also admits one part didn't sit right Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Forbes
30 minutes ago
- Sport
- Forbes
The Improbability Of Canada's Stanley Cup Drought
The Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers for the second straight year in a row to capture the Stanley Cup on June 17. This marks the sixth Stanley Cup final in a row featuring a hockey team from the Sunshine State. It has been an incredible stretch of hockey at the highest levels for both the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. On the other side of the emotional spectrum, Canadians are once again left waiting to bring the Cup back to the birthplace of ice hockey. There was a sense that this might finally be the year Canada broke its long, frustrating drought. Hopes were high going into this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, as five of seven Canadian NHL teams qualified for the postseason. The last time a Canadian team won the cup was in 1993 when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Los Angeles Kings. That was also the debut season for the Tampa Bay Lightning and came just one year before the Florida Panthers joined the league. In the time since, teams from Florida have hoisted the Cup five times. For Canadian hockey fans, this is not just another painful moment, it is a gut punch laced with irony. The notion that teams from sun-soaked Florida could be celebrating year after year while Canada remains empty-handed feels almost cruel. And yet, as improbable as it seems, this run of southern dominance is very real. This is where probability theory can offer a new perspective. What are the odds that Canada could go over three decades without a Stanley Cup? How likely is it that two relatively young franchises from a non-traditional hockey market could have this much success? And perhaps most importantly: when, statistically speaking, might Canadian fans finally get to celebrate again? To put a number to Canada's hockey heartbreak, I built a Bayesian model. This is a statistical approach that is designed to capture long-term trends while staying grounded in a fair and interpretable framework. At its core, a Bayesian approach is a way of updating a belief state in light of new evidence. It starts with a prior belief which is an initial estimate of how likely something is to happen. As new data comes in, that belief is updated to form a posterior belief, which becomes a more refined, data-informed estimate. The model begins with a neutral prior belief known as a Beta(1, 1) distribution, which assumes no preconceived belief about whether Canadian teams are more or less likely to win the Stanley Cup in a given season. This assumption that replicates the extreme uncertainty inherent in sports. From there, each season after the NHL-WHL merger becomes a data point. The model looks at whether a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup. If one of them did, that year adds a 'success' to the tally. If not, it's another 'miss.' With each new season, the model refines its estimate of how likely it is that a Canadian team will win in a given year. The beauty of the Bayesian approach is that it balances the weight of history with the possibility of change. What emerges is a dynamic, evolving probability. It is a quantifiable value that captures just how long the Cup has stayed away from Canada, and how likely it is to come home anytime soon. Between 1980 and 1993, Canadian teams were a dominant force in the NHL, capturing eight Stanley Cups in just 14 seasons. The Edmonton Oilers led the charge with five titles during their dynasty years, followed by the Montreal Canadiens with two, and the Calgary Flames with one. At the time, it felt like the Cup belonged to Canada. Heading into the 1993–1994 season and fresh off the Canadiens' most recent Cup win, the Bayesian model, would have estimated about a 60% chance that a team from Canada would win the Cup that year. But as the seasons passed and the Cup stayed south of the border, that probability began to fall. Over time, it gradually leveled off around 20%, aligning closely with what you would expect if every NHL team had an equal shot in a 32-team league. Using this model, the probability that no Canadian team has won a Stanley Cup since 1993 is 0.0000037 or roughly 1 in 300,000. That is roughly the same odds as flipping a fair coin and getting heads 18 times in a row. In a sport defined by randomness and parity, this kind of losing streak is not just heartbreaking. It is statistically absurd. The same Bayesian model that tracks Canada's teams' annual probability to win the Stanley Cup can be used to predict when a Canadian NHL team will win again. In simple terms, the expected wait time is just the inverse of the annual win probability. After updating the model following the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, the estimated probability that a Canadian team wins in any given season is 19%. Flip that number, and the math tells us something hopeful, if not immediate: on average, we can expect a Canadian team to bring home the Cup in about 5.2 years. Of course, this is just an average. Canada could win as soon as next season, or the drought could drag on longer. Canada's Stanley Cup drought is more than just a sporting oddity. It is a statistical anomaly that defies expectation. For a country that lives and breathes hockey, the fact that no Canadian team has lifted the Cup since 1993 feels more like a cosmic joke than a cold streak. The numbers suggest that Canada's fortunes will eventually turn. And when a Canadian captain finally hoists the Cup again, it will not just be a victory for one team. Rather, it will feel like the end of a national exile, long overdue and deeply earned.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Wayne Gretzky loved Panthers' Cup win over Oilers but also admits one part didn't sit right
Wayne Gretzky shares honest reaction to Panthers' win over Oilers (Getty Images) The Florida Panthers sealed their second consecutive Stanley Cup in spectacular fashion, and Sam Reinhart's unforgettable performance in Game 6 became the night's defining moment. With four goals to his name, Reinhart powered the Panthers to a 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers and etched his name alongside hockey royalty. Panthers' Stanley Cup celebration hits a sour note as Wayne Gretzky reveals one major complaint Reinhart's scoring spree not only clinched the Cup but also tied Wayne Gretzky's iconic 1985 record of seven goals in a single Final series. But in typical Gretzky fashion, the hockey legend met the moment with charm and humor rather than disappointment. 'My records this year are dropping like flies, Eddie O,' Gretzky quipped during the postgame broadcast to analyst Eddie Olczyk. His remark, filled with playful sarcasm, was met with a laugh as Olczyk assured him, 'You still got another 40 or 50, Gretz. You're OK.' — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) While Gretzky's record may have taken a hit, his admiration for Reinhart was clear. The Panthers' forward accomplished this milestone while pushing through a Grade 2 MCL tear, an injury he sustained in the Eastern Conference Final. 'I can't really put into words what it means,' Reinhart reflected. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo 'It's something you never really think about... this one was even harder to overcome and be here at the end.' Two of Reinhart's goals came on empty nets, but the impact of his performance was undeniable. It was a statement game, one that cemented Florida's dominance and placed Reinhart among the elite. The victory made Florida the first team since the Tampa Bay Lightning's 2020–21 run to repeat as champions. But it was Reinhart's tenacity and historical achievement that stood out. As confetti fell and Florida celebrated on home ice, hockey fans witnessed a rare bridging of eras—where a modern-day warrior matched the mark of a hockey legend, and that legend, with a wink, tipped his cap. The 2025 Stanley Cup Final didn't just end with a trophy; it added a new chapter to the sport's most storied history. Also Read: Wayne Gretzky's daughter Paulina Gretzky's workout fit has fans raising eyebrows Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'A king without a crown': Greg Cote destroys Connor McDavid's legacy for Wayne Gretzky comparisons after Stanley Cup failure
Greg Cote labels Connor McDavid as 'McOverrated' (Image via AP) Connor McDavid's hopes of solidifying his status among the all-time greats took another massive hit as the Edmonton Oilers fell to the Florida Panthers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. For the second straight year, the Oilers came up short, and once again, McDavid's performance underwhelmed when it mattered most. Greg Cote harshly dismisses Connor McDavid's G.O.A.T. case after second Stanley Cup Final loss After managing just one goal and five assists over the six-game series, many are beginning to wonder whether Connor McDavid can ever truly join the elite tier of players like Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, or Sidney Crosby. While McDavid remains one of the most electrifying players in hockey, the lack of a championship continues to shadow his legacy. Longtime critic Greg Cote didn't hold back in his latest column, slamming McDavid for his performance. 'I have written and said for two years that McDavid should not be called 'McJesus' or the next Gretzky or given G.O.A.T. status because he remains a king without a crown,' Cote said. 'The Panthers again have verified my claim, and served to underline my admittedly harsh nickname for McDavid: McOverrated.' Cote also pointed to McDavid's ineffectiveness during the Final: 'He might be the best player in hockey, but he was not the best player in this series, or even on his team, or good enough to elevate his team to be the best, either. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Concentrated Siberian Ginseng Extract 2oz Superior Ginseng Undo In the six final games, he managed but one goal and five assists. McJesus was not walking on (ice) water. He was mostly invisible.' The Florida Panthers' Aleksander Barkov's dominant two-way play was a major factor in limiting McDavid's impact, as Edmonton's top line was largely neutralized. Despite back-to-back Final losses and speculation about a potential departure, NHL insider Frank Seravalli believes McDavid isn't going anywhere. 'I fully expect… that Connor McDavid will be signing that eight-year extension with the Oilers at some point this summer,' Seravalli said on Sportsnet. Also Read: Wayne Gretzky creates controversy, blames Oilers' Stanley Cup collapse on unforgivable goalie decision With the salary cap projected to rise to $104 million by 2026-27, Edmonton will have the resources to lock in their captain. Still, the pressure to deliver a championship—and silence critics like Cote—has never been higher. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
