As the curtain falls on the Stanley Cup Playoffs this Monday, the NHL is gearing up for a hectic week, marking the onset of the off-season.
This period holds significant anticipation not only for the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers, who are still contending fiercely in the Stanley Cup Finals but also for the other 30 teams that have been spectators during this thrilling showdown.
The Oilers could make history by becoming the first team in 79 years to overcome a 0-3 deficit in the Finals. A victory on Monday would also crown them as the first team in 82 years—and only the fifth in NHL history—to achieve such a dramatic comeback. Conversely, the Panthers face the risk of becoming the first team in 46 years to suffer consecutive Finals defeats.
Post-finals, the NHL will not have a moment to breathe. The league's buyout window opens on Wednesday, followed closely by the NHL Awards Show on Thursday, and the much-anticipated NHL Entry Draft, which begins Friday night with the first round and continues through Saturday for rounds 2 to 7. The flurry of events concludes with the opening of the free agent window the following Monday.
NHL general managers are bracing for a tightly packed schedule, necessitating swift and strategic decision-making. The proximity of the buyout window opening and the first round of the draft—just two days apart—adds to the urgency.
Recent trades have already set the stage for an eventful off-season. The Calgary Flames' decision to trade Jacob Markstrom to the New Jersey Devils and the Los Angeles Kings' exchange of Pierre-Luc Dubois for Darcy Kuemper from the Washington Capitals are just the beginning. The conclusion of the Stanley Cup is likely to trigger a cascade of similar high-stakes maneuvers as teams reposition for the coming season. Expectations are high, and the NHL community is abuzz with predictions and potential strategies.
