There is no shortage of star power in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
The Oilers and Panthers face off in the championship series of the NHL playoffs. This series pits the best player in the game against the best team in the game, meaning whoever comes out to lift Lord Stanley will have won a ferocious battle.
Edmonton is aiming to win the first Stanley Cup in the Connor McDavid era, as the superstar has yet to win a title for the Oilers. On the other side, Florida has hopes of winning the franchise's first-ever NHL championship.
There's a ton of talent set to take center stage, but who is the best of the best? The Sporting News ranks the top 10 players participating in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
STANLEY CUP FINAL: TSN PREDICTIONS | AI PROJECTIONS
Ranking the 10 top NHL players in 2024 Stanley Cup Final
1. Connor McDavid, F, Edmonton Oilers
The first man on this list is a no-brainer. Connor McDavid is the best player in the NHL and has been for a number of seasons now. The Oilers captain is one of the fastest skaters in the game and has an absurd pair of mitts on top of that. Because of how talented he is, it feels like a matter of when, not if, McDavid hoists a Stanley Cup.
He leads the playoffs with 31 points heading into the Stanley Cup Final and has recorded at least one point in 14 of the 18 postseason contests in 2024. McDavid is undoubtedly one of the frontrunners for the Conn Smythe entering the Stanley Cup Final.
2. Leon Draisaitl, F, Edmonton Oilers
Every Batman needs a Robin, and Leon Draisaitl has been right by McDavid's side. The second half of Edmonton's dynamic duo is a top-five player in the league himself, regarded as one of the premier passers and goal scorers in the NHL.
Draisaitl trails only McDavid for the most points in the playoffs with 28 in 18 games. His 10 goals are tied for second out of all skaters, and his 14 power-play points rank first. He's also a wizard in the faceoff dot, clicking at just under 50 percent, but the Edmonton forward owns the second-most faceoff wins in the 2024 postseason.
3. Matthew Tkachuk, F, Florida Panthers
When Panthers GM Bill Zito acquired Matthew Tkachuk during the 2022 offseason, it was a bold move for the organization. It's paid off and then some since. The Florida winger is a perfect blend of skill and physicality, playing the same exact power forward style his dad, Keith, did in his NHL days.
Tkachuk leads the Panthers in points with 19 in 17 contests, which is good for sixth among all players. His 14 assists are tied for fourth in the league, and his six power-play helpers slot him in the same spot. When the Florida winger is on the ice, his team is the one generating the chances, as he carries a +14 goal differential. Tkachuk is a gamer who is built for the postseason.
4. Aleksander Barkov, F, Florida Panthers
Aleksander Barkov does not get nearly enough credit for how good he is. With former Bruins star Patrice Bergeron out of the league, you can easily argue that Barkov is the best two-way center in the game. He's dominant down low, he excels in the faceoff dot, he's incredibly skilled offensively, and he is an absolute pain to play against defensively.
The Panthers captain trails only Tkachuk on the team in playoff points with 17 in as many games. His 164 faceoff wins rank third out of all skaters, and he's winning 53.4 percent of his draws. He is first in takeaways with 22 and excels in all situations. Tkachuk may be the face of the franchise, but Barkov is the engine that runs the machine.
5. Zach Hyman, F, Edmonton Oilers
Call him a merchant of McDavid and Draisaitl; call him a tap-in specialist. At the end of the day, Zach Hyman is proving to be an elite goal scorer for the Oilers and a picture-perfect winger to play with the two superstars. He possesses an uncanny ability to get open in front of the net, knocking in passes on the backdoor and cleaning up rebounds in front in the process.
After a 54-goal regular season, Hyman is out to 14 goals in 18 contests this postseason — a jaw-dropping 0.77 goals per game rate. Three of those have been game-winners, which put him a tie for second in the league. Looking at the deep stats, his 14.6 expected goals rate him four goals higher than the next-closest player, his 2.29 expected goals per 60 trails just Leafs center John Tavares, and his +27 on-ice goal differential is second to only Evan Bouchard. Hyman is proving the regular season was no fluke, and he could end up a strong argument for the Conn Smythe.
6. Evan Bouchard, D, Edmonton Oilers
Every Stanley Cup contender needs a high-end top defenseman on the back end. Back during the Oilers' dynasty in the 1980s, those Wayne Gretzky clubs had the great Paul Coffey. For the 2024 Oilers, that's Evan Bouchard.
The Edmonton blue liner's 27 points only trail McDavid and Draisaitl out of all players, but it's already the fifth-most points in a single playoff by a defenseman of all time. His six goals put him in a tie for the lead at his position in 2024, while his 21 assists rank second out of all skaters. Bouchard's thunderous slap shot at the point makes him an exceptional weapon on the Edmonton power play, as he creates tons of offensive chances for the team. On top of all that, his 140 shot attempts are the most this postseason out of all skaters.
7. Carter Verhaeghe, F, Florida Panthers
Former NHL winger Justin Williams was referred to as "Mr. Game 7" due to his ability to come through in the clutch. The modern-day version may be Carter Verhaeghe. Dating back to last season, the Florida winger has displayed a knack for scoring in key moments and is a key reason for a number of Panthers wins.
Verhaeghe is already in the NHL history books, as his five career overtime playoff goals are tied for the third-most of all-time. He's been the hero once in 2014, which came in the first round against the Lightning — one of two OT wins this postseason for Florida. In total, Verhaeghe has nine goals heading into the Stanley Cup Final, which puts him in a tie for fourth out of all skaters.
8. Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Florida Panthers
The Panthers are known for their structured systems that make scoring a pain, but at the end of the day, you need an elite goaltender as the last line of defense. Bobrovsky is just that. Florida's netminder is 12-5 this postseason with a 2.20 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage, and one shutout.
Bobrovsky was a large reason why the Panthers made its Stanley Cup Final run last season, but, like the team, he ran out of gas against the Golden Knights. We'll see if he has the juice this time around. The Panthers have limited opponents to 24.4 shots per game, but the Oilers average 28.8. Bobrovsky will need to be on his A-game yet again.
9. Sam Reinhart, F, Florida Panthers
Hyman wasn't the only surprise 50-goal scorer this year. Sam Reinhart finished with 57 goals in the regular season, ensuring his payday this summer to be a massive one. The Panthers winger was a dominant scorer in the past, but he's taken it to the next level in 2024.
Reinhart has eight goals and 12 points so far in the 2024 postseason. His goals are second to only Verhaeghe on the Panthers, his 65 shots on goal trail just Tkachuk on the team, and his 9.9 expected goals rank second to Hyman out of all postseason players. Reinhart was the OT hero in Game 4 for the Panthers against the Rangers, showing an element of clutchness to his game.
MORE: Which NHL clubs have never won a Stanley Cup?
10. Gustav Forsling, D Florida Panthers
What a pickup Gustav Forsling has turned out to be for the Panthers. Florida claimed the defenseman off waivers in 2021 from Carolina, and he has since flourished into a legitimate top-pair defender. He quickly rose to the top of the Panthers' blue line and is now one of the most underrated defensemen in the league.
What makes Forsling so good is how effective he is in all three zones. He can jump up in the rush to provide offense, he can find breakout passes into the neutral zone, and he is exceptional with his stick defensively, either breaking up plays or blocking passing lanes. Forsling has four goals and 11 points in these playoffs, more than both Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, two of his teammates considered to be extra offensive-minded.
