NHL Power Rankings: Capitals take No. 1 spot, plus betting trends for every team
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Sean Allen
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Victoria Matiash
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Victoria Matiash
Fantasy Hockey
- ESPN.com Fantasy Contributor since 2010
- Part-time anchor at NEWSTALK1010
With the NHL schedule set to soon hit the holiday break — with no games on Dec. 24, 25 or 26 — it’s the perfect time to examine some betting trends from the first three calendar months of the 2024-25 campaign.
Which teams are best when favored at home? Which underdogs are overperforming? Find out the answers there, along with an updated set of Power Rankings, voted on by the ESPN hockey family.
How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our master list.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Dec. 13. Betting stats are through Wednesday’s games; points percentages are through Thursday’s games. Victoria Matiash identified betting trends for the West, while Sean Allen handled the East.
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 70.97%
The Capitals excel as underdogs, with a 9-3 record (75.0%) against the spread on the road (61.5% is the league average) and a 5-1 record (83.3%) at home (62.6% league average).
That’s a fun trend, but how often are the Caps going to be considered underdogs as they continue to flirt with the NHL points lead? They are still beating the spread as favorites better than the league rate (6-7 overall), but it’s not as stark as when they are the dogs.
Next eight days: vs. CAR (Dec. 20), vs. LA (Dec. 22), @ BOS (Dec. 23)
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 69.12%
This week’s 3-2 loss in Anaheim strikes as even more uncommon in light of the Jets’ moneyline returns as the road favorite. But while 10-2 remains impressive overall, Winnipeg has a losing 5-7 record on the road altogether since Nov. 14.
Next eight days: vs. MIN (Dec. 21), @ TOR (Dec. 23)
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 64.29%
If the Devils are rolling into town, watch out! With their punishing top power-play unit, the Devils deliver on the road regardless of favorite status. As road favorites, they’ve won nine of 12 games (75.0%), outperforming the 59.1% league average. Even as road underdogs, they excel, going 3-1 (75.0%), nearly doubling the overall road underdog win rate of 39.1%.
Next eight days: vs. PIT (Dec. 21), vs. NYR (Dec. 23), vs. CAR (Dec. 27)
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 68.75%
When favored, Filip Gustavsson & Co. tend to win in tight fashion at home. A strong 8-3 (72.7%) as the favorite, the Wild are a symmetrically opposite 3-8 (27.3%) against the spread when expected to secure the victory at Xcel Energy Center, including two straight losses this week.
Next eight days: vs. UTA (Dec. 20), @ WPG (Dec. 21), vs. CHI (Dec. 23)
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 70.31%
Nine and two when the home favorite — they’ve lost only three times at T-Mobile Arena altogether — Vegas manages just fine when their top producer doesn’t contribute. The club is 7-2 when Jack Eichel doesn’t register a point.
Next eight days: vs. SEA (Dec. 21), vs. ANA (Dec. 23), @ SJ (Dec. 27)
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 66.13%
Defense first in Carolina. That hasn’t changed. The Hurricanes have shown clear trends when it comes to game totals. When the line for the Canes is set at 6.5, the game hits the under 17 of 24 times (70.8%), much more often the 57.4% league average. However, at 5.5, it flips, as Carolina has gone over five of seven times.
Next eight days: @ WSH (Dec. 20), @ NYR (Dec. 22), @ NSH (Dec. 23), @ NJ (Dec. 27)
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 65.63%
By the numbers, the Kings are much more successful when their captain contributes. A rollicking 15-9 when Anze Kopitar collects at least one point, the Kings are only 3-4 otherwise. They’re also 7-2 when favored at Crypto.com Arena.
Next eight days: @ NSH (Dec. 21), @ WSH (Dec. 22)
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 63.64%
The Panthers haven’t been broadly viewed as underdogs since they knocked out the Bruins in 2023, but they embrace the moniker whenever it comes up in games. At home, they’ve won two of three as underdogs (66.7%), and on the road, they shine even brighter, going 4-1 as underdogs (80.0%), nearly doubling the league’s road underdog win rate of 39.2%.
Next eight days: vs. STL (Dec. 20), @ TB (Dec. 22), vs. TB (Dec. 23)
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 65.63%
The Maple Leafs have been dominant at home, winning 13 of 17 games (76.5%) as the favorite and also earning the W the one time they were considered home underdogs. That strong home play is based in limiting goals, as games at Scotiabank Arena have also gone under 14 of 18 times on home ice. The unders are a much stronger trend for the Leafs at home, as their games have been under only four of 14 times on the road.
Next eight days: @ BUF (Dec. 20), vs. NYI (Dec. 21), vs. WPG (Dec. 23), @ DET (Dec. 27)
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 61.29%
Another club that clearly enjoys the comforts of home, the Stars are 12-2 (85.7%) at American Airlines Center when deemed the favorite.
However, it’s a very different tale against the spread on the road, where Dallas — sporting a losing record altogether — is 2-9 (18.2%) to cover when backed to win.
Next eight days: vs. NYR (Dec. 20), @ UTA (Dec. 23), vs. MIN (Dec. 27)
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 62.50%
Unimposing against the spread when expected to win all season long — 5-11 (31.2%) — the Oilers are improving in this category in recent play. Connor McDavid & Co. have beaten the opposition by a minimum of two goals in four of their past five at Rogers Place.
Next eight days: vs. SJ (Dec. 21), vs. OTT (Dec. 22)
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 63.33%
The Lightning have been solid as home favorites, winning eight of 11 games (72.7%), surpassing the 60.9% league average. But it’s notable that at this juncture, more than two months into the season, the Bolts are largely untested against their own division. They’ve played only three games against Atlantic Division opponents, losing all three while failing to cover.
Next eight days: vs. FLA (Dec. 22), @ FLA (Dec. 23)
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 59.38%
The Canucks’ remarkable road resume (10-2-2) is translating into an equally outstanding record as the straight-up favorite. They’ve lost only twice when backed by sportsbooks to win in 10 tries, including a narrow 3-2 defeat in Salt Lake City on Wednesday night.
Next eight days: vs. OTT (Dec. 21), vs. SJ (Dec. 23)
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 55.58%
The Bruins hanging in near the top of the Atlantic has not come through dominance of opponents at home. While they may be 9-8 overall on familiar turf, they’ve covered the spread only three of 16 times when the sportsbooks have favored them at TD Garden (18.8% compared to league rate of 38.5% for home teams).
Next eight days: vs. BUF (Dec. 21), vs. WSH (Dec. 23), @ CBJ (Dec. 27)
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 56.06%
The Flames are cooking at The Saddledome when holding a perceived edge. Forward Nazem Kadri — sizzling hot of late with a four-game goal streak — & Co. have lost just the once in six tries (83.3%) when dubbed the home favorite.
Next eight days: vs. CHI (Dec. 21)
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 55.88%
When favored, this team doesn’t often cover the spread at home. The Avs’ dismal 3-11 record (21.4%) under such circumstances serves as stark contrast to their 8-1 success rate straight-up when perceived as the better team on the road. More oddly, they sport a winning record when Nathan MacKinnon doesn’t earn a single point.
Next eight days: @ ANA (Dec. 20), vs. SEA (Dec. 22), @ UTA (Dec. 27)
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 56.45%
The Sens rank fifth in their own division, but you wouldn’t know it based on their record against their rivals. The Sens are 5-2 when facing opponents from the Atlantic and, strangely enough, the two losses are to teams with worse records. They’ve even managed a 4-3 total against the spread while beating up on their divisional foes.
Next eight days: @ VAN (Dec. 21), @ EDM (Dec. 22)
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 56.45%
Enjoying a 4-0 road record, Utah is 5-0-1 since Dec. 7, relishing victories over at least one team from every division. The common denominator? Forward Dylan Guenther has registered a minimum of one point in every one of those contests.
Next eight days: @ MIN (Dec. 20), vs. ANA (Dec. 22), vs. DAL (Dec. 23), vs. COL (Dec. 27)
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 48.53%
The Blues are having a tough time with their divisional opponents, securing the victory only once in six contests. Outside of an early December 4-1 victory over the Jets, they’ve been outscored 17-8 by other members of the Central.
Next eight days: @ FLA (Dec. 20), @ DET (Dec. 23), vs. NSH (Dec. 27)
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 51.47%
The Penguins have been successful as home favorites, winning four of five games. However, they’ve struggled to cover, doing so just once in those opportunities (20.0%), below the 38.5% overall rate for home favorites. Their struggles stem from matchups with division foes, where Sidney Crosby and friends are 1-6 on the line and 2-5 against the spread.
Next eight days: @ NJ (Dec. 21), vs. PHI (Dec. 23)
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 48.48%
Which came first, the Travis Konecny points or the Flyers covering the spread? They manage to cover more often when Konecny gets on the scoresheet (14-10) than not (2-6). The Flyers also vary from league trends for over/under outcomes at home, with the under coming in at a much higher rate at Wells Fargo Center (68.8%) than the league average (53.7%).
Next eight days: vs. CBJ (Dec. 21), @ PIT (Dec. 23)
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 50.00%
They’ve avoided the home underdog label mostly, being favored in all but one of their home games, but they have not delivered. They are 7-8 on moneyline and a woeful 3-12 against the spread as the home favorite.
As they ship off players to the West Coast, eventually the books will start leaning toward the visiting side at Madison Square Garden if this slide continues.
Next eight days: @ DAL (Dec. 20), vs. CAR (Dec. 22), @ NJ (Dec. 23)
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 47.06%
Straight up, the Kraken are proving an undesirable play as a home underdog with a 4-7 record (36.4%) while enjoying more success against the spread, covering in seven of 11 match-ups (63.6%). It helps when Jared McCann contributes to the scoresheet; Seattle has won only three times when he’s failed to do so.
Next eight days: @ VGK (Dec. 21), @ COL (Dec. 22)
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 46.97%
The Isles are two different teams on the road. First, there are the underdog Islanders, a scrappy team that is 6-6 (50% win rate compared to league average 39.1%) and 9-3 against the spread. But then there are the favored Islanders on the road, a team that is a brutal 0-6 on the moneyline and ATS. For the Islanders to do well, we need to think they are going to lose. Sounds about right.
Next eight days: @ TOR (Dec. 21), vs. BUF (Dec. 23)
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 48.39%
The Wings can keep things tight when playing in their own division. While they are 3-5 against their rivals, Detroit has covered the spread at a 5-3 rate. Additionally, they’ve covered the spread 10 of 13 times as dogs (76.9%) and eight of 13 times as favorites (61.5%) at home.
Next eight days: vs. MTL (Dec. 20), @ MTL (Dec. 21), vs. STL (Dec. 23), vs. TOR (Dec. 27)
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 46.97%
The Blue Jackets consistently buck league trends on 6.5 totals. While the league hits the under 57.4% of the time, games with Columbus have gone under in 11 of 32 games (34.4%). Notably, they’ve yet to be involved in a game with a total set at 5.5, showing sportsbooks trust Elvis Merzlikins about as much as fantasy managers (Thursday night’s heroics aside).
Next eight days: @ PHI (Dec. 21), vs. MTL (Dec. 23), vs. BOS (Dec. 27)
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 43.55%
Just ask a fantasy manager with Sam Montembeault about this tidbit: When the line is set at 5.5, games with Montreal have gone over five of seven times (71.4%), well above the league’s 51.5% over rate. Also, if the sportsbooks back them, get on board: The Habs are 2-0 as favorites this season.
Next eight days: @ DET (Dec. 20), vs. DET (Dec. 21), @ CBJ (Dec. 23)
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 46.67%
One might be advised to take the under, particularly when the bar is set at 6.5 goals. Games involving the Ducks, who have scored the second fewest goals this season, have slid below that total mark on 15 of 20 occasions (75%).
Next eight days: vs. COL (Dec. 20), @ UTA (Dec. 22), @ VGK (Dec. 23)
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 38.57%
More like “undersharks,” am I right? Though they have not once been labeled the favorite home or away this season, Macklin Celebrini and the rebuilding Sharks are 11-4 (73.3%) against the spread as the home dog and 13-6 (68.4%) away from SAP Center.
Next eight days: @ EDM (Dec. 21), @ VAN (Dec. 23), vs. VGK (Dec. 27)
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 40.63%
The Sabres are unreliable at home, whether favored or not. That’s not a shocking statement for a team winless in its last 11, but even as home favorites, they’ve won just three of seven games (42.9%). That said, when they are the underdog, Buffalo does manage to beat the spread at home (8-3 for a 72.7% rate that trumps the league-wide 62.6%).
Next eight days: vs. TOR (Dec. 20), @ BOS (Dec. 21), @ NYI (Dec. 23), vs. CHI (Dec. 27)
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 39.39%
Not astonishing, considering they’ve scored the third-fewest number of goals in the league, but the Blackhawks have hit the under 13 times and the over five times on the road (72.2% under rate). They also don’t much care for too much rest, posting a 1-8-1 record in games following a break of two days.
Next eight days: @ CGY (Dec. 21), @ MIN (Dec. 23), @ BUF (Dec. 27)
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 37.88%
While the disappointing Predators don’t often overcome the odds while traveling, they repeatedly cover. Only 2-10 (16.7%) as road underdogs — including a recent 4-1 win over the Stars in Dallas — Nashville is 8-4 (66.7%) against the spread.
Next eight days: vs. LA (Dec. 21), vs. CAR (Dec. 23), @ STL (Dec. 27)
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Greg Wyshynski
EDMONTON, Alberta — The Oilers have named goalie Calvin Pickard as their starter for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, replacing Stuart Skinner.
Pickard, 33, replaced Skinner after he was pulled in the third period of their Game 3 blowout loss at the Florida Panthers and again when Skinner was pulled after the first period of Game 4, having given up three goals on 17 shots. Pickard made 18 straight saves before Florida’s Sam Reinhart sent the game to overtime with a goal at 19:40 in the third period. He ended up stopping 22 of 23 shots as the Oilers won in overtime to even the series at 2-2.
“I guess you could look at today as the biggest game in my life, but the last game was the biggest game in my life until the next one. It’s rinse and repeat for me,” said Pickard, who has played for six NHL teams during his 10-year career. “It’s been a great journey. I’ve been a lot of good places. Grateful that I had the chance to come to Edmonton a couple years ago, and this is what you play for.”
Pickard has made his case to be the Oilers’ starter this postseason. He took over the Edmonton crease for an ineffective Skinner in the first round against the Los Angeles Kings and went 6-0 until an injury in the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights gave Skinner the starting job again.
With Pickard’s win in Game 5, he is just the fourth goalie in Stanley Cup playoff history to win at least seven straight postseason decisions after not starting his team’s opening playoff game. Overall, Pickard has made nine appearances in these playoffs with a .896 save percentage and a 2.69 goals-against average.
But it wasn’t an easy call to bench Skinner for the Oilers.
“I don’t think Stu was at fault at all for any of the goals the other night,” said Oilers captain Connor McDavid. “I think it was just a victim of circumstance, and Picks came in and gave us a chance.”
Coach Kris Knoblauch said it wasn’t automatic that Pickard would start, especially considering Skinner’s history of playing his best hockey as a series went deeper.
“We’ve got two good goaltenders. Stu has come in and played some really big games, especially later in the series,” said Knoblauch. “But I think the deciding factor for us was we won the previous game and Picks made a lot of big saves.”
Skinner and Pickard are only the second goalie tandem in NHL history to both have at least seven victories in a single playoff run, joining Marc-Andre Fleury (9 wins) and Matt Murray (7) from the champion 2017 Pittsburgh Penguins.
This goalie swap for the Oilers is extremely rare in Stanley Cup Final history. According to ESPN Research, the last instance of multiple goalies on a Cup-winning team recording decisions in the Final — without a reported injury reason — was when the Boston Bruins alternated between Gerry Cheevers and Eddie Johnston in 1972. Cheevers started Game 1 and the clincher in that series.
Pickard has a lot of fans in the Edmonton locker room for the way he carries himself on and off the ice.
“I guess you’d say he’s one of the rare goalies that’s just a normal guy,” said forward Evander Kane. “Really popular guy in the room. He’s been doing this for a long time. He has a ton of experience and been in a lot of different dressing rooms. That can help you along when you do come on to different teams, making a little bit of an easier transition. Now you’re just seeing that off-ice translate on to the ice with his performance.”
The only other lineup change for Edmonton saw winger Viktor Arvidsson replacing Kasperi Kapanen at forward.
The Oilers will try to take a series lead against one of the best road playoff teams in NHL history in the Panthers.
Florida is 9-3 on the road in the playoffs. One more win away from home would tie the single-season record for road victories, shared by six teams and most recently tied by the champion 2019 St. Louis Blues. No team in Stanley Cup playoffs history has scored more on the road (56 goals) than these Panthers have.
“I’ve noticed that the style of game that we play travels. I don’t think we don’t change anything based on whether we’re home or away. First change, last change, anything like that. Our game is very direct,” Panthers defenseman Seth Jones said. “It’s simple and it’s physical hockey and it’s fast. So we don’t need to change anything on the road, just get to our game a little quicker.”
Game 5 is set for 8 p.m. ET Saturday. When a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final is tied 2-2, the winner of Game 5 has won 73% of the series.
The 2025 Stanley Cup Final will last at least six games, as the Edmonton Oilers won another overtime thriller over the Florida Panthers in Game 4.
With the series tied 2-2 heading into Game 5, it’s now a best-of-three, making Saturday’s game all the more pivotal. Which team will move within one W of the greatest trophy in sports?
Here are notes on the matchup from ESPN Research, as well as betting intel from ESPN BET:
More from Game 4: Recap | Grades
Matchup notes
Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers
Game 5 | 8 p.m. ET | TNT/Max
What a difference a game makes! Heading into Game 4, the Panthers were -260 favorites to win the Cup, with the Oilers at +215. Now, the two teams are both -110. Sam Bennett (+150) and Connor McDavid (+240) remain atop the Conn Smythe leaderboard — but Connor’s teammate Leon Draisaitl has joined him at +240 after he tallied the OT game winner (his second of the series).
In history, when a Stanley Cup Final has been tied 2-2, the winner of Game 5 has gone on to win 19 out of 26 times (.731 win percentage).
The Panthers have won their last three series that were tied 2-2: 2022 first round vs. the Washington Capitals, 2024 conference finals vs. the New York Rangers and 2025 second round vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Oilers have won their last three series when they were trailing 2-1: 2024 second round vs. the Vancouver Canucks, 2024 conference finals vs. the Dallas Stars, 2025 first round vs. the Los Angeles Kings.
The Oilers became the seventh team to overcome a three-goal deficit to win a Stanley Cup Final game, and the first since the Carolina Hurricanes did it to them in Game 1 of the 2006 finals. They are only the second team to accomplish this feat on the road, joining the 1919 Montreal Canadiens at the Seattle Metropolitans.
The two teams have combined to score 32 goals thus far, which is the fourth most through the first four games of a Stanley Cup Final in NHL history.
The OT game winner Draisaitl scored in Game 4 was his fourth such goal this postseason, setting a single-year record. He now owns the record for a single regular season (six, set in 2024-25) and a single postseason.
After coming in to replace Stuart Skinner to begin the second period, Calvin Pickard ran his record this postseason to 7-0. He is the first goalie to win a game in relief since Andrei Vasilevskiy picked up the W after replacing Ben Bishop on 2015.
Draisaitl and McDavid make it five players in NHL history to score 30 points or more in consecutive postseasons (2024 and 2025), joining Nikita Kucherov (2020 and 2021), Mario Lemieux (1991 and 1992) and Wayne Gretzky (1983 through 1985, plus 1987 and 1988).
Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk became the ninth player in Stanley Cup Final history to score two power-play goals in a period and the first since Tampa Bay’s Brad Richards in Game 6 of the 2004 finals.
After three strong games to start the finals, Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky faltered a bit in Game 4; his .857 save percentage was his lowest since Game 2 of the second-round series against the Maple Leafs (.800).
Brad Marchand scored four goals through the first three games of the series — including the game winner in double OT in Game 2 — but was held off of the scoresheet entirely in Game 4. Will the change of venue back to Edmonton result in his getting back on the board?
Scoring leaders
GP: 21 | G: 14 | A: 7
GP: 20 | G: 11 | A: 21
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Greg Wyshynski
SUNRISE, Fla. — Leon Draisaitl is at his best when describing the Edmonton Oilers‘ worst moments.
They were “waxed” and “spanked” in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final by the Florida Panthers, when they lost 6-1. They “put us on our heels early and we were lollygagging around” in the first period of Game 4, when Florida built a 3-0 lead and chased starting goaltender Stuart Skinner for the second straight game.
“It’s certainly not the time to lollygag around, right?” Draisaitl asked rhetorically.
Indeed, it is not, which might be why Draisaitl didn’t let the Oilers linger in overtime too long before ending Game 4 with his 11th goal of the playoffs — shoving the puck towards the Panthers’ net, having it deflect off defenseman Niko Mikkola and behind Sergei Bobrovsky at 11:18. Edmonton won 5-4, tied the series at 2-2 and completely flushed any lingering embarrassment over that Game 3 “spanking.”
In the process, Draisaitl continued to rewrite the NHL record books and loudly stated his case as the Stanley Cup playoffs’ most valuable player.
As of Friday morning, Draisaitl had the second-best odds at winning the Conn Smythe Trophy, according to ESPN BET (+225), trailing Florida center Sam Bennett (+140) and ahead of teammate Connor McDavid (+260), who won the award in a losing effort last season.
Oilers defenseman Jake Walman believes that it’s not just Draisaitl’s scoring but his all-around game that’s what makes him such a driving force for the Oilers.
“He’s a beast who can do it all for us,” Walman said. “There have been stretches in this postseason when he’s played great defensively too.”
Edmonton has a plus-4 in goal differential with Draisaitl on the ice in the postseason.
“It’s incredible. He’s a horse out there for us,” said forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who has played with Draisaitl since the 29-year-old center was drafted third overall in 2014 by Edmonton. “We can always lean on him. He always finds a way to get those big [goals].”
The numbers make that statement undeniable. Draisaitl’s Game 4 winner was his fourth overtime goal of this postseason, setting a new single playoff year record in the NHL. Incredibly, Draisaitl also holds the single-season record for overtime goals in the regular season (six), which he also set this season.
Draisaitl is just the fifth player in NHL history to score multiple overtime goals in a Stanley Cup Final series. Maurice Richard holds the record with three OT goals.
“He’s one of the best players in the world for a reason. He not only says what he’s going to do, he backs it up with his play and his actions. That’s what makes him an amazing leader,” Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse said. “We get into overtime. In those tense moments, he has an ability to relax and just make plays. He gets rewarded for working hard.”
1:11
Leon Draisaitl scores OT winner for Oilers in Game 4
Leon Draisaitl notches the game-winning goal with this one-handed effort in a pulsating Game 4 that levels the series for Oilers.
Draisaitl has been perhaps the NHL’s most dominant player when factoring in the regular season with the postseason. The Oilers star finished a close second to Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck in the voting for the Hart Trophy as league MVP, after a season in which Draisaitl led the NHL in goals (52) and was third overall in points (106). Draisaitl was the winner of the Hart in 2019-20, and this was the fourth season of 50 or more goals in Draisaitl’s 11-year NHL career.
Draisaitl is now second to Sam Bennett (14 goals) in postseason goals, after scoring his 11th in overtime of Game 4. He’s now tied with teammate Connor McDavid with 32 points in 20 playoff games to lead all scorers.
He has now reached 30 points in two straight postseasons, becoming only the fifth player in NHL history to accomplish that feat, along with McDavid (2024-2025), Nikita Kucherov (2020-2021), Mario Lemieux (1991-1992) and Wayne Gretzky (1987-1988 and 1983-1985). Draisaitl now has three 30-point playoff seasons in his career, tying him with McDavid and Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier for second all-time behind all-time leader Gretzky, who had six 30-point playoff campaigns.
It’s not just the amount of scoring for Draisaitl — it’s when he’s scoring. Consider that he has 16 points in the final two rounds of the playoffs, including a series-best seven points in the Stanley Cup Final. Draisaitl has points in 17 of 20 playoff games, and nine of his past 10 overall.
“He’s as clutch as it gets,” said goalie Calvin Pickard, also a Game 4 hero for Edmonton with 22 saves and a win in relief of Skinner. “He’s been playing great. Always scoring big goals at big times.”
In the case of his Game 4 performance, Draisaitl not only came through in the clutch but also did in a building that hasn’t been friendly to him. He hadn’t tallied a point in any of his previous five Stanley Cup Final games on the road against the Panthers. He didn’t even generate a shot on goal in Game 7 last season or in Game 3 this postseason. He also failed to generate a shot attempt in Game 3, marking just the second time in 93 career playoff games that this occurred for Draisaitl.
On Thursday, he made up for lost time with three points, assisting on goals by Nugent-Hopkins and Vasily Podkolzin before scoring one of his own in overtime.
Florida coach Paul Maurice believes his team has defended Draisaitl and McDavid “reasonably well” in the series at 5-on-5.
“I think they’re still going to generate some action,” the coach said. “I think the even-strength chances are pretty tight through four games.”
One of the differences for Edmonton this postseason, after losing to Florida in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2024, is their confidence and comfort in playing in tight games and grinding series. If they get down, they don’t get flustered. If things aren’t clicking offensively, they’re patient.
“You just get comfortable in those situations knowing that you play one good game, you find a way to get a win on the road, and you go home and the series is tied. That’s really all it is,” Draisaitl said before Game 4. “Sometimes those games where you just get waxed a little bit, they’re almost easier to get out of, right? We didn’t play our best. They played their best. We weren’t even close to bringing our best. You park that, you move on.”
1:00
Draisaitl comes up big with OT winner in Game 1
Leon Draisaitl nets the winning goal late in overtime to help the Oilers take Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
For all the message-sending that the Panthers did in Game 3 — on the scoreboard, on the ice and with their mouths — the Oilers sent an important one about their resiliency with their Game 4 rally.
“It tells you that our group never quits. We believe that no matter how bad it is, if we get over that hump of adversity, we’re going to keep pushing, we’re going to keep coming, and eventually it’ll break,” Draisaitl said. “You don’t want to be in these situations too many times. But when they happen, I think we’re great at it.”
It helps to have someone like Leon Draisaitl scoring when it matters most.
“I don’t know what could convey what he means to our team,” Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch said. “The leadership, the play. He has just elevated his game in the toughest moments.”
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