Multiple Former Flames Make Stanley Cup Final

With the Edmonton Oilers win over the Dallas Stars on Sunday night, the Stanley Cup Final is now set. The Oilers will take on Florida Panthers, who have reached the final for the second straight season. Both teams feature players who were once Calgary Flames.

Most notably, Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett are looking for redemption for Florida. The two forwards have been key cogs in the Panthers' engine over the past two seasons, both stepping up their play most in the postseason. They both excel at putting up points, but the physical nature both play is tailor-made for the playoffs and part of why Florida is so difficult to play against. Both are very familiar with the Oilers of course, and the hatred from their days in Calgary is sure to carry over with a Stanley Cup on the line.

When looking at the current Calgary Flames roster, not having Tkachuk and Bennett is a clear blow. Calgary is still looking for a second-line center behind Nazem Kadri, a role Bennett has played incredibly well in. The decision to trade Matthew Tkachuk two years ago continues to be pretty one-sided, as we have yet to see the best of Jonathan Huberdeau who was the big return piece alongside Mackenzie Weegar. 

For Edmonton, the names are not as popular as Bennett and Tkachuk, but still incredibly important to the Oilers' success.

Veteran Derek Ryan has held the fourth-line center role in Edmonton for three seasons. After spending three seasons doing the same for Calgary, Ryan is essential for providing depth scoring the Oilers desperately need to bring a Cup back to Canada. While his numbers are down this year, he consistently has been a 10-15 goal scorer in his career and the Oilers will need his line to create momentum on the forecheck in the Final. It his first time competing in a Stanley Cup Final.

The other former Flame on the Oilers roster is Brett Kulak. Kulak spent his first four seasons in the NHL with Calgary, never really carving out a full-time role until his final season. In his two seasons with the Oilers, Kulak has played in every regular season game and become an essential part of the blueline, often paired with Darnell Nurse. Kulak will feature in his second Stanley Cup Final, the other coming in Montreal's loss to Tampa Bay in 2021.

All four players will look to etch their name on Lord Stanley for the first time and all four will play crucial roles to the success of their current teams. It should be a doozy as it all kicks off Saturday night in Sunrise.