While the New York Islanders have not played hockey in over a month, they have appeared in a few headlines following the third round of the playoffs.
With the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers heading to the Stanley Cup Final for a 2024 rematch, Kris Knoblauch and Paul Maurice have become the first head coaches to appear together in consecutive Stanley Cup Finals since Al Arbour and Glen Sather in 1983 and 1984.
Of course, Arbour was coaching the Islanders while Sather was with the Oilers.
Now, Oilers captain Connor McDavid has a chance to make history by joining Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby as superstars who earned their first Stanley Cup by defeating the team that beat them the year before.
Gretzky achieved the feat in 1984, leading the Oilers past the Islanders after losing to them in 1983.
Crosby followed suit in 2009, guiding the Penguins to victory over the Red Wings after falling short in 2008.
After losing in seven games to the Panthers last year, McDavid will look for his first Stanley Cup this year.
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Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images