The Florida Panthers are enjoying a fruitful period, with the team currently on a mission to defend their Stanley Cup. The Panthers have now reached the final again and are set to take on the Edmonton Oilers, but there’s certainly a lack of arrogance here.

Rematch Underdogs

Neutral fans are generally excited about the prospect of a Panthers vs. Oilers Stanley Cup Final. The series is set up perfectly, with it being a rematch of last season’s equivalent. 

Despite becoming champions last time around, Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk still believes they’re the underdogs here. Speaking before the series, he suggested, “We'll continue riding that underdog role. We have so far. They've earned the right to have home ice. They had a better regular season than us, so we're here starting in Edmonton. It's not something that we're new to. We've started on the road each round in these playoffs. Hopefully, we can use that to our advantage”.

What the Odds Say

As things stand, bookmakers consider Tkachuk’s suggestion to be accurate. The Oilers will benefit from playing at home in Games 1 and 2, which will certainly give them an opportunity to capitalize. 

However, odds suggest the Oilers are also marginal favorites overall to lift the Stanley Cup. Despite this, there isn’t a huge gap between the teams on paper, and those odds would likely swing the other way if the Panthers managed to cause an upset and win away from home in Game 1.