Good morning, everyone, and a happy Monday to you all. I’ve got a fresh mailbag ready to go, after taking your questions and sending them to the crew for their take on whatever’s on your mind. This week, we’re discussing the Edmonton Oilers as an older team, the Stanley Cup rematch against the Panthers, and more. If you’ve got a question you’d like to ask, email it to me at baggedmilk@oilersnation.com or on Twitter at @jsbmbaggedmilk, and I’ll get to you as soon as I can.

The Oilers don’t really have any younger guys. Evan Bouchard is the second youngest player on the team, but he has loads of playoff experience. Having experience helps, no question, and last season’s loss in the Cup Final taught them a  lot, but is also a big motivator. Some felt the Oilers were slow and old, and they did play slower to start the season, but the playoff lineup isn’t slow.

I mean, it’s hard to answer that without being in the room. When it comes to keeping the younger guys in check, I’m not sure if that was ever an issue before for the Oilers so it’s hard to call it a positive now, especially because they don’t have a lot of younger guys. I do think that having a lot of veteran voices in the room does help when it comes to accountability. If everyone has been in the league for a long time, then they know what the standard is. I think it’s helped in these playoffs but that also might just be a product of this core being very battle-tested.

Age is just a number! I always hate hearing that they’re the oldest team in the league because it’s so flawed. Yes, Corey Perry and Derek Ryan bring up the average age of the team, but they either play 10 minutes or, in Ryan’s case, not at all. The core of this team is in their prime years, and perhaps not even in their prime for a player like Evan Bouchard. It’s not about age, but about experience, which they all now possess.

They may be older on paper but I don’t know that it feels like it when you watch them play right now. Do they look slow to you? They don’t to me. The puck always moves faster than people can skate, and the Oilers’ are whipping that thing around right now.

Is Florida’s defence core better? I’m not sold that Jones/Schmidt are better than Montour/Ekman-Larsson, especially how OEL played in the playoffs. But FLA is good, however, the Oilers are better. They are healthier. McDavid and Draisaitl aren’t dealing with nagging injuries. Evander Kane is fully healthy. The Oilers forward group as a whole is bigger, more physical and just as fast as last year. And right now every player enters the final with offensive confidence.

The Oilers’ blue line moves the puck better, and getting Ekholm back is a big addition to start the Final.

The Oilers also know what cost them the Cup last year. I don’t see them making similar mistakes this year. And they have home ice advantage. That is big in the Cup Final. In the salary cap era, teams who start at home are 13-6 in the Cup Final.

I’ll go back to my first answer and talk about the experience side of things. Last year, it felt like you blinked and the series was 2-0 Panthers. I don’t think that’s going to happen again this year. There’s a lot of outside noise and extra curricular things to do when you’re in the Cup Final and the Oilers will be more used to it this year. Also, the series starting in Edmonton is huge.

The Oilers’ blue line is better, and they have more players who can score goals.

This is my answer. The Oilers’ blue line is so much better this year than it was a year ago, and that ability to move the puck quickly should help against the Panthers’ forecheck.

Jeff Skinner. He’s done his job, and if an injury occurs, he’d come right back in, but he won’t play in the top-six and Frederic and Podkolzin are better suited to play bottom six roles.

Jeff Skinner is the easy answer but considering he scored and looked pretty good last game, I would consider maybe keeping him in and taking out Trent Frederic as well. I would bet on it being Skinner who sits but Frederic has been pretty underwhelming for the most part these playoffs. I would maybe keep him for Game 1 and if he doesn’t bring it or you feel like you need a fresh look, go to Skinner in Game 2.

It’s likely Jeff Skinner. You need the physicality that Viktor Arvidsson and Trent Frederic bring against a team like the Panthers.

We all know it’s Jeff Skinner. You may not like it, and maybe that’s why you asked, but we all know it will be Jeff Skinner.

Don’t waste good efforts. The Oilers didn’t follow their shooting plan in the first three games. They shot at Bobrovsky’s strengths. In games 4-6 they shot at his weaknesses and scored 18 goals. I think they learned a lot, and they know the pain of losing, just like Florida did last year after losing in 2023. That is a major motivator.

A lot of it is certainly emotional. Being able to understand the importance of every moment and not being overwhelmed by everything that goes into the Stanley Cup Final. The other side of this is that the Oilers won’t be surprised by the Panthers. I think that familiarity benefits the Oilers.

Everything matters. There’s no time to take a second off, and you need to stay within the game. I think back to Game 3, when they fell asleep for a few minutes, and then they were down 4-1. You can’t have those blips in the Final.

I think the lesson has to be to bear down, execute on your chances, and know that you’re never out of games until they’re over.

Edmonton has better high-end skill.

Florida is a better forechecking team.

Edmonton’s defensive core is more mobile and moves the puck better.

Edmonton has a better power play.

Florida has a better PK.

But which team will be able to impose their “advantages” in the series. On paper advantages don’t mean much if you don’t use them on the ice.

Home ice, again, is big. Other than that, the Oilers’ forward depth is way better than it was a year ago. Also, their blue line is so much better at moving the puck. That last part I think could really surprise the Panthers.

The Oilers have the two best players in the series. The forward depth and blueline are close, but the Oilers gamebreakers will make the difference.

I think the Oilers’ ability to move the puck from the back end will be a big change from last year. It’s not just Bouchard, Ekholm, and Kulak who can make a pass this year.

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