Leon Draisaitl will try to become the eighth former Kelowna Rockets player to lift the Stanley Cup as the Edmonton Oilers take on the Florida Panthers for the oldest trophy in North America.
Draisaitl helped the Rockets win the 2015 WHL Championship and was named the Playoff and Memorial Cup MVP.
He joins 15 other WHL alumni (11 players and four staff) to compete for hockey’s holy grail.
2023-24 Edmonton Oilers:
- Leon Draisaitl (Prince Albert Raiders, Kelowna Rockets);
- Evander Kane (Vancouver Giants);
- Ryan Nugent Hopkins (Red Deer Rebels);
- Lane Pederson (Seattle Thunderbirds, Red Deer Rebels, Swift Current Broncos);
- Derek Ryan (Spokane Chiefs);
- Brett Kulak (Vancouver Giants);
- Calvin Pickard (Seattle Thunderbirds);
- Stuart Skinner (Lethbridge Hurricanes, Swift Current Broncos).
Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch played for the Red Deer Rebels, Edmonton/Kootenay ICE, and Lethbridge Hurricanes. He returned to the league as a coach, leading the Kootenay ICE to the team’s third Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2010-11.
Assistant coach Glen Gulutzan played with the Moose Jaw Warriors, Brandon Wheat Kings, and Saskatoon Blades.
Goaltending coach Dustin Schwartz played four seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers and Red Deer Rebels and was a goaltending consultant for the Edmonton Oil Kings.
2023-24 Florida Panthers:
- Sam Reinhart (Kootenay ICE);
- Justin Sourdif (Vancouver Giants, Edmonton Oil Kings);
- Josh Mahura (Red Deer Rebels, Regina Pats).
Panthers assistant coach Jamie Kompon spent two seasons as general manager and head coach of the Portland Winterhawks.
Goaltending coach Rob Tallas played with the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final is set for Saturday, June 8 in Sunrise, Florida.
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