The NHL Playoffs continued on Wednesday with a pair of pivotal Game 5 matchups. The Florida Panthers made it a 3-2 series with a thrashing of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Edmonton Oilers will look to close out the series against the Las Vegas Golden Knights later on Wednesday night.

Despite an enormous gap between top and bottom performances, Edmonton is on the verge of advancing to Round 3.

The Edmonton Oilers are in a good spot in their playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights, but the job isn't done.

But his defensive prowess has also been strong. It was on full display in Game 4 when he was on Golden Knights center Jack Eichel ’s hip pocket all night in a 3-0 win on Monday. And it’s given the Oilers a chance to close out the series in Game 5 at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS, CBC).

The Los Angeles Kings hired Hall of Fame hockey executive Ken Holland as their general manager. Holland spent the past year out of the NHL after leaving the Edmonton Oilers by mutual decision in June 2024.

The Edmonton Oilers have done a very good job of finishing off playoff series when leading during the Connor McDavid era. Since their first playoff run with McDavid and Draisaitl back in 2017, they’ve made a habit of finishing off opponents at the first opportunity.

As the Oilers battle in the playoffs, a potential blockbuster offseason move is brewing. Reportedly, Edmonton is eyeing Florida Panthers' defenseman Aaron Ekblad, valued around $60 million, to fortify their defensive lineup.