Saskatchewan's connections to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final

CTV National News: Knoblauch a hometown hero As Allison Bamford reports, the small town of Imperial, Sask., is cheering on their hometown hero Kris Knoblauch in the Stanley Cup Final.

Saskatchewan’s hockey roots run deep and once again this year, there are more than a handful of provincial connections to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers will face off for hockey’s ultimate prize starting Saturday in Sunrise, Fla.

The Panthers are making their second consecutive trip to the final round and are in search of the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. The Oilers’ last trip to the final was in 2006, they're searching for their first cup since 1990.

There are 12 Saskatchewan connections to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final split between the two teams.

Florida Panthers

Josh Mahura:

The defenseman from St. Albert, Alta. was a member of the Regina Pats for the teams’ run to the 2017 WHL Championship series and 2018 team that hosted the Memorial Cup. In 94 regular season games with the Pats, Mahura recorded 30 goals and 59 assists. He added 18 more points in 30 playoff games.

The now 26-year-old played 30 regular season games for the Panthers this year but has yet to suit up for a playoff game and has dealt with injuries throughout the season.

Reid Jackson:

The Weyburn, Sask. product is a professional scout for the Panthers. As a player, the 31-year-old was a member of the U18 AAA Tisdale Trojans and also played 12 games for the Moose Jaw Warriors in 2012-13. Before moving to the Panthers in 2022, Jackson was an amateur scout for the Calgary Flames for four seasons.

Les Jackson:

Jackson is a senior advisor to Panthers’ general manager Bill Zito. The Manning, Alta. product played 61 games with the then WCHL’s Estevan Bruins in 1970-71, putting up 34 points and 99 penalty minutes.

Edmonton Oilers 

Kris Knoblauch:

The Imperial, Sask. product was hired to be the Oilers’ head coach on Nov. 12 2023 after a slow start to the season. Since that time, Knoblauch guided the Oilers to an NHL best 46-18-5 record that included a league record tying 16 game winning streak.

Prior to his time with the Oilers, Knoblauch was a head coach in the AHL. He was also an assistant coach for the Prince Albert Raiders in 2006-07 and played for the U18 AAA Battlefords Stars from 1994 to 1996.

Glen Gulutzan:

Also a member of the Oilers’ coaching staff as an assistant, Glen Gulutzan is a product of Hudson bay, Sask. He played seven games for the Moose Jaw Warriors as well as the 1991-92 season with the Saskatoon Blades. He then played two years with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies before going on to play professionally in the Unites States prior to his coaching career.

Leon Draisaitl:

The second most popular player on the Oilers, the product of Cologne, Germany played two season with the Prince Albert Raiders (2012-13, 2013-14). Draisaitl scored 105 points in 64 games in his final seasons with the Raiders and also had three points in four playoff games that year.

Stuart Skinner:

The Edmonton born and raised goaltender who has now become the Oilers’ number one was part of a memorable WHL championship win with the Swift Current Broncos in 2018. During that spring, Skinner would start 26 playoff games, putting up a record of 16-10 with a 2.20 GAA and .932 save percentage.

Lane Pederson:

The 1997 born Saskatoon product has yet to play a game for the Oilers but did pick up 52 points in 66 AHL games this past regular season.

Pederson was also a member of the Swift Current Broncos for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, putting up 65 points in 62 games in his final WHL season.

Stew MacDonald:

MacDonald started his working career as the Regina Pats’ director of marketing and publicity in the 1980s. He then moved on to the Edmonton Oilers and is now the teams’ president and chief revenue officer, a role he’s held since 2010.

MacDonald was also part of the Oilers organization for three Stanley Cups in 1989, 1988 and 1990 when he was the teams’ director of marketing.

Jeff Lang:

The Davidson, Sask. product has been the Oilers’ head equipment manager since 2010. Prior to his time with the Oilers, Lang worked for Hockey Canada and was part of the Olympic gold medal winning men’s hockey team in 2002 as part of the teams’ equipment staff.

Brad Harrison:

From Yorkton, Sask., Brad Harrison is now an assistant equipment manager with the Oilers. Harrison was an equipment manager for the Regina Pats in the late 1980s before moving to Germany to work for the Frankfurt Lions. Harrison returned to Canada to work for the Toronto Marlies before being hired by the Oilers.

Jim Crosson:

The Regina, Sask. product is an amateur scout for the Oilers. He also spent time as the general manager for the AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats and was head coach for the Sherwood Park Crusaders before being hired by the Oilers.