The Toronto Maple Leafs may be out, but the Stanley Cup Playoffs march on.
On Sunday night, the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars 2-1 to win their best-of-seven series in the sixth game.
The Oilers appeared to be on the ropes just last week, but in game five they battled back from a 2-0 deficit and never looked back.
Though the Leafs are long finished, many ex-Leafs will be playing for the chance to win the Stanley Cup, as the Oilers and Panthers will clash to see who is the champion of the 2023-24 NHL season.
Oilers Win, Stanley Cup Final Set - Many Ex Toronto Maple Leafs to Play for Cup
The Florida Panthers, who beat the Leafs last year in the second round, are awaiting the Oilers and their many ex-Leafs.
The Oilers famously employ former Leafs player Zach Hyman, who signed what seemed to be a terrible contract at the time, with Edmonton three years ago.
Since signing that deal, Hyman has defied all aging curves and road the coattails of Connor McDavid to glory. Hyman scored 27 times in his debut with the Oilers. Then he scored 36 times last year and jumped to 54 goals this year.
Hyman has an incredible 14 goals in 18 games so far in these playoffs. Letting him go appears to be the biggest mistake the Leafs have ever made, and that is saying something! (all stats hockeydb.com).
In addition to Hyman, the Oilers also have Cody Ceci. I didn't think the Leafs would ever win with him on the team, but I guess I was wrong about that since the Oilers seem to doing OK.
Sam Carrick, a Leafs draft pick, is also on the Oilers. He played 16 games with the Leafs in 2014.
There is also Sam Gagner, who though he never played with the Leafs, did have a go on the Marlies a few years ago.
And who could forget Jack Campbell? The Oilers signed Campbell from the Leafs, although he's only played in five games this year after an early-season meltdown.
The Oilers aren't the only team chalk full of ex-Leafs. The Panthers are coached by ex Leafs coach Paul Maurice, and they also famously employ Carter Verhaeghe who the Leafs traded before he became a star.
The Panthers also have Evan Rodrigues, who was traded to the Leafs in the Sammy Kapanen trade but never played for them.
Of all the players on these teams, it's Hyman, Verhaeghe and Rodrigues who haunt Leafs fans the most. Considering the Leafs goal over the last eight or so years was to go heavy on talent and draft for skill, it's ironic that there are three extremely good, extremely talented players the Leafs passed on who are now playing for the Stanely Cup when the closest the Leafs have gotten was watching on TV.