Frederik Anderson struggled throughout the regular season, only to turn things around completely as he led the Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Final. Complicating the outlook for this season, he injured his knee and had to watch his team win its final games to clinch the championship. The factor that could have accurately predicted the Oilers' postseason disappointment is goal differential. The 2024 version, that came within a game of the Cup win, tilted the ice, scoring and preventing opposing goals. The following year, the team was not a match for the Florida Panthers, and its goal differential had slipped.