The New York Knicks will have plenty of time to dissect what went wrong in the Eastern Conference finals.

New York was trying to make its first NBA Finals since 1999, and, after being eliminated in consecutive years by the Indiana Pacers, the Knicks must be proactive and honest about changes they will need to make to break through.

For one, the team relies so significantly on All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson that he’s often tasked with saving New York. But that’s just the beginning.

Five reasons why the New York Knicks lost the Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers:

1. Going down 0-2 at home

Teams simply cannot gift games during the postseason, especially during the conference finals. Game 1, when the Knicks held a nine-point lead with 58.8 seconds left to play, was the epitome of a missed opportunity. The Knicks actually held a 17-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, but they became complacent and could not answer Indiana’s pace. It was bad enough for the Knicks to drop the series opener at home, but it was even worse when they dropped Game 2 in the Garden to fall behind 0-2 headed to Indiana.

2. Trying to match Indiana’s tempo

From Game 1, it appeared that Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau’s preference was to try to match Indiana’s speed, rather than to grind games down. It would turn out to be misguided. The Knicks ranked 27th in the regular season in pace, generating 97.64 possessions per 48 minutes. Indiana ranked seventh (100.76). While the Knicks sometimes did have success against the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics in the earlier rounds when pushing tempo, New York would’ve been far better off slowing the game against the Pacers because this was exactly how Indiana wanted to play.

3. Turnovers

The Knicks committed more turnovers than the Pacers in all but one of the games, and New York lost the turnover margin overall, 93-75. In itself, that’s pretty bad, but it gets worse. Because of the speed with which the Pacers play, those turnovers turned into easy offense: the Pacers posted a crushing 140-61 advantage in points off turnovers throughout the series.

4. Transition defense

The previous point feeds somewhat into this. But whether it was off of turnovers, missed shots or even out of inbounds passes on made attempts, New York did not sustain precise focus on spotting Pacers leaking out in transition. While physically demanding, Thibodeau could’ve done more to tweak strategy, insisting that players drop back to prevent fastbreak chances. The Pacers registered more fastbreak points than New York in every game this series. Frankly, that was always going to be the likely outcome; the margin is what was concerning. The Pacers scored 106 fastbreak points across the six games, while the Knicks put up just 48.

5. Tom Thibodeau’s inconsistent use of the bench

It wasn’t until Game 3 of the series, after the Knicks were already desperate and down 0-2, that Thibodeau tweaked the rotation to match up better with Indiana. Thibodeau has always been a coach set in his ways, and his reluctance to go with fresher legs — against a team that sprints up and down the floor — was baffling. This is magnified further because guards Delon Wright and Landry Shamet are known to be plus-defenders, something New York sorely needed earlier in the series when Indiana’s guards were scoring at will. Thibodeau did receive some credit when he eventually extended his rotation; it came far too late.

Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers, Part 2: Electric Boogaloo!

A year after the Panthers and Oilers gave hockey fans one of the best Stanley Cup Finals series in recent memory, both teams decided they wanted to do it again, and hopefully, the product will be just as good.

Both teams look evenly matched heading into the series. They each won their respective conference finals in five games. Even sportsbooks are unsure who will win with some sites giving both the Oilers and Panthers negative odds of hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Here’s everything to know for this Wednesday’s Game 1:

Predictions for 2025 Stanley Cup Finals

Iain MacMillan, Sports Illustrated: Oilers to win series

MacMillan points at NHL history, noting that the last two times there was a back-to-back Finals matchup, the team that won the first time failed to win the following year. He believes that trend will continue in 2025.

Amalie Benjamin, NHL.com: Oilers in 7

Benjamin writes, ‘This is a tough pick. But as good as the Panthers have looked over the first three rounds, as smart and as dogged and as true to their style as they’ve played, I just think revenge will carry the Oilers past. They were devastated when they brought the Cup Final back to Game 7 last season, narrowly losing by one goal, and they came back hungry and ready.’

Todd Cordell, Covers: Series will go over 5.5 games

Cordell writes, ‘This line is heavily juiced and for good reason. Both teams have won more than 70% of their games during the playoffs and, as alluded to, have scored goals at will, albeit in much different ways. Edmonton has relied on unmatched star power to fill the net while Florida has taken a more balanced approach offensively, with its third line often making the difference. Given how dominant both teams have been, it feels almost impossible for either side to win in four or five games. This should be a long, back-and-forth series.’

Panthers vs. Oilers Game 1 odds, lines

*All odds via BetMGM

Spread: Oilers (-1.5)
Moneyline: Oilers (-130); Panthers (+110)
Over/Under: 6

How to watch Panthers vs. Oilers Game 1

Date: Wednesday, June 4
Location: Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta
Time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
TV: TNT, truTV
Streaming: Max

Stanley Cup Finals full schedule

*- if necessary

Game 1: Wednesday, June 4 at Edmonton – 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 2: Friday, June 6 at Edmonton – 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 3: Monday, June 9 at Florida – 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 4: Thursday, June 12 at Florida – 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 5*: Saturday, June 14 at Edmonton – 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 6*: Tuesday, June 17 at Florida – 8 p.m. ET on TNT
Game 7*: Friday, June 20 at Edmonton – 8 p.m. ET on TNT

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A beloved WWE star is no longer with the company.

WWE has released veteran wrestler R-Truth, he announced on social media.

‘I’m sorry to inform you all. I just got released from WWE,’ he said Sunday. ‘I want to thank WWE for the ride, but MOSTLY I want to thank each and EVERYONE OF YOU who was along for the ride, Thank you for all the love, support, and appreciation you have given me over the years. Thank you.’

The departure ends R-Truth’s second stint in the company, which began in 2008. He had a two-year stint in WWE from 1999-2001, but he became a prominent star during his time with TNA Wrestling from 2002-07.

Although he never won the WWE Championship, it was a memorable 17-year run for R-Truth. While he first connected with fans as he rapped his entrance music with the ‘what’s up?’ chant, he was known for being one of the best comedic wrestlers in the business, constantly bringing laughter to segments and making fellow talent break character on-air.

He had his time with ‘Little Jimmy,’ an imaginary friend that he would consistently bring to life, confusing wrestlers with his presence. He also would get confused, such as when he cut a promo about being in the Money in the Bank match when he wasn’t. In 2020, he went viral when he made Brock Lesnar laugh when he called out Paul Heyman. Other people he made break character include Roman Reigns, Dolph Ziggler and Randy Orton.

His recent R-Truth’s bit was getting wrestlers confused and trying to get himself in the good graces of others. In 2024, he tried to work his way into The Judgment Day despite pushback from the group. He even joined in on the group’s celebration after WrestleMania 40.

During that time, he would mistake people for other wrestlers, such as the continuous mixup between Tommaso Ciampa and Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque. There also was the all-time mixup of when he tried to enter the 2024 women’s Royal Rumble match.

Recently, he was involved in a storyline with his ‘childhood hero’ John Cena, even though he’s older than the WWE Champion. The 53-year-old faced Cena at Saturday Night’s Main Event on May 24, and he again had fun when he copied Cena’s look and entrance. Cena defeated him, and R-Truth had his final match May 30 on SmackDown with JC Mateo.

R-Truth was a two-time United States Champion, two-time Hardcore Champion and two-time Tag Team Champion. However, the title he’s most commonly associated with is the infamous 24/7 Championship, which could be challenged for in any setting. Whether it was during WWE shows or in segments posted on social media in several settings, he won and lost the title several times. He was a 53-time 24/7 Champion.

The news of his departure comes after WWE released 10 stars in February and more in May.

WWE stars speak on R-Truth’s release

Several wrestlers shared their sadness over the announcement, including Rhea Ripley, who worked with him during The Judgment Day storyline.

‘In all seriousness, this is literally so heartbreaking… Thank you Truth,’ she posted on social media.

Damian Priest also shared a photo from the viral celebration of The Judgment Day.

The Miz called R-Truth “one in a lifetime” in a post celebrating him. The two formed The Awesome Truth throughout their time in the company and won tag team gold at WrestleMania 40.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

PARIS ― More than 500 people were arrested by police during the Champions League final celebrations in France, and two people were reported dead and 192 injured, the interior ministry said on Sunday.

Wild celebrations erupted across the French capital and beyond on Saturday night after Paris Saint-Germain crushed Italian opponents Inter Milan to win the Champions League for the first time, although skirmishes with police later threatened to spoil the party.

The interior ministry’s provisional assessment as of Sunday morning was that 559 people had been arrested, including 491 in Paris, which led to 320 people being placed in police custody, 254 of them in Paris.

There was one fatal accident when a young man in his twenties died in a collision with a vehicle, police chief Laurent Nunez told reporters, while in the southwestern city of Dax, a 17-year-old died from stab wounds, French media reported.

‘A judicial investigation will determine whether or not it (the fatality in Paris) can be linked to the celebrations. At this stage, it appears to be connected to the festivities,’ Nunez said.

On the boutique-lined Champs Elysees avenue, bus shelters were smashed and projectiles hurled at riot police, who fired tear gas and water cannon to push back surging crowds as thousands of supporters who descended on the area.

The interior ministry on Sunday reported hundreds of fires, including more than 200 vehicles burned. Some 22 members of the security forces and seven firefighters were harmed.

Nunez warned that more skirmishes could occur on Sunday as PSG will parade on the Champs Elysees before celebrating the title with their fans at the Parc des Princes stadium.

‘We’re at halftime, so to speak, as this afternoon we have the parade taking place on the Champs Elysees,’ Nunez said.

‘Only those attending the parade will be allowed on site. A maximum attendance of just over 100,000 people has been set – beyond that, no-one else will be allowed in.

‘This evening, there will be a celebration at the Parc des Princes as well. We also expect gatherings around the Place de la Porte de Saint Cloud, and we will respond in the same measured but firm way should there be any attempts to block the ring road, attack law enforcement, or cause further damage.’

Paris had deployed 5,400 officers in anticipation of celebrations following a PSG win, Nunez had said on Friday.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Texas baseball knew it would play at some point on June 1 – though the Longhorns are playing earlier than they may have anticipated.

The Longhorns, the No. 2 national seed in the 2025 NCAA baseball tournament, find themselves in the Austin Regional’s elimination game against Kansas State after falling 9-7 to UTSA on May 31. Jim Schlossnagle and Co. need to win two games – first against the Wildcats, then in a rematch vs. the Roadrunners – just to force a rubber match vs. UTSA on June 2.

Of course, Texas must first beat Kansas State, which began its run in the Austin Regional with a loss to UTSA before staving off elimination with a win over Houston Christian. Whoever wins the matchup between the Longhorns and Wildcats will advance to take on the Roadrunners in the Austin Regional championship.

USA TODAY is providing live updates, scores and highlights from Texas and Kansas State’s elimination game. Follow along here:

Watch Texas vs Kansas State with ESPN+

Texas baseball live score vs Kansas State

This section will be updated

Texas baseball vs Kansas State live updates

This section will be updated.

Clemson, Kentucky still playing on ESPN

Texas vs. Kansas State is slated to air on ESPN, but will start before the end of the Kentucky-Clemson game in the Clemson Regional (still in the top of the seventh). Fans hoping to watch the game can stream the action on ESPN+.

Texas baseball starting pitcher

Texas will start right-handed junior Ruger Riojas on the mount vs. Kansas State. He has an 8-3 record, 5.25 ERA and 1.31 WHIP on top of 56 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings this season. Here is the lineup he will face against the Wildcats:

Texas baseball batting order

Here’s a look at the Longhorns’ batting order vs. Kansas State:

What time does Texas baseball vs Kansas State start?

Date: Sunday, June 1
Time: 3 p.m. ET

First pitch for Texas and Kansas State’s elimination game is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.

What TV channel is Texas baseball vs Kansas State on today?

TV channel: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+

The Longhorns-Wildcats game will air live on ESPN. Streaming options include the ESPN app (with a valid cable login) and ESPN+, the latter of which serves as ESPN’s streaming service.

NCAA baseball tournament schedule

Regionals: May 30-June 2
Super regionals: June 6-9
College World Series: June 13-22/23
CWS finals: June 21-22/23

The 2025 NCAA baseball tournament began on May 30 with the regional round, which will conclude no later than June 2. Following the regional round are the super regionals, which will take place June 6-9. After that, the College World Series will begin on June 13 and end on either June 22 or 23, depending on whether the three-game championship series needs two or three games.

The 2025 Women’s College World Series field will reach the final four teams on June 1.

The winner of that game will advance to take on No. 6 Texas in the semifinal at noon on June 2. They would need to defeat the Longhorns twice to advance to the best-of-three-game championship series, which is scheduled to start on June 4.

Watch UCLA vs Tennessee softball, Women’s College World Series on Fubo (free trial)

UCLA is coming off a 3-1 loss to NiJaree Canady and Texas Tech in the winner’s bracket on Saturday. While the Bruins scored the first run off Canady in the WCWS, it was not enough, as the Red Raiders’ million-dollar arm continued her hot postseason.

Tennessee avoided elimination by defeating its SEC rival Florida by a run-rule 11-3 margin on May 30. The Vols left no doubt by plating seven runs in the opening inning and then doing enough to finish the game in five innings. The best part for them, ace Karlyn Pickens, threw one inning and then earned a much-needed rest.

Follow along here for live updates, scores and highlights from the WCWS elimination game between UCLA and Tennessee:

UCLA vs Tennessee live score

UCLA vs Tennessee live updates

Pregame

Tennessee starting lineup

Here’s a look at the Lady Vols’ starting lineup for today’s elimination game against UCLA:

Gabby Leach, RF
Taylor Pannell, 3B
Ella Dodge, 2B
Sophia Nugent, C
McKenna Gibson, 1B
Laura Mealer, SS
Alannah Leach, LF
Emma Clarke, DP
Kinsey Fielder, CF

Starting pitcher: Karlyn Pickens

UCLA starting lineup

Here’s a look at the Bruins’ starting lineup for today’s elimination game against Tennessee:

Jessica Clements, CF
Savannah Pola, 2B
Jordan Woolery, 3B
Megan Grant, 1B
Alexis Ramirez, C
Rylee Slimp, LF
Kaniya Bragg, SS
Sofia Mujica, DP
Kaitlyn Terry, P
Liesel Osteen, RF*

* Won’t be in the batting lineup.

Karlyn Pickens’ tournament stats

Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens has been in top form in the NCAA softball tournament, allowing 10 earned runs on 23 hits in 37 1/3 innings of work to go along with 59 strikeouts and 13 walks.

Pickens lasted just one inning against Florida in her last outing, being relieved after the Lady Vols built up a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

UCLA defeated Tennessee in an early-season tournament game

The Bruins earned a 4-3 win over the Vols in the most recent meeting in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, California on Feb. 22. Tennessee scored three first inning runs and held the lead into the fifth inning.

Karlyn Pickens limited the Bruins’ offense until the fifth inning when they loaded the bases against her. Karen Weekly pulled Pickens for Sage Mardjetko, who allowed all four runs to score, including a three-run homer by Jordan Woolery to give UCLA the lead.

UCLA vs Tennessee softball history

UCLA leads the all-time series against Tennessee softball 10-4. The Bruins have won four in a row against the Lady Vols. They have split their two previous matchups in the WCWS: The Lady Vols defeated the Bruins 4-3 in 2006, while UCLA earned a 3-1 win in 2005.

What time does UCLA vs Tennessee softball start?

Date: Sunday, June 1
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Where: Devon Park (Oklahoma City)

First pitch for UCLA and Tennessee’s softball game in the 2025 Women’s College World Series is set for 3 p.m. ET from Devon Park in Oklahoma City on June 1.

What TV channel is UCLA vs Tennessee softball WCWS game today?

TV: ABC
Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+

Sunday’s WCWS elimination game between UCLA and Tennessee will air on ESPN. Beth Mowins, Michele Smith and Jessica Mendoza will have the call, while Holly Rowe serves as the sideline reporter.

Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app, which requires a valid cable login to access, and ESPN+, the latter of which serves as ESPN’s subscription streaming service.

UCLA softball schedule 2025

Below is UCLA softball’s postseason schedule. For the Bruins’ full schedule, click here.

Los Angeles Regional

Friday, May 16: No. 9 UCLA 9, UC Santa Barbara 1 (6 innings)
Saturday, May 17: No. 9 UCLA 10, San Diego State 0 (6 innings)
Sunday, May 18: No. 9 UCLA 12, UC Santa Barbara 1 (5 innings)

Columbia Super Regional

Friday, May 23: No. 8 South Carolina 9, No. 9 UCLA 2
Saturday, May 24: No. 9 UCLA 5, No. 8 South Carolina 4
Sunday, May 25: No. 9 UCLA 5, No. 8 South Carolina 0

WCWS

Thursday, May 29: No. 9 UCLA 4, No. 16 Oregon 2
Saturday, May 31: No. 12 Texas Tech 3, No. 9 UCLA 1
Sunday, June 1: No. 9 UCLA vs. No. 7 Tennessee (3 p.m. ET)

Tennessee softball schedule 2025

Below is Tennessee softball’s postseason schedule. For the Lady Vols’ full schedule, click here.

Knoxville Regional

Friday, May 16: No. 7 Tennessee 17, Miami (Ohio) 0 (5 innings)
Saturday, May 17: No. 7 Tennessee 4, Ohio State 2
Sunday, May 18: No. 7 Tennessee 5, Ohio State 0

Knoxville Super Regional

Friday, May 23: Nebraska 5, No. 7 Tennessee 2
Saturday, May 24: No. 7 Tennessee 3, Nebraska 2
Sunday, May 25: No. 7 Tennessee 1, Nebraska 0

WCWS

Thursday, May 29: No. 2 Oklahoma 4, No. 7 Tennessee 2
Friday, May 30: No. 7 Tennessee 11, No. 3 Florida (5 innings)
Sunday, June 1: No. 7 Tennessee vs. UCLA (3 p.m. ET)

WCWS schedule

Women’s College World Series: May 29-June 5/6
WCWS finals: June 4-5/6

The Women’s College World Series began May 29 and will run through either June 5 or June 6. The WCWS three-game championship series will begin on June 4 and end on June 5 or 6, depending on whether the series concludes in two or three games.

LOS ANGELES — Dodgers MVP Shohei Ohtani didn’t homer, or do anything spectacular, but his bat certainly made a fabulous first impression.

Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy, who fans were trying to run out of town just a few weeks ago, had the game of his life.

Hyesong Kim, the Dodgers’ free-agent signing who drew barely any attention, showed why the Dodgers think he’ll be a star.

And, there was Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who is quickly establishing himself as the ultimate Yankee killer, performing his magic again.

By the end of Saturday night, the Dodgers showed the New York Yankees that the World Series runs through Los Angeles, routing the Yankees, 18-2, in front of 51,746 fans screaming like it was October once again.

It was the Yankees’ most-lopsided loss since 2019, and 16 years since they’ve lost by a bigger margin.

‘You could say it was a statement,’ said Muncy, who hit two home runs and drove in a career-high seven runs. ‘And for us to do it without [injured] Mookie [Betts] also is huge for everyone trying to pick up the slack in the lineup. It’s big for the boys.’

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who celebrated his 53rd birthday Saturday, wasn’t about to create any back-page material for October, but acknowledged the impact of knocking off the Yankees in consecutive games, picking up right where they left off last October.

“It’s certainly sweet to win any game,’’ Roberts said, “but to beat those guys is always good. It always feels good to beat the Yankees. You know, they’re the class of the American League right now, and anytime you can beat those guys, you feel good.’’

The terrifying aspect for everyone else is that if the Dodgers can pummel the Yankees with 14 pitchers currently on the injured list, with Betts out for the series with a broken toe, and Ohtani not expected to resume pitching until after the All-Star break, how powerful will they be when they get the band back together?

The Dodgers came into the weekend series having lost seven of their last 12 games, and were just 26-22 since their 8-0 start. Yet, they turned around and beat up Yankees ace Max Fried and starter Will Warren on back-to-back nights, outscoring the Yankees 24-2 in the last 13 innings. They’ve suffocated everyone in the Yankees’ lineup but Aaron Judge, who has hit three homers this series.

“You know the last couple of weeks has certainly been a grind with all of the stuff we’ve been going through,’’ Roberts said. “But obviously when you get the Yankees and fans get into it, it just kind of infuses some excitement into the clubhouse and guys showed up and given what these fans want. It’s been a fun series for us. … It’s kind of like that playoff environment.’’

So, considering they knocked off the Yankees in the World Series last season, are the Dodgers making a powerful statement by whipping them again?

“No, I wouldn’t say statement, that’s a good club over there,’’ Roberts said. “I’m just happy with the process and how we’re taking the field and going about playing baseball …

“We’ve sort of been playing middling baseball for a while now, so maybe it took a club like the Yankees to get us reset and step our game up.’’

The truth is that the Dodgers offense has been lethal since April 22, scoring 240 runs — 51 more than any team in baseball, averaging 6.9 runs a game. Ohtani tied a franchise record with 15 homers in May. Kim, who opened the year in the minors, reached base in all five plate appearances with two singles, double, homer and walk. Muncy, who was hitting .190 with one homer and a .599 OPS before May 14, has since hit .298 with a 1.048 OPS, including four homers and 22 RBI.

“Max, it’s been a tough one to start,’’ Roberts said, “but I give him a lot of credit. He hasn’t wavered from the work. He hasn’t run from the criticism. And he’s showing up every day to play and help us win a ballgame.

And, of course, there’s Freeman, who’s hitting a National League-leading .374 with a 1.078 OPS.

This is a guy who turned the World Series upside down a year ago when he pulled off his Kirk Gibson moment with a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning, hitting .300 with four homers and 12 RBI while winning the World Series MVP.

Now, he’s performing an encore.

Freeman went 2-for-3 with an RBI, hitting his 525th career double that tied Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Ted Williams for 46th place on the all-time list, while continuing to torment the Yankees. In his last seven games against the Yankees, he is hitting .407 with four homers, three doubles, one triple and 14 RBI.

“I mean, he handles everything in the zone,’’ Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt said. “He’s so short to the ball, fastballs, off-speed pitches. He’s always in a good position to hit.

“That’s why he’s one of the best hitters in the league and has been for 10 or 15 years. …I can go on and on, he’s such a professional hitter, and a lot of those guys are in that lineup.’’

That, of course, is why the Dodgers have won two World Series in the past five years, with 11 division titles in the last 12 years.

“I mean, there’s a lot of guys in this clubhouse that never really cease to amaze me,’’ said Muncy, who was presented the lineup card for hitting his career 200th homer. “You can go up and down the lineup. It’s really special when you see the names that are in this clubhouse, and see how hard they work every single day.

“When you have an entire clubhouse of guys that are going to be Hall of Famers, and they’re still showing up every day working like they’re a young guy, I think that just rubs off on everybody.’’

Yep, just ask rookie catcher Dalton Rushing, who hit his first career homer Saturday, with the help of Ohtani’s bat. While Ohtani had retreated to the clubhouse after being taken out of the game, Rushing grabbed one of his bats, seeing if it had the same kind of magic that has helped Ohtani win three MVPs.

Lo and behold, he swung at the first pitch thrown by infielder Pablo Reyes, and sent it 393 feet over the right-field fence.

“He hits plenty of home runs, so I’m sure it can work for someone else, too,’’ Rushing said laughing. “It worked out in my favor.

“Now, I look forward to getting my first one off a real pitcher.’’

For the Dodgers, it has been that kind of weekend.

Follow Bob Nightengale on X @BNightengale.

The defending champion Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers are meeting for the second consecutive year in the Stanley Cup Final.

Same old, same old, right?

Not quite.

Though the core players, coaches and goaltenders are the same, both teams have made important additions, most notably the Panthers.

They were aggressive at the trade deadline, adding All-Star forward Brad Marchand and defenseman Seth Jones to join their offseason depth acquisitions. The Oilers have surrounded their stars with a few different depth players and the team has honed its defensive game.

‘It’s going to be an incredible battle again,’ said Panthers forward Sam Reinhart, who scored last season’s series-clinching goal.

Here’s what’s intriguing about the Stanley Cup Final, which opens on Wednesday in Edmonton, Alberta (8 p.m. ET, TNT, truTV).

Last year’s Final was exciting

It didn’t start that way with the Panthers taking a 3-0 lead in the series and needing one more victory to clinch their first championship. But the Oilers didn’t make it easy. They crushed the Panthers 8-1 in Game 4 and scored five goals in both Games 5 and 6 to tie the series. Just when it seemed the Panthers might be reeling, they found their way again in Game 7 and picked up a 2-1 victory for the title.

Can Connor McDavid win his first title?

The Oilers star has become the NHL’s best player after he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2015. Three MVPs, five scoring titles, one goal title, seven All-Star appearances, the game-winning goal in the 4 Nations Face-Off. The only thing missing is a Stanley Cup ring. He came close last year. He broke Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record with 34 assists in a playoff year and totaled 42 points. That made him a rare Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) winner from the losing team, but he stayed with his teammates rather than accept the individual award. That Game 7 loss has driven him and the team. He’s leading the league in playoff assists and points again and had a crucial goal in the series clincher vs. the Dallas Stars.

Aleksander Barkov is a shutdown star

The Panthers captain is one of the top defensive forwards in the league and is favored to win his third Selke Trophy. Linemate Sam Reinhart is also up for the award. That line could be deployed against McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, though Edmonton will have the last line change in four of the games. Barkov had his own special move in the Panthers’ series clincher vs. the Carolina Hurricanes.

Will Canada’s Stanley Cup drought finally end?

No Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since the 1993 Montreal Canadiens. A Canadian team has been to the Final eight times since then, including this year. The Oilers pushed the series to seven games in their last two visits. Edmonton won the Stanley Cup five times (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990) before the Canada drought began.

Panthers can achieve dynasty status

The state of Florida has become a hockey hotbed with the Tampa Bay Lightning reaching the Final from 2020-22 (winning the first two years) and the Panthers reaching from 2023-25. Win a second consecutive title and the Panthers dynasty talk could start. They’re deep and have multiple-time All-Star Marchand on the third line. It might be hard to keep the team together because Sam Bennett (league-best 10 goals), Marchand, Aaron Ekblad and others are pending unrestricted free agents, and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has one more year left on his deal. But the salary cap is going up, giving the Panthers flexibility.

Rematch doesn’t mean the same result

The Detroit Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2008 and the Penguins returned the favor the following year to give Sidney Crosby his first title. The same thing happened in 1983 and 1984. The New York Islanders swept the Oilers for their fourth title in a row. But Edmonton won in 1984 as Wayne Gretzky and company began their own dynasty.

Jeff Skinner gets his chance in playoff spotlight

The 2010-11 rookie of the year never made the playoffs in his first 13 NHL seasons. But he did this season after signing with the Oilers in the offseason, only to be a healthy scratch after suiting up in the playoff opener. However, an injury to Zach Hyman gave him an opportunity to play again. He scored in his return to the lineup.

Stuart Skinner can build up his reputation

The netminder got to Game 7 of the final last year but goaltending wasn’t considered an Oilers strength heading into this postseason. Skinner was benched after two playoff games and backup Calvin Pickard won six in a row. But an injury to Pickard put Skinner back in the net, and he finished off the Vegas Golden Knights with back-to-back shutouts. He also outplayed Stars goalie Jake Oettinger in the conference final.

Both coaches are masterful

Florida’s Paul Maurice has made the Final in his first three seasons with the Panthers. Edmonton’s Kris Knoblauch has done it his first two seasons as an NHL head coach. Both are strong at adjustments. Witness how last year’s series had such wild swings. Those adjustments have continued his year. Maurice switched out his fourth line after losing the first two games in the second round before his team won in seven games. Knoblauch benched Skinner to give the goalie a chance to reset. Both coaches are highly quotable.

You’ll see many of these players at the Olympics

Nine Panthers took part in the 4 Nations Face-Off, with Matthew Tkachuk (USA), Bennett, Marchand and Reinhart (Canada), Barkov and others (Finland) and Gustav Forsling (Sweden) leading the way. Edmonton had three players, led by Canada’s McDavid. Draisaitl will play for Germany in 2026 and other players from these teams could make the Olympics.

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I’ve covered the NFL just about my entire adult life, over 30 years, and there was often this axiom that still exists: the NFL is dead in the month of June. No one cares about it. Everything shuts down. Interest dies. The league basically disappears from the minds of fans.

But is that really true?

There’s a phrase that’s become one of my favorites: ‘narrative dominance.’ It’s used a lot in politics, but it applies to this idea about the NFL. The narrative is that you, the NFL fan, ceases caring about the league in the month of June. So let’s test that narrative.

USA TODAY Sports will publish a story each day of the month for Project: June. We will cover the NFL universe from the lighthearted to the serious.

If you wish you could draft your fantasy team now starting with that No. 1 overall selection (pick Ja’Marr Chase first, trust me on this), this series is for you. If you dream of season openers, tune in. If the Eagles’ various Super Bowl celebrations dance in your head, over and over…and over, this is your place.

There seems to be always an NFL itch, and we will scratch it for you. Or something like that.

I once had a conversation with Hall-of-Famer Michael Strahan and he mentioned how important it was to take some time away from football after the season, but by the time the summer came around, he deeply missed it.

You may feel the same way. If you do, this will be the place for you in June.

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