2023-24 Playoff Focus: Gustav Forsling (SCF, GM7)

Guess who's back?

Credit: AFP

Edmonton forced a seventh and deciding Stanley Cup Final contest on the strength of stretch plays, luring Panthers forecheckers into the mire before launching the puck north-south for a flood of rush goals from Games 4-6.

On Monday night, Florida’s F3 showed more positional discipline—and that extra body in the NZ allowed the club’s shutdown specialist to shine once again. No longer asked to cover for 2-3 wayward teammates, Gustav Forsling settled back into the groove and zeroed in on the Oilers’ fearsome duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

The Swede’s renewed confidence in his surroundings was most evident in transition, as he (FLA 42) squashed many of the opposition’s buildups:

Note the precision of Forsling’s gap control here. He continually arrives at the right time, from the right angle and with the right stick placement to suffocate your zone entry designs. The 28-year-old was breathing down Edmonton’s neck all night.

When the Oilers did manage to carve out decent real estate, he would promptly recover to slam the door in their face:

Up against one of the league’s top puck protectors (Draisaitl, EDM 29) on the flank, Forsling’s inside-out stick work and speed-matching ensnare the star forward. Adding salt to the wound, he then ragdolls the 6’2”, 209-pounder in the corner, grabs the puck and clears it himself. He’s basically glued to the German from the moment he decides to attack.

The Oilers boast creative ways to get their studs rolling downhill, though, so there were moments when Forsling needed to toe the line between puck pressure and survival.

He excelled in those spots too:

Draisaitl’s slick drop entry pushes Florida’s initial layer off the blue line and creates room as well as momentum for McDavid (EDM 97) to conjure some magic. Forsling hedges his bets, staying central enough to deter an inside deke on forward Evan Rodrigues (FLA 17) and wide enough to challenge Draisaitl’s one-timer attempt. Stick on puck —> bomb defused.

Forsling may carry the heaviest defensive burden in the NHL. Beyond his matchups against world-class scorers, he must insulate an error-prone Aaron Ekblad. That means he frequently has to balance his main job with the suppression of additional threats.

Edmonton’s third-period onslaught would spotlight his knack for making split-second, high-leverage decisions. With a little over seven minutes remaining in regulation, Florida’s 1D teams up with Eetu Luostarinen (FLA 27) to preserve the 2-1 lead:

Forsling has Zach Hyman (EDM 18) in cuffs as Evan Bouchard (EDM 2) weighs his options at the point, but Brandon Montour (EDM 62) gets trapped in the pile, leaving McDavid alone on the doorstep. Not ideal. Forsling scans the ice, clocks the danger and detaches from Hyman in time to hinder McDavid’s release in front of a yawning cage.

Snuffing out the first chance also buys Luostarinen the beat he requires to race above the goal line and block the second opportunity.

Edmonton had Florida on its heels for the majority of the final frame (5-1 HD chance advantage). Unfortunately, the Oilers ran into a blueliner who thrives on digging his in.

The Panthers’ unsung hero picked the perfect occasion for another sparkling defensive performance. In a sink-or-swim Game 7 scenario, his ability to hold McDavid and Draisaitl off the scoresheet ultimately delivered Florida its first championship in franchise history.

Here are the full highlights:

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