The 5 most interesting players

The Stanley Cup Final will include at minimum 18 skaters and a goaltender on each side, but just a few of them will have an outsized affect on the series and the discourse around it.

Whatever Matthew Tkachuk and Sergei Bobrovsky do will get plenty of ink, as will Jack Eichel’s transition from failing to drag the Buffalo Sabres to team success to becoming the top center on a possible Stanley Cup champion.

Mark Stone’s return from back surgery to put together a strong playoffs also deserves some attention, especially considering the way his opponents have specifically targeted him.

While those guys will get their shine, there’s a tier of players who don’t have that level of name recognition who will be fascinating to watch in the Stanley Cup Final.

Here are five guys to keep your eye on when the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights begin their battle on Saturday night.

Brandon Montour

Montour entered the 2022-23 season with a career high of 37 points. Then he came one point short of doubling it. He’ll stride into the Stanley Cup Final as one of the most dangerous offensive defensemen in the NHL.

That kind of breakout is always rare, but it’s especially unusual for a 28-year-old in his seventh NHL season.

Montour set career highs in every offensive category in 2022-23, and became the quarterback of the Panthers’ power play. His 33 power-play points during the regular season were more than he managed in the rest of his career combined (30).

The right-shot defenseman has also been impactful in the playoffs with six goals on 59 shots — the second-highest total of any skater.

Montour is in the midst of a mini offensive funk with no points in his last eight games despite averaging more than 30 minutes of ice time. Whether he’s able to break out of it could play a major role in the outcome of this series.

The Golden…