3 underwhelming Florida Panthers players who need to step up in Stanley Cup final vs. Edmonton Oilers feat. Vladimir Tarasenko 

The Florida Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup final after losing out last season to the Vegas Golden Knights. Memories of that defeat undoubtedly linger as the Panthers look to get past the Edmonton Oilers this time around and hoist their first-ever Stanley Cup.

But in order to do so, three underwhelming players will need to step up and deliver their best performances of the season. Here's a closer look at three players the Florida Panthers need to bring their A-game to beat the Oilers.

3 underwhelming Florida Panthers players who need to step up in the Stanley Cup final

#1: Sam Bennett

Sam Bennett has been a force at times during this postseason. His knockout punch to Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand during the second round was an indication of how Bennett can transform a series.

While Bennett has registered 10 points in 12 playoff games, he hasn’t been the difference-maker the Florida Panthers need him to be. As a second-line center, he has gone unnoticed at times. Thus, Bennett needs to step up, especially if the Oilers play tight defense the way they did against the Dallas Stars.

Look for Bennett’s physical play to emerge early in the series. But it must be his scoring that can make a huge impact on the series’ overall outcome.

#2: Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Oliver Ekman-Larsson has gone from a top-pairing defenseman to a depth d-man. He has mostly played on the Panthers’ third pairing, but at times, he has missed key plays. He’s been often burned, especially during the Conference finals against the New York Rangers.

Offensively, Ekman-Larsson has chipped in one goal and three assists in 17 games. He will need to step up and provide solid defense while potentially contributing on the scoresheet especially as games get tighter and tighter.

Additionally, Ekman-Larsson’s veteran leadership must emerge as the Panthers look to get over that hump they could overcome last season.

#3: Vladimir Tarasenko

Vladimir Tarasenko came over from the Ottawa Senators, hoping to provide more scoring punch. While Tarasenko has played with Aleksander Barkov during most of the postseason, he’s got three goals and three assists to show for his efforts so far.

Tarasenko will need to step up as a scoring threat as Barkov deals with the toughest assignment on the ice: neutralizing Connor McDavid. If Tarasenko can step up, the Florida Panthers will make their top line even harder to play against.

The Florida Panthers will hope that Tarasenko has saved his best performance for the Stanley Cup final. The club will be counting on him to provide offensive support to leading scorer Matthew Tkachuk and revelation Gustav Forsling.

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers takes place at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday.