Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart, Leon Draisaitl, and Sam Bennett are back at each other with the Stanley Cup final in between

Eleven years ago, four teenagers tried to pose for the perfect picture at the top of the “Rocky” steps, unaware of what the road ahead held for them. Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart, Leon Draisaitl, and Sam Bennett now stand opposite one another on the rink in the Stanley Cup Final rematch between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers.

Once hopefuls of draft day and now seasoned veterans, the ties that bind them from the 2014 NHL Draft remain strong while they fight tooth and nail for the ultimate prize.

The first four: Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart, Leon Draisaitl, and Sam Bennett, a generation

In the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Ekblad, Reinhart, Draisaitl, and Bennett were selected first, second, third and fourth respectively, and immediately joined their franchises in the order they were drafted: Ekblad with the Florida Panthers, Reinhart with the Buffalo Sabres, Draisaitl with the Edmonton Oilers, and Bennett with the Calgary Flames.

That week created a fierce bond that would ultimately evolve into a lifelong brotherhood.The famous picture of the four atop the Rocky steps shot back into fame recently, bringing a bittersweet wave of nostalgia to the fans. The four had derided each other's teenage, outdated fashion sense, yet beneath that were brotherhood tales riddled with controversy, trades, and victories. There are now three of them, Ekblad, Reinhart, and Bennett, who are in Florida together, with Draisaitl running the show for Edmonton in a fierce seven-game series that now stands at 1-1.

With 29 points in 18 playoff games and the massive overtime goal in Game 1 to his name, Leon Draisaitl has developed into somewhat of a postseason powerhouse. He did have those struggles early on in Edmonton when they almost annually failed to make the playoffs. It was that Western Conference Final run in 2022 that truly allowed him to break through.In many ways, Ekblad's road has mirrored Draisaitl, having to wait nearly eight years for worthwhile postseason experience.

As a No. 1 pick, his weighty expectations were only somewhat lightened by Florida's tucked-away media scene. Since then, he has been instrumental in getting the Panthers to three consecutive Cup Finals.`Reinhart's career was reinvigorated after a trade to Florida in 2021. After seven years of enduring a drought of playoff appearances in Buffalo, he clinched a Cup-winning goal last year in the seventh game and stressed patience to the young prospects gearing up for the 2025 Draft.Sam Bennett also found his game post-Florida. Once a struggling forward in Calgary, Bennett is presently tied for first in playoff goals this season with 13. His advice to future stars is to embrace the randomness of their journey and appreciate every second of it.Also Read: "We never quit,” says Leon Draisaitl as Oilers stun Panthers with OT gut‑punch in Stanley Cup Final Game 1What had started with four youngsters chasing NHL dreams back in 2014 now stands as a rivalry built on mutual respect and shared history. Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart, Leon Draisaitl, and Sam Bennett continue to show how friendship and athletic competition can coexist at the highest level as they chase another Cup.