The stage is set for the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. For the second consecutive year, the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers will face off in the championship round of the NHL playoffs.
Not all follow-ups live up to the original. Will this sequel be a memorable classic, or a less impactful one? More importantly, can the Oilers finally claim victory this time and end the long-standing drought for Canadian teams winning the Cup, a streak that dates back to 1993?
Here`s an initial look at the series, covering schedule information, betting insights, key details on each team, and matchup notes.
Stanley Cup Final Matchup Overview
Edmonton Oilers vs.
Florida Panthers
Paths to the Final:
- Oilers: Defeated Kings (6 games), Golden Knights (5 games), Stars (5 games)
- Panthers: Defeated Lightning (5 games), Maple Leafs (7 games), Hurricanes (5 games)
Series Schedule:
- Game 1: Panthers at Oilers, June 4, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
- Game 2: Panthers at Oilers, June 6, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
- Game 3: Oilers at Panthers, June 9, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
- Game 4: Oilers at Panthers, June 12, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
- Game 5: Panthers at Oilers, June 14, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
- Game 6: Oilers at Panthers, June 17, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
- Game 7: Panthers at Oilers, June 20, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
Betting Insights
Odds for Cup Winner:
- Oilers: -115
- Panthers: -105
Odds for Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP):
- Connor McDavid (EDM): -110
- Sergei Bobrovsky (FLA): +250
- Aleksander Barkov (FLA): +425
- Leon Draisaitl (EDM): +800
- Matthew Tkachuk (FLA): +2500
- Sam Bennett (FLA): +3000
Matchup Notes
This marks the 12th Stanley Cup Final rematch in NHL history, the fifth in the expansion era (since 1967-68), and the first since 2008-09. The previous two rematches — Pittsburgh vs. Detroit (2008, 2009) and Edmonton vs. Islanders (1983, 1984) — notably involved Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky winning their first Stanley Cups, respectively. Could this be a positive omen for Connor McDavid?
Regarding conference trophies: Last year, the Panthers chose not to touch the Prince of Wales Trophy after winning it, a departure from 1996 and 2023 when they did. Florida won the Cup in 2024 after not touching it, whereas they lost the Final in the two previous instances (1996, 2023) where they did touch it. This year, the Oilers decided to touch the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl for winning the Western Conference. They didn`t touch it last year or in 2006, both years they lost the Stanley Cup Final in seven games.
In last year`s Cup Final, the Panthers initially dominated, taking a 3-0 series lead with a combined score of 11-4. However, the Oilers staged a remarkable comeback, winning the next three games with a combined score of 18-5. Game 7 was an exceptionally tight contest, with the Panthers ultimately winning 2-1. Sam Reinhart scored the game-winning goal at 15:11 of the second period, his 10th goal of the 2024 postseason.
The Panthers were victorious in both regular-season meetings against the Oilers during the 2024-25 season (a 6-5 win in Florida on Dec. 16 and a 4-3 win in Edmonton on Feb. 27).
This series will feature the top four picks from the 2014 NHL Entry Draft: Aaron Ekblad (1st overall to FLA), Sam Reinhart (2nd to BUF), Leon Draisaitl (3rd to EDM), and Sam Bennett (4th to CGY). This is the second consecutive Final where all top four picks from the same draft class (skaters and goalies) have participated in at least one game for either team, following the 2024 Final which featured the same four players.
Team Analysis
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers are making their ninth appearance in the Stanley Cup Final, surpassing the Philadelphia Flyers (eight) for the most among non-Original Six franchises and ranking seventh overall.
Edmonton becomes the eighth team in the NHL`s expansion era (since 1967-68) to reach the Stanley Cup Final after losing their first two games of their opening playoff series. Notably, the previous seven teams that achieved this feat went on to win the Stanley Cup: the 2018 Capitals, 2014 Kings, 2011 Bruins, 2006 Hurricanes, 2002 Red Wings, 1993 Canadiens, and 1992 Penguins. The 2014 Kings remain the only team in NHL history to start the playoffs 0-3 and still win the Cup.
Connor McDavid boasts a career average of 1.73 points per game against the Panthers (including playoffs), which is the highest rate against Florida by any player with a minimum of 20 games played. The players closest to McDavid`s mark are Joe Sakic (1.44 P/GP), Peter Forsberg (1.43), and Mario Lemieux (1.32).
After dropping his first three starts this postseason, goaltender Stuart Skinner has been exceptional, posting a 6-1 record in his last seven starts with a 1.41 goals-against average, a .944 save percentage, and three shutouts.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, currently the longest-tenured Oilers player, has the opportunity to become just the second player in NHL history to play his first 14 or more seasons with a single franchise before winning his first Stanley Cup with that team. Steve Yzerman accomplished this with Detroit in 1997 during his 14th season.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers join an elite group as the ninth franchise in NHL history to make three consecutive appearances in the Stanley Cup Final, and only the second in the last 40 years, following the Tampa Bay Lightning (2020-22).
Florida is aiming to become the 10th franchise in NHL history, and eighth in the expansion era, to successfully repeat as Stanley Cup champions.
The Panthers enter Game 1 in Edmonton having won their last five road playoff games. During this stretch, they have outscored opponents 27-7 and boast a power-play efficiency of 42.9% (6-for-14).
Over their last 10 playoff games this postseason, Sergei Bobrovsky has been in stellar form, recording a 1.57 goals-against average, a .935 save percentage, and two shutouts. He begins the 2025 Stanley Cup Final with 57 career playoff victories, second among active goaltenders only to Andrei Vasilevskiy (67).
Carter Verhaeghe`s goal in the Eastern Conference finals marked his third career series-clinching goal, placing him behind only Max Pacioretty and Artturi Lehkonen (both with four) among all active players. Verhaeghe`s 12 career playoff game-winning goals are double the amount of the next closest player in Panthers history (Matthew Tkachuk, six).
Sam Bennett scored in Game 5 against Carolina, becoming the first player to reach the 10-goal threshold in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. He also became the second-fastest player in franchise history to hit this benchmark in a single postseason, trailing only Dave Lowry (15 games played in 1996). Bennett`s 10 goals tie him for the third-most in a single postseason in Panthers history, behind Carter Verhaeghe (11 in 2024) and Matthew Tkachuk (11 in 2023).
