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Match 1 of the Stanley Cup final between Florida Panthers and Edmonton’s Oilers takes place on Thursday at 8 p.m. HE in Rogers in Edmonton, Canada.
This is the second consecutive season that the Oilers and the Panthers were equaled during the Stanley Cup final. Last season, the Panthers won their first championship in the history of the franchise.
The Panthers won this series in seven games but were on the brink of one of the greatest collapses in the history of sport.
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The Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov speaks at the EDMonton Connor McDavid Oilers center at the end of match 7 of the Stanley Cup final on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (APO photo / Rebecca Blackwell)
The panthers increased by 3-0, but the oilers won three consecutive and forced games on match 7, on which the panthers held and won, 2-1.
Despite the loss, the superstar of the Oilers Connor McDavid received the Conn Smythe trophy, the price awarded to the most useful player of his team of the playoffs.
It was only the sixth time in the NHL history that a losing team player received the Conn Smythe trophy.
The final revenge of the Stanley Cup of Panthers-Oillers is the 12th time in the NHL history that two teams have met in the final in consecutive seasons. The last time it happened is when Pittsburgh’s Penguins and Detroit Red Wings played in 2008 and 2009.
The Red Wings won in 2008, while the Penguins won in 2009.
The Panthers hope to become the first team to defeat the same opponent in the consecutive final of the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadians beat Boston Bruins in 1977 and 1978.
You will find below an overview of this year’s match between the two powers.
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The Edmonton star, Connor McDavid, is shown with the assistant commissioner of the NHL, Bill Daly, while they hold the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl after match 5 of the Western Conference final on May 28, 2025. (AP photo / Julio Cortez)
How they got here
Panthers
The panthers finished third in the Atlantic division with 98 points. The Toronto Maple Leafs won the division with 108 points, while the Lightning of Tampa Bay finished second with 102 points.
In the playoffs, the panthers rebounded these two teams. In the first round, they defeated the lightning in five games of the “Florida battle”.
The second round was not as easy as the Panthers have lagged behind in the series, 2-0, in Maple Leafs before rallying and winning four of the following five games and defeating Toronto in seven games.
During the finals of the Eastern Conference, the Panthers dominated the Hurricanes of Caroline. They took a 3-0 series lead, with the 16-4 combined score in favor of the panthers in these matches.
The Hurricanes avoided being swept away with a victory for match 4, but the Panthers won match 5, 5-3, to go to their third consecutive final of the Stanley Cup.
Oilers
The oilers finished third in the Pacific division with 101 points. The Golden Knights of Vegas won the division with 110 points, while the Kings of Los Angeles finished second with 105 points.
The oilers, like the panthers, eliminated the two teams that finished in front of them in their division of the playoffs.
In the first round, the Oilers sent the Kings in six games. In the second round, they beat the Golden Knights in five games.
In the Western Conference final, the Oilers beat Dallas stars in five games and eliminated them in the conference final for the second consecutive season.
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The Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, on the left, and the assistant commissioner of the NHL, Bill Daly, pose with the Prince of Wales Trophy at the end of match 5 of the final of the Eastern Conference on May 28, 2025. (AP photo / Chris Seward)
Key contributors to each team
Panthers
The panthers obtained the production of a large part of their list during their race at the Stanley Cup final, because 10 players scored at least 10 points in the 17 team eliminations.
The Sam Bennett Center heads the team with 10 goals, while Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe are equal to the team with six goals each.
Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk are tied for the head of the team with 11 assists each, while the acquisition of the deadline for trade Brad Marchand and Evan Rodrigues are equal to the second row of the team with 10 assists.
Barkov heads the team with 17 points.
Goalkeeper Sergei Bobrovsky started the 17 games in playoffs and shone, going 12-5 while granting 2.11 goals per match with a percentage of 0.912%stops.
Oilers
The oilers did not obtain as much production throughout the range as the Panthers, but they have two of the best sports players who carried the charge for them.
Edmonton has seven players who scored at least 10 points in the playoffs compared to the 10 players of the Panthers.
Throughout his career, McDavid has raised his game in the playoffs, and these playoffs were not different.
In 16 games, McDavid collected 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) while Leon Draisaitl collected 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists).
Draisaitl and Corey Perry, 40, are tied for the team’s head with seven goals each in the playoffs for Edmonton.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is third in the team by scoring 18 points (five goals, 13 assists), with defender Evan Bouchard just behind him with 17 points (six goals, 11 assists).
Unlike the Panthers, the Oilers did not obtain a coherent goalkeeper game. Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard started matches in playoffs for Edmonton.
Skinner has a 6-4 file in 10 games with an average of goals to 2.53 goals with a percentage of stops from .904, while Pickard is 6-0 in six departures with an average of goals and a percentage of stops of 0.888.
The Oilers turned to Skinner in their series against the stars.
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The right wing of Edmonton’s Oilers, Corey Perry, on the right, famous with the Center Connor McDavid after having marked during the first period of match 5 of the Western Conference final on May 29, 2025, in Dallas. (AP photo / Gareth Patterson)
What the stars say
McDavid said the final defeat of the Stanley Cup of Oilers Cup served as a “learning experience” for the team.
“I think we are better to spend last year. It is an excellent learning experience, and it really motivated us all year round,” said McDavid after the Oilers finished their second consecutive Western conference title. “This race was different from last year. It’s very normal. … I don’t mean boring because it is not at all boring. It was not so emotional.”
“We did not have the tops and we did not have the stockings. It’s just a bit stable,” said McDavid. “I think it puts us in a good position. You know that these games can be exhausted emotionally. We are not exhausted. … You know, we have a chance as good as possible.”
The head coach of the Oilers, Kris Knoblauch, said that the team was preparing for this playoff series since his defeat of match 7 last season.
“I think we spent seven months preparing for this playoff race. As, I think it was in our minds since we lost this last match,” said Knoblauch. “A long and difficult summer and difficult training camp, from the regular season, and it was just a little hit our card, appear, want the playoffs, just have another opportunity.”
Draisaitl said it would be good to have a chance to take revenge.
“I mean, we know what it is. We have played them seven times, and they are a good team,” said Draisaitl. “We are also a good team. Obviously, it’s nice to make a chance, you know, to take revenge, but by far.”
The panthers expect the Stanley Cup final to be a battle again.
“It will again be an incredible battle,” said Panthers striker Sam Reinhart via NHL.com. “They play, of course, fairly dominant hockey, so we are delighted with the challenge. We must be ready for that.”
“It’s a very good team,” said Verhaeghe via NHL.com. “They went to the final. They are definitely a hungry team. It is not easy to go to the last two times in a row, so they want it badly. So, it’s for us to play our game, and we will also be ready.”
Panthers’ head coach Paul Maurice said the Oilers were better in what they are doing now.
“I think that the two teams are always quite consistent with their identity and their style of play. They are a year further in their program now, and we too. They had three big years. They did not arrive three years ago, but they had long playoffs. I think they are better in what they do now, and we are as well.”
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The Florida Panthers Center Anton Lundell (15) celebrates his goal against the Hurricanes of Caroline in match 5 of the Eastern Conference final, on May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, NC (AP photo / Chris Seward)
Injury report
Panthers
Three attackers did not train with the team on Saturday. Anton Lundell and Aj Greer did not patiné and Eetu Luostarinen patinated alone.
Maurice said that the “only question mark” is GREER, by NHL.com. Mauritius said the team would list it on a daily basis.
Lundell and Luostarinen are “good”, according to Maurice, and should be in the alignment of match 1.
Oilers
Oilers are mainly healthy because Mattias Ekholm and Connor Brown both returned during the Western Conference final.
However, the team will probably be without striker Zach Hyman for the duration of the Stanley Cup final. Hyman was injured in a collision in match 4 against the stars and underwent surgery on the upper body injury.
The absence of Hyman is great because the attacker has scored five goals and six assists in 15 playoffs.
The Edmonton Connor McDavid Oilers Center marked against the stars in match 5 of the Western Conference final on May 29, 2025 in Dallas. (AP photo / Julio Cortez)
Playing time and dates
Last year, the panthers held the advantage of ice at home, but this time around the ilers, ice at home.
You will find below the times and dates of the series (* indicate if the game is necessary).
Game 1 – Wednesday June 4, 8 p.m. He, Rogers Place, Edmonton
Day 2 – Friday June 6, 8 p.m. He, Rogers Place, Edmonton
Day 3 – Monday June 9, 8 p.m., bringing Bank Arena, Sunrise, Florida
Match 4 – Thursday June 12, 8 p.m. he, Amentant Bank Arena, Sunrise, Florida
Match 5 * – Saturday June 14, 8 p.m. He, Rogers Place, Edmonton
Match 6 * – Tuesday June 17, 8 p.m. He, American Bank Arena, Sunrise, Florida
Match 7 * – Friday June 20, 8 p.m. He, Rogers Place, Edmonton
