The Stanley Cup Final is set — and it’s a sequel worthy of the spotlight. For the second consecutive season, the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers will battle for hockey’s ultimate prize, marking just the 12th rematch in Stanley Cup Final history, and only the fifth since the NHL’s expansion era began in 1967-68. It’s the first such rematch since 2009, when Sidney Crosby’s Penguins avenged their loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Oilers fans are hoping that’s a good omen — especially for Connor McDavid.
The Backstory: One Year Later
Last year’s Final was a rollercoaster. Florida jumped out to a dominant 3-0 series lead, outscoring Edmonton 11-4. But the Oilers roared back, winning the next three games by a staggering 18-5 margin to force a Game 7. That decisive contest was the tightest of the series, ending 2-1 in Florida’s favor on a second-period goal by Sam Reinhart — his 10th of the 2024 postseason.
Now, history repeats itself. Florida returns as defending champions after finally hoisting the Cup for the first time in franchise history. Edmonton returns with revenge on its mind — and perhaps momentum, having taken three of the last four games in last year’s series.
Trophy Traditions: Touch or No Touch?
Superstition once again takes center stage. The Panthers refused to touch the Prince of Wales Trophy this year, just as they did last season before winning it all. By contrast, the Oilers changed their approach — choosing to touch the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl after declining to do so last year and in 2006. In both of those past years, Edmonton lost in seven games. Could breaking that tradition change their fate?
Draft Royalty Collides Again
For the second year in a row — and the second time in NHL history — all of the top four picks from the same draft (2014) will take the ice in a Stanley Cup Final. Florida boasts Aaron Ekblad (No. 1) and Sam Reinhart (No. 2), while Edmonton counters with Leon Draisaitl (No. 3) and Sam Bennett (No. 4, now with Florida). All four have made significant impacts on their clubs and on this playoff run.
Tale of the Teams
Florida Panthers
- Road Warriors: Florida enters Game 1 in Edmonton riding a five-game road playoff win streak, outscoring opponents 27-7 in that span and operating at a scorching 42.9% on the power play.
- Goaltending Dominance: Sergei Bobrovsky, now with 57 career playoff wins (second among active goalies), has been lights-out with a 1.57 GAA and .935 save percentage over his last 10 games.
- Clutch Factor: Carter Verhaeghe continues to be one of the most clutch performers in the league. He has three series-clinching goals and 12 playoff game-winners — twice as many as any other player in franchise history.
- Bennett Breakout: Sam Bennett’s 10 playoff goals lead the team and are tied for the third-most in a single postseason in Panthers history.
Edmonton Oilers
- McDavid’s Mastery: Connor McDavid has historically tormented the Panthers — his 1.73 points per game against Florida is the highest in franchise history among players with at least 20 games played.
- Skinner’s Redemption: After losing his first three playoff starts this year, Stuart Skinner has rebounded in a big way — 6-1 in his last seven, with a 1.41 GAA, .944 save percentage, and three shutouts.
- Chasing Glory: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the Oilers’ longest-tenured player, can join Steve Yzerman as the only players to spend 14+ seasons with one franchise before winning their first Cup.
- Historic Climb: The Oilers are the eighth team in the expansion era to reach the Final after losing their first two playoff games — and the previous seven all won the Cup. The 2014 Kings remain the only team to come back from 0-3 and win it all, something Edmonton flirted with last year.
Regular Season Recap
Florida swept the 2024–25 regular-season series, winning 6-5 at home in December and 4-3 in Edmonton in February. But if last year’s playoffs taught us anything, regular-season results can mean little when the stakes reach their peak.
Legacy on the Line
- Panthers: Florida is just the second team in the past 40 years to make three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances (joining the Lightning from 2020-22). With a chance to repeat, they could become the 10th franchise — and eighth in the expansion era — to win back-to-back titles.
- Oilers: Edmonton makes its ninth Final appearance, the most of any non-Original Six franchise. They’ve waited since 1990 to add to their five championships — and no one wears that hunger more visibly than McDavid and Draisaitl.
With so many storylines — a rematch, revenge, redemption, rising legends, and old superstitions — the 2025 Stanley Cup Final promises drama, intensity, and possibly another seven-game classic. Round 2 of Panthers vs. Oilers is here. Buckle up.
