Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup Final Teaser

No one would’ve blamed you for counting out Stuart Skinner and the Edmonton Oilers after the two games that began their first round series versus Los Angeles. Heck, you could’ve still had doubts after close calls in Games 3&4 of the same series.

I’ll honestly say I had the LA Kings winning that first round series in six games. The turn-around from the Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl led team was TSN Turning Point ‘esque.

And to be a fly on the wall inside the head of goalie Stuart Skinner.

Going from zero to hero, thrust back into the spotlight following an injury to tandem mate Calvin Pickard, Skinner has been nothing short of the Oilers MVP since Game 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights. It’s hard to look at this Oilers team and not see a difference in the team that lost to these same Florida Panthers they’re set to face again in the Stanley Cup Final. 

The loss of Zach Hyman is huge, but the emergence of depth scoring, hot goaltending, and defensive reinforcements show us this Edmonton team is more then just McDavid and Draisaitl. Look to veteran forward Corey Perry who knows all too well the highs and the lows of Lord Stanley's finals.

He's been there five times before.

If history and conspiracies prove anything McDavid and the Oilers are in great company heading into their Stanley Cup rematch with the Florida Panthers.

Wayne Gretzky's first Stanley Cup victory came in 1984 against the New York Islanders, a year after losing to the very same team in the Cup final.

You may be thinking, okay one time that's cool, but how likely is it to happen again. Well look no further than other NHL great, Sidney Crosby.

Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the Detroit Red Wings in 2008, before storming right back next year to take down, none other than, those same Red Wings in 2009.

Crosby's first Stanley Cup win.

Seeing a trend here?

Since 1980, these are the only two times the NHL has seen a rematch in the Stanley Cup Final. The 2025 Cup Final will be the third matchup of this kind, with a third generational talent searching for his first taste of victory and to etch his name into history.

Last year it was the Florida Panthers edging out the Oilers in Game 7 to take home the Cup. Can this be the year for the Edmonton Oilers to win it all and see Connor McDavid follow in the footsteps of past greats and cement his name among the legends of the game?