Who will draw first blood in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final?
In just a day’s time, the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers will lock horns yet again for the right to hoist the Stanley Cup in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, best of 7 series. There will be plenty of excitement for this one as we have a rematch of last year’s Stanley Cup Final, a series that went the distance despite Florida jumping out to a 3-0 start.
The Florida Panthers are the holders of the Prince of Wales Trophy for the third year in a row, while the Edmonton Oilers have just won their second consecutive Clarence S. Campbell Bowl. Florida entered the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs on the back of a 47-31-4 regular season record, while Edmonton’s was 48-29-5.
But none of that matters now as the focus shifts completely to the final task at hand. The Oilers are aiming for their sixth Stanley Cup, while the Panthers are looking to go back-to-back for the second Cup in franchise history.
The Edmonton Oilers reached the 2025 Stanley Cup Final after dominating the previous three rounds of the playoffs. Starting with the Conference Quarterfinals against the Los Angeles Kings, the Oilers clinched the series 4-1.
They suffered a bit of a hiccup against the Vegas Golden Knights, going down 0-2, but then rallied to take the next 4 on the trot. In the Conference Finals, Edmonton took care of business with an easy 4-1 series win over the Dallas Stars.
On the other side, the Florida Panthers also cruised in their first round of the playoffs with a 4-1 series win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Toronto Maple Leafs, however, gave them a scare, taking the defending champions to a game 7, while the last round was another walk in the park as Florida dispatched the Carolina Hurricanes in just 5 games.
In spite of the fact that neither team held the best regular season records, the Panthers and the Oilers have clearly been the two best teams on ice throughout the playoffs, making this a gripping series to follow.
The Oilers head into this series with a lot riding on the shoulders of their stars, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The pair has been the best players on the team and has carried the bulk of the pressure. However, if the Oilers are to have any chance of winning the series, Edmonton’s depth players will have to rise to the occasion.
Edmonton will also have to find ways to stretch the Panthers to negate their effective forecheck. This will ensure that Florida’s defense remains in check and does not apply extensive pressure. At the same time, Edmonton could look to counter quickly and gain an advantage.
On the contrary, the Panthers are like a well-oiled machine, and their roster is filled with multiple key contributors. In fact, it is one of the deepest rosters in the league. Florida’s game relies heavily on its ability to forecheck and cause turnovers in the opposition’s defense or neutral areas, a tactic that has worked well for them.
The Panthers possess plenty of quality up front, with as many as 5 forwards with a minimum of 5 goals this postseason. Moreover, two-way player and this year’s Frank J. Selke winner, Aleksander Barkov, will be tasked with defending the middle where McDavid and Draisaitl have been at their best. This interesting matchup will be key to game one and could set the tone for the series.
As far as goaltending is concerned, both Stuart Skinner and Sergei Bobrovsky have looked solid in games. Although Skinner wasn’t at his best earlier in the playoffs, he has regained his composure and is looking strong in goal once again with a .904 save percentage and 2.53 GAA. Bobrovsky’s save percentage in the postseason is .912, while his GAA is 2.11.
Prediction: Panthers take game one to go up 1-0.
The moneyline for Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final favors the Edmonton Oilers. Although this is a tough matchup and quality all around the rink, the combination of McDavid and Draisaitl’s abilities to dominate the gaps, along with Skinner’s performances in goal, is probably the reason for the odds being tilted in favor of the Oilers.
Edmonton Oilers: 3/4
Florida Panthers: 11/10
(According to BetMGM)
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