Oilers and Panthers are quite evenly stacked heading into the Final
The Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup Final, exactly one year after they met at the same stage. The 2024 Stanley Cup Final was a memorable series that, at one point, was turning into a lopsided affair.
Florida was in cruise control with a 3-0 lead heading into game 4 when everything changed. As the Oilers mounted a comeback, they fell just short at the final hurdle, losing 2-1 in game 7, and with it their dreams of a first Stanley Cup since 1990. Heading into the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, let us find out which team is favored to win and what the team odds are.
As per the betting odds, the Oilers are the slight favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year. Edmonton has looked very sharp throughout the postseason. They eliminated the Los Angeles Kings (4-1) in round 1, swept aside the Vegas Golden Knights (4-2) in round 2, and steamrolled the Dallas Stars (4-1) in round 3.
The Panthers have also had a good run, winning against the Tampa Bay Lightning (4-1), but then took 7 games to go through the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, round 3 again ended quickly as they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in just 5 games.
According to BetMGM, the betting odds for the 2025 Stanley Cup Final reflect a slight edge towards the Edmonton Oilers. The team odds to win the series are as follows:
Edmonton Oilers: 4/5
Florida Panthers: Evens
As we can see, both teams are quite evenly matched according to the betting odds, and this can be evidenced from the 2024 Stanley Cup Final series as well. Last year, the Panthers raced out to a 3-0 lead, but when Edmonton figured out how to tackle the counter-play, it was a whole new series that went down to the wire.
The Oilers will be prepared for a similar game plan, and with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in great form, as well as Stuart Skinner, who has been rock solid in goal. Overall, the team lacks a bit of depth, which could be an issue if the supporting players don’t step up.
The series is pretty close to call, and if the Panthers end up winning their second straight Championship, there won’t be any surprises. Florida’s better depth and well-balanced attack, as well as strong performances in goal by Sergei Bobrovsky, mean that they are no pushovers themselves.
For fantasy buffs, here are some player props to watch for during the Stanley Cup Final. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are the usual contenders for the maximum points, but the Panthers’ Anton Lundell has 100/1 odds as per FanDuel to lead the series in points. Lundell is currently number 8 on the Panthers with 12 points, but there is a possibility he could make a bigger difference in this series.
BetMGM has +275 odds on an anytime goal by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, a player who has been outstanding for the Oilers this postseason. With 6.6 expected goals, he is only behind McDavid on the Oilers team, and already has 5 goals from 16 playoff appearances. Thus, there is a good possibility Nugent-Hopkins scores a goal.
Connor McDavid is +500 on FanDuel to be the highest scorer in the series. While teammate Draisaitl leads all with 7 goals this postseason, McDavid is not far behind with 6 to his name. However, it is the latter who is taking more shots, and it is the Oilers captain who is the best bet to come out on top.
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