The Stanley Cup Finals begin tomorrow and we’ve got the same two participants as last season. The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers go head-to-head once again to see who will lift the Stanley Cup this year.
Get involved with the updated Stanley Cup Finals odds available at the best online sportsbooks.
Stanley Cup Finals Past Champions
The Panthers and Oilers battle in the Stanley Cup Finals for the second consecutive year
Last 10 Stanley Cup Champions
- 2024: Florida Panthers
- 2023: Vegas Golden Knights
- 2022: Colorado Avalanche
- 2021: Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2020: Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2019: St. Louis Blues
- 2018: Washington Capitals
- 2017: Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2016: Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2015: Chicago Blackhawks
The Panthers are looking to be the the third team to repeat as champions over the past 10 years, and this is actually their third straight Stanley Cup Finals appearance. They lost to Vegas in 2023 in six games, but took down Edmonton in seven last year.
The Oilers are looking to enact some revenge after coming so close, and prior to last season, the Oilers lost the Stanley Cup Finals in 2006 to the Carolina Hurricanes. They haven’t lifted the Cup since 1990, but are looking to change that.
Last Year’s Stanley Cup Finals
- Game 1: 3-0 Panthers
- Game 2: 4-1 Panthers
- Game 3: 4-3 Panthers
- Game 4: 8-1 Oilers
- Game 5: 5-3 Oilers
- Game 6: 5-1 Oilers
- Game 7: 2-1 Panthers
What a whirlwind of a series that was. The Ice Cats started off with a shutout, winning three straight, looking for a sweep. But with their backs against the wall at home, Edmonton was able to pick up an 8-1 victory of their own, followed by two more to tie things up. Only to lose a hard fought, low scoring battle in Game 7. Connor McDavid still walked away with the Conn Smythe Trophy despite losing to Florida.
McDavid is only the sixth player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy while being on the losing team. It’s been two decades since that last happened to Jean-Sebastian Giguere in 2003.
Connor McDavid is more concerned with lifting the Stanley Cup than another Conn Smythe
Conn Smythe Winners on Losing Team
- 2024: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
- 2003: Jean-Sebastian Gigurere, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
- 1987: Ron Hextall, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1976: Reggie Leach, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1968: Glenn Hall, St. Louis Blues
- 1966: Roger Crozier, Detroit Red Wings
Stanley Cup Champion Odds
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To Win Stanley Cup
- Florida Panthers +106
- Edmonton Oilers -126
Last season, the Stanley Cup Finals began in Sunrise. This year we start in Edmonton, the Oilers have revenge on their mind, and I think it makes sense that they are slight favorites. These teams only played twice during the regular season, with Florida winning both high scoring contests by just one goal.
Edmonton hosted Florida in December, losing 6-5 at home. The Oilers held a 4-2 lead late in the second period before allowing three in the third period to lose.
In late February the Panthers played host, beating their visitors 4-3. The Ice Cats were up 1-0 in the first and 2-1 in the second after the Oilers found equalizers once they fell behind. Then in the third, the Panthers netted two quickly, extending the lead to 4-2. Zach Hyman found one a little too late as the Panthers won again.
Edmonton has now lost three straight to the Panthers dating back to last year’s Game 7. Surely they are well focused and ready to take down their opponent this time around.
Repeat Opponents in Consecutive Stanley Cup Finals
The last time the same two teams played in the consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, the Oilers were involved. It was all the way back in 1983, when the New York Islanders beat the Edmonton Oilers in four quick games to lift their second straight Stanley Cup. However, the very next year, the Oilers got their revenge, defeating the Islanders in five games to win their second ever Cup.
We’ve had this happen several other times dating back to the Stanley Cup era.
The Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins met in both 1957 and 1958, as well as 1977 and 1978, with the Habs winning all four Stanley Cups. Montreal also swept the Blues in 1968 and 1969, and beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in both 1959 and 1960. The Leafs have been on top, as well, beating the Detroit Red Wings in back-to-back years in the 50s. The Red Wings and Canadiens met three straight times from 1954-1956. Detroit won in 1954 and 1955 in seven games before the Habs beat them in five games in 1956. In 1948 and 1949, the Maple Leafs took down the Red Wings with back-to-back sweeps.
We have not seen a sweep in the Stanley Cup Finals since 1998, where we had four straight sweeps from 1995-1998. And I highly doubt we see one this year. As a hockey fan, I am rooting for seven games, and I expect us to get at least six. Seven of the last 10 Stanley Cup Finals have seen at least six contests between the two teams.
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