2025 Stanley Cup Final is set up. For the second year in a row, the Florida Panthers vs Edmonton Oilers in the final round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Not all sequels are as good as the original. Is this full of rocks? Or will it be Godfather III? More importantly, will the Oilers be able to win this time?
It provides key details about the series, from schedules and Bet Inter (course of ESPN BET) to notes about each club and ESPN Research matchups.
Stanley Cup Final
Pass to the final:
Oilers: Defeat the King with 6, 5 Golden Knights, 5 stars
Panthers: Five defeated Lightning, Maple Leafs lost seven and Hurricanes lost five
schedule:
Game 1: Panthers of the Oilers, June 4th, 8pm (TNT)
Game 2: Panthers of the Oilers, June 6th, 8pm (TNT)
Game 3: Panthers’ Oilers, June 9th, 8pm (TNT)
Game 4: Panthers’ Oilers, June 12th, 8pm (TNT)
Game 5: Panthers of the Oilers, June 14th at 8pm (TNT)
Game 6: Panthers’ Oilers, June 17th at 8pm (TNT)
Game 7: Panthers of the Oilers, June 20th at 8pm (TNT)
Bet Intel
Cup winner:
Oilers: -115
Panthers: -105
Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP)
Conor McDavid (EDM): -110
Sergei Bobrovsky (FLA): +250
Alexander Barkov (FLA): +425
Leon Draisaitl (EDM): +800
Matthew Tkachuk (FLA): +2500
Sam Bennett (FLA): +3000
Matchup Notes
This is the final rematch of the 12th Stanley Cup in NHL history, the fifth time in the expansion era (1967-68 onwards), and the first time since 2008-2009. The past two events – Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings in 2008 and 2009, Edmonton Oilers vs. New York Islanders in 1983 and 1984 – Sydney Crosby and Way Gretzky won their first cup. A good sign of Conor McDavid?
Editor’s Pick
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The Panthers did not touch on the Prince of Wales trophy as an Eastern Conference recipient last year after they won those opportunities in both 1996 and 2023. Florida won the Cup in 2024 after not touching the Cup, but lost in the two previous Cup finals that the team touched. The Oilers decided to touch the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl this year as they won the Western Conference. They didn’t touch the trophy last year and didn’t do that in 2006, but still lost the Stanley Cup final in seven games.
In last year’s Cup final, the Panthers took a 3-0 lead with a tally score of 11-4. The Oilers scored the following three with a total score of 18-5: Game 7 was the tightest game in the series, ending with a 2-1 victory for the Panthers. The goal in the game occurred at 15:11 in the second term, Sam Reinhart’s 10th place finish in the 2024 postseason.
The Panthers won both regular season games against the Oilers from 2024-25 (6-5 in Florida on December 16th and 4-3 in Edmonton on February 27th).
This series presents the top four picks of the 2014 NHL Draft: Aaron Eckbrad (No. 1 from FLA), Sam Reinhard (No. 2 from BUF), Leon Draisaitl (No. 3 from EDM), Sam Bennett (No. 4 from CGY). It is the second final in NHL history, with each of the top four picks from the same NHL draft (skater and goaltender) dressing in at least one game of either team.
play
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The Panthers will advance to the Stanley Cup final for the third consecutive year
The Florida Panthers defeated the Carolina Hurricane in five games to advance to the Stanley Cup final for their third straight time.
Team Notes
Euler
The Oilers will play in their ninth Stanley Cup final. This puts the Philadelphia Flyers (8) the most in the non-original franchise, ranking seventh overall.
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Edmonton is the eighth team in the NHL expansion era (1967-68 onwards) reaching the Stanley Cup final despite losing the first two games in the opening playoff series. Each of the other seven clubs that would do so would win the Stanley Cup. The Washington Capitals in 2018, the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, the Boston Bruins in 2011, the Carolina Hurricane in 2006, the Detroit Red Wings in 2002, the Montreal Canadience in 1993, and the Penguin in 1992. The 2014 King is the only club in NHL history to start 0-3 and win a cup.
Conor McDavid averages 1.73 points per game against the Panthers in his career, including the playoffs. This is the highest rate (minimum 20 GP) against Florida in franchise history. Players just behind McDavid: Joe Sakic (1.44 points per game), Peter Forsberg (1.43), Mario Lemieux (1.32).
After losing the first three starts of this postseason, Stuart Skinner is 6-1 in his last seven starts, averaging 1.41 goals, 0.944 save percentage and three shutouts.
Ryan Nugent Hopkins, the longest-serving current Oilers player, can become the second player in NHL history, playing his first 14 or more seasons in the franchise and winning his first Stanley Cup. He will be joining Steve It-to-Man (1997, Detroit, his 14th season)
Panthers
The Panthers are the ninth franchise in NHL history, and have had three consecutive Stanley Cup final appearances, and the second in the last 40 years, joining the lightning in 2020-22.
Florida will become the 10th franchise in NHL history, repeating itself as the Stanley Cup champion, making it the eighth in the expansion era.
The Panthers have won their last five road playoff games at Edmonton, beating their opponents 27-7, 6-6 (42.9%) in power play.
In Florida’s past 10 games this postseason, Sergei Bovrovsky has averaged 1.57 goals, 0.935 save percentage and two shutouts. He entered the 2025 Stanley Cup final, with 57 career playoff victories, second among the active goalkeepers behind Andrei Vasilevskiy (67).
Carter Verhaeghe scored his third career series goal in the Eastern Conference Finals and currently only tracks Max Pacioretti and Artturi Lehkonen (both four) of all active players. Verhaeghe’s 12 career games wins in the playoffs is twice as much of the player in Panthers’ history (Matthew Tkachuk, 6).
Sam Bennett scored in Game 5 against Carolina and became the first player to reach 10 goals in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. He also became the second fastest player in franchise history, reaching the benchmark in the postseason behind Dave Raleigh (15 games played in 1996). Bennett’s 10 goals tied third with 11, behind Carter Bellhaege (2024) and Matthew Kachuk (2023) in one postseason in Panthers history.
