Panthers Have Slight Edge Heading into Stanley Cup Final

The Florida Panthers are the slight favorites as they prepare for a Stanley Cup Final rematch against the Edmonton Oilers.

May 22, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov (16) celebrates scoring during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes in game two of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images / James Guillory-Imagn Images

The 2025 Stanley Cup Final is set and hockey fans will strap in for a rematch between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers. These two teams needed the full seven games last year to determine a champion, with the Panthers emerging victorious.

As reigning champions, the Panthers are being given the advantage heading into the 2025 Final. According to moneypuck.com, the Panthers have a 55.2% chance of winning the Stanley Cup, an edge over the Oilers at 44.8%.

There haven’t been too many times in these playoffs where the Panthers looked burnt out or on the verge of losing a series. Despite this being their third straight run to the Stanley Cup Final, the Panthers are showing little signs of fatigue and are still considered the team to beat.

With production coming from all over the lineup, defensemen standing tall on their blue line, and Sergei Bobrovsky playing at a Conn Smythe pace, the Panthers look ready to be the third team in the last decade to repeat as champions.

Through 17 postseason games to this point, 10 different Panthers have recorded over 10 points. Led by captain Aleksander Barkov with 17 (6G-11A). Nico Sturm is the only skater on the Panthers roster to appear in the lineup and not record a point.

Coming off a brutal defeat in last year’s Cup Final, the Oilers will surely be looking for revenge on the Panthers. The Oilers were seen as underdogs heading into their Western Conference Final round against the Dallas Stars, and ended up walking over them in five games.

Superstar Connor McDavid has a playoff leading 26 points (6G-20A), Leon Draisaitl is right behind him with 25 (7G-18A), and goalie Stuart Skinner has found his groove after a poor start to the playoffs.

The Panthers may have the early edge on paper, but the Oilers won’t go down without a fight. It might be a familiar meeting, but hockey fans around the world are in for a fantastic series.

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