The Edmonton Oilers are the only Canadian team to enter back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals since 1983. Many believe that we have a Finals match with the best two teams from the playoffs this year. It just happens to be the best two teams from the 2024 Stanely Cup Playoffs.
There is depth, strong goaltending, excellent special teams, excellent defense systems and aggressive forechecking on both teams. Only one team will remain standing holding Lord Stanley’s cup in two weeks. The media interviews demonstrated how dialed in the players are on both sides with only Game 1 on their minds. Some had smiles and others had focused faces on the task at hand...winning hockey’s ultimate prize!
The Edmonton Oilers team today compared to the one in 1983
There are a lot of parallels between the 2024-2025 roster and the 1983-1984 roster that won the Stanley Cup and eliminated a dynasty team, the New York Islanders. New players were methodically hand picked over the summer of 1983 and in trades to add value to the team so they would be ready to challenge the New York Islanders in 1984 if they met again.
It was heartbreaking to lose 4-0 and be outscored 17-6 in the Stanley Cup finals in 1983. But, the Oilers regrouped and had the best record in the league with 57 wins and 18 losses in the regular season. They went on to win the Stanley Cup in 1984 in five games, outscoring the Islanders 21-12.
That young Oilers team felt defeat in one year and jubilation in the following year. Sometimes, you have to feel defeat to understand what is takes to win. As many know, the 1984 team continued to change in the years to, come but the core remained somewhat the same with Gretzky, Messier, Anderson, Coffey, Kurri, Gregg, and Fuhr, with others key players for a few years after that first Cup win in 1983.
The Oiler team today is built in a similar fashion. Today’s game is a lot faster than it was in 1983, but elite and generational players emerge ever so often to show greatness like the players of the 1984 Stanley Cup team. Today’s Oilers have a solid core that has “grown up together “with McDavid, Draisaitl, Nurse, Bouchard, Skinner, Hyman, Nugent-Hopkins, Kane, and many others.
The Oilers have nearly nine new players this year that did not play in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2024. In the 2024 Finals, we all painfully recall how they lost Game 7 by 2-1 in a series where they actually outscored Florida 21-18. Like the Oilers of 1983, the summer of 2024, and the trade deadline in March was used to bring in new players to solidify Edmonton as a Stanley Cup contender.
Although slow to make an impact, those new players revealed their worth at the start of the 2025 playoffs and now have significant roles on the team in the push to win the Stanley Cup.
Can the 2025 Oilers win the Stanley Cup like the 1984 Oilers?
McDavid has commented several times over the past two weeks that they are “not drained”, the intensity and compete level is “normal and not a surprise” and they now know what to expect. Similar to the 1983 Oilers, the failure to win the cup has allowed for growth of the players and development of their ability to fine tune their approach the following year to focus their mind and body on winning the Cup and push the noise of losing the Cup out of their heads.
Game 1 showed that this team was ready to win that home game. The rocky start to the 2025 playoffs is now a distant memory and the city is ready to celebrate four more wins.
Keys to winning Round 4
Several stories have been written on this site and others to describe what the team has to do to beat the Florida Panthers. We all know what those are and the Oilers will execute them. Many people do not learn from mistakes or find a way to turn losses in to wins and to rise up to be a champion.
I strongly believe that Connor McDavid has learned from mistakes, losses and is ready to be a champion. He has been one of the best captains I have seen lead a team the way Beliveau, Gretzky, Crosby, Yzerman, Stamkos, and Bourque led their teams in championships.
They all led by having a strong work ethics, desire to win and team play. We can now see how driven McDavid is to get one trophy this year and bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada, Alberta, and Edmonton.
Oilers fans are ready for another amazing series with, hopefully, lots of highs. An old enemy was in our barn for Games 1 and 2, and new memories will be made of another Stanley Cup Finals for the Oilers. We wish them well and they will make us proud. Go Oilers Go!!!
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