The Edmonton Oilers got so close last season to breaking the long curse that has plagued Canada-based NHL teams. Edmonton fell to the Florida Panthers in seven games in the Stanley Cup Final, adding another year to the long title drought.
There hasn't been a Canada-based team to win the Stanley Cup since 1993, when the Montreal Canadiens took down the Los Angeles Kings. Since then, five Canadian-based teams have reached the Stanley Cup Final, but all have fallen short.
The Vancouver Canucks reached the final in both 1994 and 2011, the Calgary Flames in 2004, the Oilers themselves in 2006, the Ottawa Senators in 2007, the Canadiens in 2021, and then the Oilers last year. But this time around, things could be different, and the Oilers are being predicted to finally snap the curse.
Adam Proteau of The Hockey News is predicting Edmonton to win the championship this year in six games.
"We’ve got to own it – we haven’t been high on the Oilers for the bulk of the playoffs, but we’ve seen enough now, and Edmonton deserves its due...it feels like Edmonton is a team of destiny, and like most all-time greats, McDavid and Draisaitl have learned from past defeats and appear fully ready, willing and able to win the first championship of what could be many. The Panthers are going to be a worthy opponent for them, but the Oilers have the juice and jam to carve out their names on sport’s toughest trophy to win."
After falling short last year, the Oilers have looked like a team on a mission. Edmonton has home-ice advantage this time around as well, and it could help propel them toward finally winning the title.
Game 1 between the Oilers and Panthers is set for Wednesday, June 4, at 8 p.m. ET.
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