The 2025 Stanley Cup Finals are two days away and it is a very exciting time for Canadian hockey fans, especially in Western Canada. The Edmonton Oilers came one win away of beating the Florida Panthers in last year’s Stanley Cup Final, and are now more determined than ever to stop a Canadian drought that has lasted 32 years. A Canadian team has not won the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens beat the Los Angeles Kings in five games in 1993.
Many might think that these are the same Oilers as last season. Well, you are wrong. Here are five reasons why.
1) Healthy Evander Kane
The Oilers star power forward was beat up last season. He was dealing with ailments to his knee, hips and abdomen muscles. Kane only played two games of the Stanley Cup Final before having various surgeries the left him out of the 2025 NHL Regular Season. In the playoffs, Kane has been great as he has 11 points and 68 hits in 15 games.
2) Key defense acquisitions
The Oilers acquired Jake Walman from the San Jose Sharks via a trade at the deadline and signed John Klingberg to a contract. Walman and Klingberg have been playing together and have been spectacular. Walman is a +12, which leads all players in the playoffs. Klingberg is a +6 with 27 blocked shots.
3) Darnell Nurse is better
No one had a worse 2024 Stanley Cup Playoff than Darnell Nurse. He was a -9 on a great team. What a difference a year makes. After a shaky start, Nurse was great in the last two games against the Vegas Golden Knights and the last four games against the Dallas Stars. He is a +3 in 16 playoff games, and already has more hits (50) in three playoff rounds than he did in the 2024 playoffs (49).
4) Overall commitment to defense
These are not your 1980s Edmonton Oilers. The forwards are committed to playing defense. Heck, Connor McDavid is even playing the penalty kill.
5) Great even strength
A year ago in the playoffs, the Oilers had great special teams. They were awesome on the power play and penalty kill. Now we are seeing a shift. It is even strength where the Oilers have been solid, and head coach Kris Knoblauch is not afraid to put any line on the ice. The Oilers are no longer McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and company.
