The 2025 Stanley Cup Final is officially set after the Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final courtesy of a 6-3 win on Thursday. Now, the Oilers will get a chance at redemption as they’ll face off against the Florida Panthers in a rematch of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
The Panthers were able to outlast the Oilers in seven games to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup for the first time in franchise history. This came after the Panthers had won the opening three games by outscoring the Oilers 11-4. However, the Oilers rallied to force a Game 7 before the Panthers ultimately won the series.
Edmonton and Florida will be just the fifth Stanley Cup Final rematch in consecutive years in the NHL expansion era, which began in 1967. With that in mind, here’s a look at the other four Stanley Cup Final rematches that the sport has seen over the last six decades.
Last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup: Oilers are four wins away from ending lengthy drought
Austin Nivison
The 1960s and 1970s were heavily dominated by the Montreal Canadiens. The franchise won a staggering 11 Stanley Cups during those two decades, including hoisting the Stanley Cup in back-to-back campaigns in 1968 and 1969. In 1968, the Canadiens ended up sweeping the St. Louis Blues in four games despite every single contest in the series being a one-goal game. Despite not winning a game in the series, Blues goaltender Glenn Hall won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP after posting a 2.75 goals-against-average and a .927 save percentage in four games. Hall is just the sixth player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy despite being on the losing team.
In 1969, the Canadiens were able to top the Blues yet again in four games. It was a very different story this time around as the Canadiens outscored the Blues 12-3 in the series and St. Louis failed to score multiple goals in any game. Montreal defenseman Serge Savard took home Conn Smythe Trophy honors as he tallied four goals and six assists during the postseason that year. This marked the fourth Stanley Cup in five years for the Canadiens.
Canadiens vs. Bruins (1977-78)
The Canadiens returned to their former glory in the late 1970s with consecutive Stanley Cups. Montreal was victorious in the 1977 Stanley Cup Final when they swept the Boston Bruins. The Canadiens began the series in spectacular fashion as they scored seven goals in a Game 1. Montreal totaled 16 goals in the series and won three of the four contests by multiple goals. Hall of Famer forward Guy Lafleur won the Conn Smythe Trophy after scoring two goals and recording seven assists in the 1977 Stanley Cup Final.
When the teams did battle in 1978, the Bruins did make a little bit more noise. The Canadiens captured wins in each of the first two games before the Bruins exploded with eight goals in Games 3 and 4 to tie the series. However, Montreal was ultimately able to fend off Boston’s rally by outscoring the Bruins 8-2 over the final two games. Canadiens defenseman Larry Robinson tallied four goals and 17 assists throughout the playoffs to earn Conn Smythe Trophy honors, including tallying two goals and four assists in the Stanley Cup Final.
Oilers vs. Islanders (1983-84)
The Islanders and Oilers dominated the NHL during the 1980s and the two faced off in consecutive years for hockey’s ultimate prize. The rivalry began in the 1983 Stanley Cup Final where the Islanders came away with a four-game series sweep. New York outscored its counterparts 17-6 in those four games, and racked up at least five goals in two of those contests. Islanders goaltender Billy Smith won the Conn Smythe Trophy with an impressive 13-3-0 record throughout the 1983 postseason. Smith allowed just six total goals during the Stanley Cup Final.
When the script flipped to the 1984 Stanley Cup Final, it was a completely different story as the Oilers imposed their will this time around as Edmonton defeated New York in five games. The two teams split the series over the first two games with the Oilers being held to just two total goals, but produced an offensive explosion after that. The Oilers registered at least five goals in each of the final three games. Oilers star forward Mark Messier secured Conn Smythe Trophy honors with eight goals and 18 assists during the postseason, while tallying three goals and an assist in the Stanley Cup Final.
The most recent Stanley Cup Final rematch came in the 2008 and 2009 Stanley Cup Final when the Pittsburgh Penguins took on the Detroit Red Wings. In 2008, the Red Wings were arguably the league’s most dominant teams after capturing the Presidents’ Trophy with 115 points during the regular season. The series began with Detroit outscoring Pittsburgh 7-0 over the opening two games. Despite Pittsburgh picking up winning one game at home and then getting a triple overtime winner to force a Game 6, Detroit proved to be too much. Red Wings winger Henrik Zetterberg won the Conn Smythe Trophy as he racked up 13 goals and 14 assists during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including two goals and four assists in the Stanley Cup Final.
The 2009 Stanley Cup Final ended up being a series for the ages. The Red Wings were victorious in the first two games of the series yet again, but the Penguins were able to make the necessary adjustments down the stretch. Pittsburgh won four of the final five games — including a 2-1 win in Game 7 on the back of Max Talbot’s two-goal performance — to secure their first Stanley Cup since 1992. Penguins winger Evgeni Malkin took home the Conn Smythe Trophy thanks to 14 goals and 22 assists in the playoffs, including two goals and six assists in the Stanley Cup Final.
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