4 reasons Stanley Cup Final’s Oilers vs. Panthers rematch is everything NHL needed

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

This Stanley Cup Final is an instant classic.

There was a very real fear that the Stanley Cup Finals would devolve into a sloppy mess after the violent and emotional Game 3 resulted in one of the worst games we’ve seen in the playoffs. Thursday night assuaged those fears with an absolutely stunning nine goal game, with the Oilers eventually prevailing in overtime, winning 5-4.

With the series now tied at 2-2 it’s a best-of-three to hoist the cup. It’s been a case of punch and counterpunch, both metaphorically and physically, but inside that there’s been a few key reasons this series has been so damn good.

No. 1: Leon Draisaitl

One of the most lacking elements of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals was that the Oilers’ stars just didn’t show up outside of Connor McDavid. The Panthers successfully managed to contain Leon Draisaitl, removing one of Edmonton’s most important players — and in the end Draisaitl and managed to get just five points in the series.

This time he’s managing to thrive. Draisaitl has four goals and three assists, becoming the most important player on the ice for the Oilers in the series. Meanwhile McDavid and Evan Bouchard are still showing up, and it’s giving the vibe that Edmonton’s star power might just be able to do it this time around.

No. 2: Florida’s ludicrous depth

We knew this would be a series defined by top-end star power against depth, but the Panthers are really putting that on display. A total of five players have notched 5+ points this series, with another three registering four points.

Florida was more top-heavy last year, but in 2025 have found a way to distribute the puck effectively and it’s made a huge difference. It’s also clear that the addition of Brad Marchand at the trade deadline was one of the best moves by any team this season, because he’s perfectly in sync with both the Panthers playstyle, and his teammates.

If the Panthers are able to repeat he will be a huge reason why.

No. 3: These teams can score out of anywhere

This has been a series where you can’t look away for a second or you’ll miss something. Game 4 was a perfect example, with Florida scoring three first period goals, the Oilers answering with three second period goals — and finally pushing each other to overtime.

This is largely how these two teams made it this far in the playoffs. They each have the ability to play at one gear, then punctuate their attack by shifting to another level in short bursts. Watching both these teams go back-and-forth with them they hit the gas has been a ton of fun.

No. 4: They genuinely hate each other

When you have a Stanley Cup Finals rematch there are bound to be lingering feelings, but these hit another level in 2025 where both these organizations clearly detest each other. That has definitely crossed the line at times, as we saw in Game 3 when things got ugly — but outside of that it’s been a physical series where the Oilers are desperate to make something happen.

The drama of Edmonton trying to become the first Canadian team to win the cup since 1993 has added a whole other level to this matchup, and will make the final three games must-watch TV.