The Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup Final for another rematch in the sport. The last rematch in the Stanley Cup Final took place in 2008-09, featuring the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The most intriguing part of the Stanley Cup Final rematch is the result last year and the series price this year — because it has created a unique scenario.
Rematch Betting History
Oilers Now Favored
The Panthers won the cup last year as series favorites (-125) over the Oilers, but a year later, and with both teams back in the Final, the Oilers are favored (-120) to win.
This would be the first championship round rematch across the NHL, NBA, MLB, and NFL where the series favorite from the previous year won it all and wasn’t favored in the rematch since 1984-85 — exactly 40 years ago.
That series came in the NBA final between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics and there are definitely some similarities to this Stanley Cup Final.
In 1984, the Celtics were small favorites (-120) over the Lakers and won the series in 7 games. In 1985, the Lakers returned as favorites (-200) and defeated the Celtics in six games.
In 2024, the Panthers were small favorites (-125) over the Oilers and won the series in 7 games. In 2025, the Oilers are now favored against the Panthers. We'll see if they can repeat history.
Oh, Canada!
Oilers Winning It All
If the Oilers fulfill the mission and win it all, the biggest story aside from Connor McDavid finally getting his ring will be Canada's drought coming to an end.
The aspect of Edmonton coming back after last year to lift the cup is that they are a series favorite.
Series favorites in the Stanley Cup Final are 18-4 over the last 22 years and 11-2 in the last 13 years. The series favorite has won five years in a row, entering this year's final.
The Oilers would also be the first "toss-up" Stanley Cup champion since at least 1990. Here are their series prices en route to the cup final:
Stanley Cup: -125
Conf. Finals: -120
Semifinals: -105
First Round: +105
No team in that span has entered a Stanley Cup Final having four straight series with a price of under -130 in each series. The Oilers would be just the fourth Stanley Cup champion since 1990 not to be listed at -150 or longer in any series, joining the 2018 Capitals, 2015 Blackhawks and 1995 Devils.
Repeat Time?
Panthers Winning it All
Here is what the Panthers are trying to do — in one word, repeat. In the NHL, repeating isn't as rare as it is in other sports. It has happened twice since 2016 and five times in total over the last 40 years.
Repeat NHL Champions — Last 40 Years
2020-21 Lightning
2016-17 Penguins
1997-98 Red Wings
1991-92 Penguins
1987-88 Oilers
With the Panthers being listed as series underdogs the year after winning it all, they would join just the Red Wings in 1997 and 1998 as being an underdog in either Stanley Cup Final going for a repeat. Detroit was +115 in 1997 against the Penguins before being a massive -330 a year later.
One thing you can be sure of with the Panthers — they will be composed with a lead, especially in the playoffs. In the last two seasons, the Panthers are 23-0 in playoff games when they hold a 2+ goal lead. The team that has given up the most two-goal leads for a loss in that span? The Oilers, with four (23-4 on the ML).
