The Edmonton Oilers have advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers, and Game 1 will be played on Saturday in Sunrise, FL.

You know a lot about the Panthers, but what about the Oilers, including their star Connor McDavid?

Consider this: the last time a Canadian team hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup was in 1992-93. That’s right, it’s been more than 30 years since a Canadian team won the Cup. Canadians are loyal sports fans, especially when it comes to hockey, which is their national sport. For the best bonuses and offers on the games, check sports betting Canada because while it’s beneficial for the NHL to grow in American markets, at some point, a Canadian team has to win the Cup again. 

Edmonton Oilers: Canada’s Best Shot at The Stanley Cup 2024

Since 1992-93, six Canadian teams have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, but none have won. It hasn’t just been Montreal and Toronto; other teams like Ottawa, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary have had opportunities too. This year, four out of the 16 playoff teams were Canadian: Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Edmonton. Unfortunately, Toronto was eliminated again in game seven in the first round by Boston, and Winnipeg also bowed out in the first round, leaving just two. 

Edmonton recently defeated Vancouver in a seven-game series in round two and that leaves Canada’s best chances of winning the Stanley Cup with only Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton just hung on by the seat of their pants, facing elimination twice and ultimately securing a 3-2 final score in Game 7.

Dallas Stars Vs. Edmonton Oilers: Western Conference final

Reaching the Western final has not been an easy feat for Dallas. They needed to defeat the Golden Knights, the Stanley Cup winners from the previous season. In two separate series, they had to defeat the Colorado Avalanche, the Cup champion from the previous season, in seven and six games, respectively. The Dallas Star’s performance this season is overwhelming, they are currently up against the Edmonton Oilers, and it merely serves to highlight how difficult Edmonton’s situation is right now.

The Oilers took care of the Kings and, obviously, just now the Canucks, and they are in a conference final now as Canada’s best shot. Brilliant performances from McDavid, Draisaitl, and the majority of their squad were based on having four first-round choices in five years throughout the second half of the 2010s. The Edmonton Oilers dominated the first overall pick. Even when they didn’t choose first, they had a third and seventh pick. They always had terrible teams that produced high draft picks.

Oiler’s Brilliant Run Through 2023-24 Season

Edmonton is a highly inconsistent group to watch this season as well. Let’s analyze their monthly point percentages. 

Their season started 2-5-1 in October, with a.313 average. It wasn’t very nice. After that, they played .500 hockey, and in December, .750 hockey. They saw peaks and troughs, going from a.500 team to a much better team to a perfect team, and then back down to around a.500 club. They were unbeaten in January, going 11-0 in that month. Their slugging percentage was .542,.733. They had a.500 record going into the last month of April. This is the second time in the last three years that they’ve reached this third round of playoff hockey.

They are the first team in the NHL with three 20-plus point players through two rounds.  There are more than 20 points for McDavid and Draisaitl, but Evan Bouchard just joined Connor and Leon, getting that 20-point mark in Game 7 against Vancouver.

Conclusion

The Oilers have a chance to win the Cup if they can defeat Dallas in this Western Final as they have the best players. Not just McDavid and Draisaitl, but Evander Kane, RNH, and Hyman have all been performing well. Their blue line is thick, competent, and full of stars. We believe Edmonton will win the cup if they perform to the best of their abilities and continue as they have. However, they must get past this Western Final.