“We said last year, right after Game 7, that we’d be back. And we’re back,” Edmonton’s Corey Perry can hardly keep his calm as the chance of redemption hovers overhead. And yet, ghosts of the past can’t help but haunt the memories. However, if past data is anything to go by, Connor McDavid could become the harbinger of good news for Kris Knoblauch’s boys.

It’s been 35 years since the Oilers nation last reveled in the glory of winning the Stanley Cup. Last year, they came agonizingly close to savoring that elation once again, only for the Florida Panthers to put an end to all hope in the Finals. However, that misfortune could turn out to be the very thing to bring a smile to Connor McDavid and his teammates’ faces.

A post by B/R Open Ice on X from May 31 shares how, based on trends, McDavid has a high chance of winning the 2025 Stanley Cup. “Connor McDavid looks to follow in Gretzky & Crosby’s footsteps in Cup Final redemption vs. Florida,” reads the caption of the post, as it details how the “Great One” and the Pittsburgh star’s examples could be all that the Oilers need to brace themselves with high hopes.

Sidney Crosby began his storied career for the Penguins in 2005 and reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2008. That year, the Detroit Red Wings defeated Pittsburgh 4-2 in the final series. However, the very next year, Crosby led the team all the way to Cup glory by defeating the Red Wings in the Finals. For Wayne Gretzky, it was a similar situation as the Oilers won the Stanley Cup in 1984 against the New York Islanders before being defeated by the same team in the Finals the previous year.

Naturally, it would seem like Connor McDavid has Lady Luck by his side. The celebrity hockey center came to Edmonton in 2015, and last year was the first time he made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. But with that experience turning out to be forgettable, McDavid could use this opportunity at hand to make amends for last year’s slip-up.

However, luck or not, Connor McDavid has been on a roll. In Game 5 against the Dallas Stars, it was the Canadian star who helped the Oilers win with a breakaway goal after tearing away from Roope Hintz in the third period. Edmonton clinched its spot in the Finals by winning the game 6-3. However, McDavid had plenty to smile about even before the game.

Becoming the fourth-fastest NHL player to reach 1,000 League points is no mere feat (100 points in the 2024-25 regular season and 26 points in the postseason so far), and it only goes on to show how the Oilers’ captain is at the top of his game right now. However, the Panthers won’t be making anything easy, that’s for sure.

Connor McDavid & Co. won’t have a hall pass at the title

The Edmonton Oilers are 5-3 in the Finals. But that record could be of little relevance when they take on the Panthers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals. The defending champs, despite finishing third in the Atlantic Division, have clashed against heavyweight opponents throughout the postseason en route to reaching the Finals.

From eliminating arch-rivals, Tampa Bay Lightning, in Round 1 of the playoffs, to defeating the Carolina Hurricanes to claim the Eastern Conference title, the Cats have displayed their worth in the most brilliant ways possible. From Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand to team captain Aleksander Barkov and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, Paul Maurice’s boys have been incredible in the playoffs so far.

“We’re going to be very prepared,” forward Tkachuk said about the challenge ahead. His words aren’t random. En route to the massive series win against the Golden Knights in Round 2 of the playoffs this year, the Oilers became the first team in NHL history to post five consecutive comeback wins, underscoring the fighting spirit Connor McDavid and his teammates have within them.

But could that be enough to keep Brad Marchand and the Cats at bay in the Finals? Tell us your thoughts in a comment!