They fought but it wasn’t enough. Again. For the second year in a row. The Edmonton Oilers really struggled in Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, and it felt like a tough déjà vu of previous letdowns. They were outplayed, losing 5-1 to the Florida Panthers and stretching Canada’s Stanley Cup drought to 32 years. Connor McDavid and Co. had a tough time getting going, constantly being pressured by Florida’s aggressive forecheck and unable to create any significant offense, except for a late goal by Vasily Podkolzin that felt less like a consolation and more like a cruel joke.

The Panthers took charge of the game from the very beginning, keeping the intensity high the whole time. The Oilers were left stunned, making them the first team since the 1977-78 Boston Bruins to lose in the Finals two times in a row. With the NHL Draft coming up in just nine days and free agency kicking off in 13, the Edmonton Oilers are gearing up to make some big moves on multiple roster fronts. So, the organization will be quickly turning its attention to important contract negotiations that will shape their next chapter.

David Pagnotta, the Editor-in-Chief of The Fourth Period, shared on X that “Evan Bouchard also needs a new contract. Those talks will also pick up this week. He’ll crack 8 figures on his next deal. And then there’s Connor McDavid, who’s eligible to sign an extension July 1; there appear to be no concerns over getting that big ticket deal done.”

Pagnotta shared that Edmonton and Trent Frederic’s camp have hit the pause button on talks until after the Finals, which can be anytime now. However, they’re planning to pick things back up this week with a solid plan in place.

At the same time, defenseman Evan Bouchard is getting close to a huge deal — one that’s likely to go over eight figures as he’s set to land a long-term payday. Even though there are some cap restrictions, it sounds like Bouchard is likely to fall somewhere in or above the $10M range. Teams might be thinking about offering contracts based on how he’s performing and the increasing salary cap. And the biggest topic on everyone’s mind is Connor McDavid, who will be extension eligible on July 1.

It seems like there’s not much worry in Edmonton about signing that deal, even though it’s a big one. Pagnotta points out that we can expect all three contracts—Frederic, Bouchard, and McDavid—to be tackled pretty quickly after we get through June. But what was the response of the captain of the Oilers after this heartbreaking loss?

Connor McDavid’s candid response

“I lost to a very good team. Nobody quit, nobody threw the towel in, and they’re a heck of a team, you know? Stanley Cup back-to-back champions for a reason. They tilted the rink, they were able to kind of stay on top of us all over the place. Um, never really able to generate any momentum up the ice. You know we kept trying the same thing over and over again.. just banging our heads against the wall,” Connor McDavid said after losing the Stanley Cup Final two times in a row to the Florida Panthers.

The Oilers captain shared his honest thoughts on how the team played in Game 6, recognizing that while they gave it their all, they were often outplayed by a stronger Florida team. He highlighted how the Panthers’ aggressive forecheck, their control in puck battles, and their ability to dominate play were the main reasons Edmonton struggled to gain momentum or put together any meaningful plays.

Even with his team’s nonstop hustle—always pushing ahead and never giving up—Edmonton kept getting stuck in the same routines, struggling to crack Florida’s strategy. Connor McDavid really highlighted how much he respects the Panthers and pointed out that the Oilers need to make some strategic changes as they head into an important offseason.