To paraphrase the iconic Linkin Park, the Edmonton Oilers are one step closer to the edge. But are they also about to break? Game 6 will tell. But for now, it seems like Kris Knoblauch’s boys aren’t in control of things in the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals. With the hopes of redeeming themselves for the loss to the Panthers in the 2024 Cup Finals slowly starting to fade, the Oilers just might get their names in the same club as the Bruins.

That’s one weird Brad Marchand connection, huh? And to think that it’s the Canadian winger who has been the biggest root of the Edmonton Oilers’ woes in this year’s ultimate hockey best-of-7 series. However, while Marchand seeks to make his debut run with the Cats one to remember, the Pacific Division powerhouse is just one defeat away from being teammates with the 37-year-old’s former camp.

Daily Faceoff‘s Jeff Marek hopped on X on June 14 to reveal how the Edmonton Oilers and the Boston Bruins could soon end up in the same league. “The last team to lose back-to-back in the Stanley Cup final were the Boston Bruins in 1977 + 1978,” Marek highlights how Connor McDavid & Co. could be en route to getting named in one of the most embarrassing lists in the NHL, should they fall to the Panthers in Game 6 on Tuesday.

But this really wasn’t on the table. The Oilers started off the Finals in a brilliant way. A spectacular win at home to kick things off made many fans believe that this was finally the year Edmonton would win the Stanley Cup after 35 agonizing seasons. But instead, Game 5 came with a heartbreaking loss at Rogers Place, and the Oilers are closer to matching the Bruins’ record, instead of following in the footsteps of Wayne Gretzky and replicating his success with the Canadian franchise.

The Bruins lost the 1977 Stanley Cup Finals to the Montreal Canadiens (4-0) and to the same team in the following year (4-2). Thankfully, though, the Edmonton Oilers’ defense didn’t crumble like Boston’s did from almost half a century ago. Instead, Kris Knoblauch’s team has shown some incredible grit, at least in this year’s Finals.

For the Bruins, on the other hand, it was a season they’d love to forget. Boston finished the 2024-25 regular season at the bottom of the Atlantic Division. They even matched their shambolic record from the 2009-10 season as the Bruins lost 10 games in a row, and fans were livid. Pointing out that trading star forward Brad Marchand and former coach Jim Montgomery was a bad move on the top brass’ part, Boston fans couldn’t stop complaining about how bad the final stretches of the season looked. Without a shred of doubt, things haven’t been as disheartening for the Oilers.

The Edmonton Oilers might yet refuse to be seated with the Bruins

The Oilers came into the playoffs as the third seed in the Pacific Division. And yet, they managed to defeat the top two seeds in the first two rounds of the postseason. What’s more, the Edmonton Oilers even managed to avenge Leon Draisaitl’s injury at the hands of the Golden Knights! That’s hockey camaraderie for you! To make things more encouraging, the team has also posted more comeback wins than any other team in the league’s history, further underscoring its determination to make amends for the 2024 Finals loss against the Panthers.

But the 2025 Finals have been one of the most contested series in recent memory. “I think this is one of the tightest series I think anyone will ever see. Most exciting. Just the talent level and how close these two teams are, how back and forth the games have been, it’s been very exciting, a little nerve wracking at times,” even Brad Marchand couldn’t help note his excitement at how tough the ultimate best-of-7 series is turning out to be.

But the bottom line remains: just one more defeat, and the Oilers enter a pretty sad group that should best be avoided. But now, as the Panthers lead the series 3-2 with just two more bouts remaining, can the Oilers claw themselves out of the pit? Or will their Stanley Cup drought extend to 36 years? Or maybe another speech by Corey Perry to turn things on their heels? What does the voice in your head say? Share the message with us, too!