It was June 25, 2024, when the Edmonton Oilers just fell short of winning the Stanley Cup. The season had reached heights of excitement when the Oilers made a comeback after losing three straight games. With only four games left, Connor McDavid led the team to win three in a row, forcing a Game 7 — the moment when everything was about to be decided. But then, suddenly… boom. The score was 2-1, with Matthew Tkachuk’s team in the lead, and they didn’t give McDavid’s boys a chance to equalize. But then, what happened after the game was even more intriguing.

The Panthers’ superstar, Matthew Tkachuk, recently recalled what happened after the intense game against the Oilers’ captain, Connor McDavid. On June 1, during a press conference, Tkachuk was addressing the media when one of the reporters asked him one of the most eagerly awaited questions: what exactly he had said to McDavid after the game, and whether the rumors about their exchange were true. The atmosphere was tense as everyone awaited Tkachuk’s response, curious to hear about the interaction between two of hockey’s biggest stars after such a crucial moment.

Tkachuk started, “No, I believe that it was going to be us two again. I think we’re the two best teams in the league. If everything went right, it would probably be us two again in the finals.” He also added, “I have that confidence in our team, and they were the best team that we played last year in the playoffs. So, I stood by that and I believed that at the time, and here we are again. Turns out you were right. So, there’s that.” So, let’s break down what he really meant. 

When an upset Connor McDavid was passing by Tkachuk to congratulate him, the Panthers’ star said, “Hopefully, we’ll see you next year.” The words of a soothsayer, as he had mentioned, Matthew Tkachuk considers the Panthers and the Oilers to be the two best teams in the National Hockey League right now.

The Panthers and Oilers have reached the finals one more time with 47-31-4 and 48-29-5 records, respectively. As usual, any one team will take the Stanley Cup home. While Matthew Tkachuk awaits a repeat of last year, there is bad news. What’s the bad news? Predictors expect the Oilers to win the Cup after a long wait. Let’s dive deep to know more. 

Predictions point towards Oilers over Matthew Tkachuk’s Panthers

When the Montreal Canadiens took down the Los Angeles Kings in 1993, no Canadian team had ever won the Stanley Cup. The drought is so terrible that even the Oilers have yet to break the 35-year skid. But now, as you know, Connor McDavid and the team are heading towards the final step against the Panthers, some dream-come-true moment has to happen. 

Adam Proteau of The Hockey News has predicted that the Oilers will end the 35-year wait. As he stated, “We’ve got to own it – we haven’t been high on the Oilers for the bulk of the playoffs, but we’ve seen enough now, and Edmonton deserves its due…it feels like Edmonton is a team of destiny, and like most all-time greats.” It’s a golden opportunity for the Oilers to have a second chance to win the Cup the year after losing it. The other advantage they have is the one-year-old film, familiar players from last year. These things can also change the dynamics of the games. But Adam Proteau doesn’t think the series will go beyond game 6. 

The expert also added, “McDavid and Draisaitl have learned from past defeats and appear fully ready, willing, and able to win the first championship of what could be many. The Panthers are going to be a worthy opponent for them, but the Oilers have the juice and jam to carve out their names on sport’s toughest trophy to win.” Along with these points, the Oilers also have a home-ice advantage this year. 

But wait… as Adam Proteau also mentioned, the Panthers are going to be fierce rivals. Now, the wait is for game 1 on  June 4 at Rogers Place. Let’s see if Adam Proteau’s prediction comes true.