The 2025 Stanley Cup Final marks only the third time in 40 years that the same two teams are squaring off in the championship series for consecutive seasons. When examining the previous two occurrences, the parallels are striking, particularly concerning the league`s premier player.
In 2024, the Florida Panthers quickly took a commanding 3-0 lead over the Oilers in the Cup Final. However, Edmonton mounted a spirited comeback, pushing the series to a decisive Game 7. In that final contest on their home ice, the Panthers secured the Stanley Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 victory.
Now, twelve months later, Connor McDavid and the Oilers have returned, driven by a desire for redemption. This situation mirrors the historical paths of Sidney Crosby`s Pittsburgh Penguins sixteen years ago and Wayne Gretzky`s Edmonton Oilers four decades prior in 1984.
Crosby`s relatively young Penguins squad had been defeated by the experienced Detroit Red Wings in the 2008 Final during their initial championship appearance. Pittsburgh earned their way back in 2009, losing the first two games on the road in Detroit. Yet, they rebounded to win four of the subsequent five matchups, clinching the Cup with a memorable 2-1 road win in Game 7.
Similarly, the Oilers of the early 1980s reached their first Final in 1983, where they were swept by the dominant New York Islanders dynasty, who claimed their fourth straight title. The 1984 rematch, however, saw a different story unfold. After splitting the opening two games on Long Island, the Oilers swept the next three contests on home ice – benefiting from the 2-3-2 series format at the time – outscoring the Islanders by a combined margin of 19-6.
That victory secured Wayne Gretzky and his teammates their franchise`s first Stanley Cup championship.
A clear common thread among these historical rematches is a generational superstar (Crosby, Gretzky) achieving their first championship ring during their second consecutive trip to the Final. While Crosby and Gretzky were in their early twenties at that stage of their careers, compared to McDavid being in his late twenties, the overall pattern of a superstar leading his team back for redemption is undeniable.
Is another historical echo possible? Despite their incredible talent, neither Crosby nor Gretzky was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) the first time their teams won the Stanley Cup. In both cases, the honor went to their exceptional teammates – Mark Messier in 1984 and Evgeni Malkin in 2009.
