Stanley Cup Final is Set; Latest Odds

The Florida Panthers and Brad Marchand will again face the Edmonton Oilers for the Stanley Cup.

Get ready for the rematch.  NHL betting experts are already choosing sides, and they like Florida, who are -120 on FanDuel. Conversely, Edmonton is +115.

Of course, the odds might shift if bettors start throwing their money behind Edmonton, which looks increasingly like a team of destiny.

Edmonton disposed of the Dallas Stars in Game 5 on Thursday, setting a rematch of one of the wildest Cup Finals in history. Florida won the 2024 Stanley Cup, but Edmonton almost pulled the largest upset ever. Florida won the first three games of the series, but Edmonton stormed back to force a heartpounding Game 7 in Florida.

However, Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky held the fort, and Florida won its first Stanley Cup.

Edmonton’s Connor McDavid won the Conn Smythe Trophy, though he did not return to the ice from the locker room to claim his consolation prize while the raucous Florida crowd and team celebrated.

There have been a few Stanley Cup Final rematches involving great players in the last 40 years. Wayne Gretzky and Edmonton lost the 1983 Cup Final to the New York Islanders, but Gretzky got revenge in 1984.

Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins lost the 2008 Stanley Cup to the Detroit Red Wings, but the 21-year-old Crosby got his reward by winning Game 7 in 2009. Edmonton went on a dynastic run, winning five Stanley Cups by 1990, and Crosby and the Penguins also won back-to-back Cups in 2016 and 2017.

Could McDavid make it four-for-four?

Edmonton has looked increasingly good in the playoffs after getting hammered by the LA Kings in the first couple of games in Round One. Edmonton ran the table for the rest of that series. Edmonton settled an old score by embarrassing the Vegas Golden Knights in Round Two, winning the series with ease, 4-1.

Edmonton smoked Dallas in five games, too.

So, here we go.

Of course, Boston fans might have a little rooting interest, either for or against the former Bruins captain, Marchand.

Florida has not had the same sort of easy road to the Cup Final. They had to go to seven games against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 2. Florida broke Toronto’s heart, setting off a chain of events that will likely lead to a Toronto shakeup to some degree. Florida boatraced the Carolina Hurricanes out of the Eastern Conference Final, winning the series in five games.

Could we finally have a Stanley Cup Final that ends in mid-June?

The Stanley Cup Final will begin on Wednesday, June 4. Since both teams won in five games, the NHL was able to move up the start of the series.

Games 1 and 2 will be in Edmonton, on Wednesday and Friday. All games will start at 8 p.m. ET and will be available on TNT, truTV, and Max in the U.S.

Games 3 and 4 will be June 9 and 12 in Florida.

Game 5, if necessary, will be in Edmonton on June 14.

Game 6, if necessary, will be in Florida on June 16.

And if we’re all so lucky as to get a Game 7, it will be Friday, June 20, in Edmonton.