This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
The 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers is scheduled for Wednesday night at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed or streamed on TNT, truTV or Max. We'll take a look at not only the moneyline and total, but we'll make some prop predictions and same-game parlay picks, too. Let's get started.
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Panthers vs Oilers 2025 Stanley Cup Final: Top Betting Tips & Predictions
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2025 Stanley Cup Final: Panthers vs Oilers Preview
It's been a while since we've had a rematch in the Stanley Cup Final. In fact, you have to go back to 1983 and 1984, when the Oilers and New York Islanders met in back-to-back seasons.
The Panthers are trying to become the first team since the rival Tampa Bay Lightning to hoist the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons. Tampa did it in 2020 in the NHL Bubble, and again in 2021. Oddly enough, that 2020 championship for the Lightning came at Rogers Place in Edmonton due to the COVID season.
Last season, the Panthers had home-ice advantage, and they needed every bit of it. Florida fired out to a 3-0 series lead, and it appeared well on the way to a short series. But Connor McDavid and Edmonton had other ideas, fighting all the way back to force a Game 7 down in Sunrise. After Carter Verhaeghe and Mattias Janmark exchanged first-period goals, it was Sam Reinhart who put the Panthers up 2-1 late in the second period, and that's how things stayed.
McDavid was able to take home the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding player in the playoffs, despite the fact that his team ended up losing in the Stanley Cup Final. Now, he is looking to become the first player since Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby in 2016 and 2017 to win the award in consecutive years. Prior to that, no one had accomplished the feat since Mario Lemieux in 1991 and 1992. Surprisingly, Wayne Gretzky never accomplished the feat, although he did win two Conn Smythe Trophies (1985, 1988). The last non-Penguins player to win the award in back-to-back playoffs was Bernie Parent of the Philadelphia Flyers way back in 1974 and 1975.
The Panthers haven't had a ton of difficulty in these playoffs, topping the Lightning in the first round in five games, while dropping the Carolina Hurricanes in five games in the Eastern Conference Final. Surprisingly, it was the Toronto Maple Leafs taking the Panthers seven in the second round, creating the biggest obstacle to date.
The Oilers ousted the Los Angeles Kings in six games, while beating the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round, and the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final, both in five games.
Stuart Skinner was removed as the starter for Game 3 of the L.A. series and only got his job back due to injury. Calvin Pickard won six straight playoff games through Game 2 of the VGK series, but he suffered a lower-body injury. Skinner returned for Game 3 against Vegas and allowed the game-winning goal with 0.4 seconds left. But, since then, he has been one of the best goalies in the playoffs, rattling off four straight wins against the Stars, while allowing a total of just five goals in that span. He also shut out the Golden Knights in Games 4 and 5 after that debilitating GWG in Game 3.
Sergei Bobrovsky has been his normal, consistent self lately after a tough start to the Toronto series. In fact, after allowing four or more goals in the first three games of the Leafs series, including losses in both Games 1 and 2, he has allowed a total of just 12 goals in the past nine games while facing 216 total shots.
Aleksander Barkov leads the Panthers with 17 points in the playoffs, averaging a point per game, while Sam Bennett leads with 10 goals. Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk are tied for the team lead with 11 assists.
It's no surprise, but McDavid leads the Oilers with 26 points, including 20 assists, while his partner in crime, Leon Draisaitl, has 25 points and a plus-11 rating. Draisaitl leads the team with nine power-play points, too, including a pair of goals. Corey Perry has four goals on the man advantage, as he continues to plug right along. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has also had a great playoffs, going for five goals and 18 points, including three goals and seven points on the man advantage.
The Panthers swept the regular-season series, winning 6-5 in Edmonton on Dec. 16 as short 'dogs, while topping the Oilers 4-3 in Sunrise as moderate favorites on Feb. 27. The Over hit both times. However, we'll back the Oilers on home ice, while also going with the Over.
Must-Know NHL Prop Bets for Panthers vs Oilers
Looking at the props, Nugent-Hopkins doesn't necessarily roll off the tongue first when thinking about top options. Everybody talks about McJesus, and Draisaitl, or thinks about Florida's Tkachuk or Brad Marchand. At least the casual fans do. But, RNH has been living up to his No. 1 overall draft status lately. He is no Nail Yakopov. Sorry, Oilers fans, I had to toss that one in.
Nugent-Hopkins has been dangerous in these playoffs, and is worth a roll of the dice as a potential long-shot Conn Smythe Trophy winner. As an Anytime Goal Scorer, he will help you more than double up, too.
And, let's back McDavid to get at least three shots on goal. Betting it straight up isn't a recommended play, costing you more than two times your return. But, including him in a four-leg parlay helps you multiply up 10 times.
Comprehensive NHL Playoffs Betting Guide for 2025 Finals
- Oilers ML (-130 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Under 6.5 (-125 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Anytime Goal Scorer (+235 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Connor McDavid - 3+ Shots on Goal (-205 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
Maximize Your Returns with NHL Parlays
4-Leg NHL Oilers-only Same-Game Parlay (+1000 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Oilers ML (-130) vs. Panthers
- Under 6.5 (-125) - Oilers vs. Panthers
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Anytime Goal Scorer (+235)
- Connor McDavid - 3+ Shots on Goal (-205)
2-Leg NHL Same-Game Parlay (+228 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Oilers ML (-130) vs. Panthers
- Over 6.5 (+105) - Oilers vs. Panthers
15-Leg CRAZY NHL Shots on Goal Parlay (+1275 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Panthers (1+ SOG) - Carter Verhaeghe (-1800)*, Matthew Tkachuk (-1300)*, Aleksander Barkov (-870)*, Anton Lundell (-870)*, Brad Marchand (-500)*, Gustav Forsling (-480)*, Seth Jones (-345)*
- Oilers (1+ SOG) - Evander Kane (-1500)*, Evan Bouchard (-1050)*, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (-1050)*, Corey Perry (-660)*
- Panthers (2+ SOG) - Sam Bennett (-385)*, Sam Reinhart (-320)*
- Oilers (2+ SOG) - Connor McDavid (-530)*, Leon Draisaitl (-395)*
*Do not play as a straight bet, only as part of a multi-leg parlay
