Another NHL season for the Edmonton Oilers ended in a heartbreaking end as they lost to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup final for the second straight season. While it’s a hard pill to swallow, Oilers fans must see their team game in June and they should cherish these three teams wanting them to be in that position.
The Oilers’ playoff run is a roller coaster of emotions. It started to rough, losing to the Los Angeles Kings before four straight wins. They then beat the Gold Knights in Vegas, beat them in five games, beat them in two overtime, and then beat the Dallas Stars in five games to play their ticket to the Stanley Cup final. The Oilers are all underdogs in every series, proving the skeptics’ mistakes along the way. The team did not withdraw, they fought until the end. Like every other team, they have no answer to the Panthers. Now that the playoffs are over, let’s reflect on this crazy journey. These are the five gains from the Oiler 2025 playoffs.
The plague robot that keeps the gate inconsistent
No one should be surprised, but the goalkeepers at Edmonton were not consistent throughout the playoffs. Stuart Skinner allowed 11 goals in his first two games before being replaced by Calvin Pickard. Pickard then defeated the Golden Knights 6-0 and then injured in the second game, forcing Skinner to return to the net. Skinner backed off the first game before closing after release to win the series. He then excelled in three of his five games against Dallas, but only had one savings percentage (SV%) in the Cup final (SV%). He entered Game 4 after falling 3-0, but they were back due to Picard’s performance. So they launched the “Tour” networker in Game 5, but that wasn’t the case, forcing Skinner to return to the network in Game 6.
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The two goalkeepers scored seven wins in the playoffs, with Skinner’s average goal average of 2.99, SV% at 0.889 SV%, while Pickard’s GAA was 2.85 GAA and .886 SV%. Those numbers are hardly enough to win the Stanley Cup. Although both of them showed glorious glimpses, they did not last. The goalkeeper continues to hinder the team and has to do something during the offseason. Although that’s not the only reason they’ve lost, its mediocrity is obvious.
The oil worker’s depth is very solid
The depth of the Oiler emerged in the playoffs led by 40-year-old Corey Perry. The Eternal Miracle scored 10 goals in 22 games, the biggest surprise. Evander Kane scored six goals, Connor Brown scored five, Adam Henrique scored four and Viktor Arvidsson scored two. They also received clutch goals from Kasperi Kapanen, Mattias Janmark, Vasily Podkolzin and Jake Walman. Despite only five games, Jeff Skinner even scored a goal. They have contributed throughout the lineup and wouldn’t be here without them.
The Oiler would be better without Mattias Ekholm
Mattias Ekholm is not 100%, you can say. In the Stanley Cup final, he played some of the worst hockey as a hawker. He missed most of the playoffs before returning to Game 5 against Dallas. I thank him for trying to get it out, but he is marginal responsibility in most games. He made a bad decision with hockey and couldn’t handle the tenacious prep in Florida. He made a cruel pass against Evan Bouchard in the first phase of Game 6, which directly led to the goal against the match, forcing Edmonton to chase the game, and they never responded.
If Ekholm is unhealthy, he shouldn’t come back, his inclusion undermines the chemistry of the defense team. They are defensively against Las Vegas and Dallas, especially five-on-five. They have six capable defenders who believe in their jobs and it works. Edmonton’s game is structured, but that’s out the window against Florida. They forgot how to defend and Ekholm didn’t make them better.
Zach Hyman’s injury is devastating
Losing Zach Hyman in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals was a huge blow to the squad. The Oilers winger suffered a serious wrist injury that would keep him away from at least training camp, or even longer. This loss seriously hurts Edmonton’s Stanley Cup chances because no one can replace what he brings. Although his offense is far from last season, he has other intangible assets that have affected the game. He hit the playoffs with 111 before he was injured, a desperate need for both the physical and aggressive Panthers.
Heyman also added a layer of depth to give head coach Kris Knoblauch a roster flexibility. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were often loaded during the Stanley Cup finals, but to no avail. In these cases, Heyman’s absence was particularly missed because if the dynamic duo were together, he could slip and play with Kane and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The trio had chemistry, especially late in the first round. In addition, they added offensive punches. Without him, it would be difficult to attack without a big gun on the ice. He misses it very much.
Oily man is a comeback child
The oilers kept fighting and chasing the game behind, but fought back. In their first six playoff wins, they were behind at some point to become the first NHL team to win six straight wins. They also made a few more goals back, including Game 4 against the Kings, Game 1 against the Golden Knights and Game 1 and Game 4 against the Panthers. When they are behind, there is still hope, that’s exciting. There was never a dull moment for the team, but eventually caught up with them. Edmonton led only 33:51 against Florida, and that was their downfall. Their failure to seize the lead made them spend the cup.
Florida is the better team, but it’s another great season and the playoffs for the Oilers. Can they do it again next season, hoping to eventually reach the championship? Continue to follow Hockey writer During the offseason, we are ready for another exciting season.
