Wayne Gretzky Predicts Winner of Stanley Cup Final Without Hesitation
Wayne Gretzky Predicts Winner of Stanley Cup Final Without Hesitation originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
It has been over three decades since a Canadian team lifted the Stanley Cup, but the Edmonton Oilers have the chance of breaking the curse in the next few days.
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The last time a team north of the American border hoisted the Cup was June 1993, when the Montreal Canadiens capped off a five-game series win over the Los Angeles Kings. Since then, every champion has come from the United States.
The Oilers are back in the Stanley Cup Final for a second straight year and currently lead the Florida Panthers 1-0 in the finals rematch from last season.
Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky was in attendance for the opener and later appeared on Thursday's episode of "The Pat McAfee Show" to discuss the matchup and the potential for history to be made.
When asked if this is the team that will once and for all return the Cup to Canada, Gretzky made his stance clear, picking the Oilers to go all the way and win the championship.
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"This is the team to do it," Gretzky said. "One, I don't think Florida has played a team that is as physical as Edmonton. The speed of Edmonton matches Carolina, but Edmonton's more physical."
Gretzky acknowledged the toll Florida's deep playoff runs have taken over the past three years, highlighting that as a possible advantage on Edmonton's side.
Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) get into a scrum in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
"When you get to three championship series in a row, you're physically beat up," Gretzky said. "Right now, I hope Florida can rebound, but they've put their guts on the line the last three years, and it's hard to get to the Stanley Cup Finals, and they play hard."
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That said, Gretzky still attributed the chances of winning the Cup to Edmonton's mindset, not just how tired the Panthers might be at this point in the playoffs.
"I expect (the Panthers) to bounce back. But listen, Edmonton feels it. That's all anyone talks about," Gretzky said.
Game 2 of the Final is scheduled for Friday night at Rogers Place, with the Oilers holding a 1-0 series lead.
Related: Wayne Gretzky Reveals Secret to NHL Team Success Amid Stanley Cup Final
Related: Connor McDavid's Wife Has Three-Letter Reaction to Oilers' Win Against Panthers
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
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