The Edmonton Oilers are part of the equation in many of the exact Stanley Cup final matchups with the shortest odds. That’s not at all surprising. After all, it’s the Oilers who oddsmakers are setting as the +750 favorites to win in the Vegas Stanley Cup odds.
| NHL Exact Matchup Stanley Cup Final Odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edmonton Oilers vs Toronto Maple Leafs | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Edmonton Oilers vs New Jersey Devils | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Edmonton Oilers vs New York Rangers | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Edmonton Oilers vs Florida Panthers | +2800 | +2800 | +2800 |
| Dallas Stars vs New Jersey Devils | +3300 | +3300 | +3300 |
| Dallas Stars vs New York Rangers | +3300 | +3300 | +3300 |
| Dallas Stars vs Florida Panthers | +3500 | +3500 | +3500 |
| Carolina Hurricanes vs Dallas Stars | +4500 | +4500 | +4500 |
| Nasvhille Predators vs New Jersey Devils | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| Nashville Predators vs New York Rangers | +6500 | +6500 | +6500 |
Matchups featuring the Oilers against either the Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, or New York Rangers are all given betting lines of +2500. A Stanley Cup final rematch between Edmonton and the reigning champion Florida Panthers is set at +2800 in this betting market.
Interestingly, in recent seasons, getting back to the final series is proving to be less of a challenge. Pittsburgh won successive titles in 2016 and 2017. Tampa Bay went to three Cup finals in a row from 2020-22, winning in 2020 and 2021. Florida lost to Vegas in the 2023 final, only to rebound and beat Edmonton last spring.
There hasn’t been a Stanley Cup final without an NHL team from Florida since St. Louis beat Boston in 2019.
Prior to making any NHL bets, check the latest NHL Vegas odds. You definitely should be taking advantage of these Vegas betting site bonuses. As well, it’s wise to remember that all of the top Vegas betting sites are delivering easy to access downloadable apps. This will make it much simpler when the time arrives to be placing your bets from your favorite mobile device.
One of the dilemmas facing bettors who are opting to back the Oilers in any exact Stanley Cup final matchup is that a Canadian-based NHL team hasn’t won the Cup since the 1992-93 Montreal Canadiens. The Oilers have failed in their last two tries, losing the 2006 and 2024 Cup final series.
Here are five potential Stanley Cup final matchups that we think make a lot of sense in the Stanley Cup final exact matchup picks.
Since 1935, there’s been eight all-Canadian Stanley Cup finals. However, the most recent one occurred in 1989.
Edmonton hasn’t gone to consecutive Cup finals since 1983-84-85. Toronto hasn’t played in the Cup final since 1967. The Leafs have never won more than two playoff series in a single year. And they’ve been eliminated in the first playoff round in seven of the past eight seasons.
There’s only been one Stanley Cup final rematch since the start of the 1984-85 NHL season. That was in 2008-09, when Detroit and Pittsburgh squared off in successive springs.
The Panthers would be seeking to get to a third successive final series. Then again, Tampa Bay just did that from 2020-22.
Both Dallas and New Jersey have steadily built powerhouse clubs through astute drafting. Dallas can call upon the likes of goalie Jake Oettinger, defenseman Miro Heiskanen and forwards Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson.
New Jersey can counter with defensemen Dougie Hamilton and Simon Nemec and forwards Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier. If these teams met, it would be a highly entertaining final series.
The daunting challenge of seeking to win the Cup two years in a row is already evident in Florida. Early-season ailments have deprived Florida of elite forwards Sascha Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk.
Dallas knows how hard it is to win it all. The Stars were beaten by Tampa in the 2000 final. Dallas lost to Vegas and then Edmonton in the past two Western Conference finals.
Both the Rangers (2014) and Predators (2016) were losing Cup finalists within the past decade. In more recent history, though, both teams have struggled to get over the hump and get back to the final series, which makes this a difficult choice to make in the Stanley Cup picks.
Over the summer, Nashville was loading up in the UFA market, adding Cup winners and proven goals scorers Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, as well as steady defenseman Brady Skjei. The Rangers are a top contender in the Presidents’ Trophy race with Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin in net. But their regular-season success hasn’t translated to Cup wins.
In 2000, the Stars were defending Cup champions, but they lost in the Cup final series to the Devils. We’re projecting a revisit of that 2000 final in our Stanley Cup final exact matchup pick.
The Stars went to the Cup final series in 2020. They’ve lost in the Western Conference final two years in a row. Dallas is ready to take the next step.
Two seasons ago, the Devils were garnering 112 points. Last season, crippled by injuries and wonky goaltending, New Jersey missed the playoffs. The Devils added Jacob Markstrom from Calgary to solve their goalie woes. And in Jack Hughes, they have a budding superstar ready to make his mark on hockey’s biggest stage.
