For the third time in franchise history, and the first time in nearly a decade, the Oilers and Ducks will meet in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The first meeting came during Edmonton’s run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2006. After taking down the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Red Wings in the first round and the Sharks in the second, the Oilers handled Anaheim in five games in the Western Conference Final.

When the two teams met again in 2017, the trajectory of each organization had shifted dramatically. While the Oilers were emerging from a rebuild that saw them miss the playoffs for a decade, the Ducks had settled into a run as one of the Western Conference’s most consistent contenders. Anaheim made the playoffs in nine of eleven seasons between 2007 and 2017, winning the Pacific Division five straight times from 2013 to 2017.

By the time that series arrived, Edmonton had undergone a full overhaul, with nobody remaining from the 2006 team. Led by 20-year-old Connor McDavid and 21-year-old Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers ended their decade-long playoff drought and finished second in the Pacific with a 47-26-9 record.

Edmonton got past an aging, injury-riddled Sharks team in the first round, winning in six games. In the second round, the Oilers took control early, winning the first two games on the road in Anaheim. The Ducks responded with a push that defined the series, coming back to win in seven games behind late goals, blown leads, and overtime swings that turned momentum quickly.

For Anaheim, that series marked the final push of a veteran core. The Ducks went on to lose to Nashville in the Western Conference Final and were swept in the first round the following season. From there, the organization slipped into a long rebuild, missing the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons while reshaping its roster through trades and the draft.

None of the players from Anaheim’s last playoff appearance remain with the organization. Long-time captain Ryan Getzlaf retired in 2022, and Corey Perry’s tenure ended when his contract was bought out in 2019. Veterans such as Kevin Bieksa, Ryan Kesler, and François Beauchemin retired in the years that followed, while the Ducks also dealt players like Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson, and Brandon Montour as cost control during a longer-term reset.

The final piece of that previous era was moved last summer, when Anaheim traded John Gibson to Detroit and turned the net over to Lukáš Dostál.

The Ducks now arrive in a position that mirrors where the Oilers once stood. A young group stepping into the playoffs for the first time, trying to break through against a more experienced opponent.

Anaheim’s core is built around first-time playoff contributors. Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Beckett Sennecke, and Jackson LaCombe are all entering the postseason for the first time, as is 25-year-old goaltender Dostál. Around that group, the Ducks have added veteran support through trades, bringing in Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba from the Rangers and John Carlson from the Capitals. Behind the bench, Joel Quenneville brings the experience of three Stanley Cup championships.

Edmonton, meanwhile, has evolved into a different kind of team than the one that entered the playoffs in 2017. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are the only players remaining from that first run of this era. Those four players made their playoff debuts that spring and have since combined for 382 postseason games.

Even the versions of the Oilers that reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 and 2025 look different from the current group. Gone from the first trip are Philip Broberg, Dylan Holloway, Ryan McLeod, Stuart Skinner, Vincent Desharnais, Warren Foegele, Cody Ceci, Connor Brown, Brett Kulak, Sam Carrick, Evander Kane, Derek Ryan, and Corey Perry. From last year’s run, Troy Stecher, Viktor Arvidsson, Jeff Skinner, and John Klingberg are also no longer part of the lineup, while Mattias Janmark remains unavailable because of injury.

That level of turnover has forced Edmonton to reshape its depth while maintaining its core.

The new group features a blend of emerging players and experienced additions. Matthew Savoie, Colton Dach, and Josh Samanski will all be making their playoff debuts, while players brought in over the past year provide a layer of experience. Jack Roslovic has appeared in 45 playoff games across stops in Winnipeg, New York, and Carolina. Jason Dickinson played 40 games during two deep runs with Dallas. Connor Murphy was part of Chicago’s 2020 playoff bubble that eliminated Edmonton, and goaltenders Connor Ingram and Tristan Jarry have combined for postseason experience in Nashville and Pittsburgh.

Edmonton enters this series with experience across its lineup, while Anaheim brings pace, energy, and a group looking to establish itself. The Oilers have learned how to navigate different playoff matchups in recent seasons. The Ducks present a different kind of test, one built on speed and unpredictability rather than familiarity.

The matchup may be different, but the stakes aren’t. The Oilers know what it takes at this time of year. We’ll find out if the Ducks do as well.

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