The Edmonton Oilers are coming into the season with high expectations.
Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff made 32 predictions for the 2024-25 NHL season and among them is Edmonton winning the Stanley Cup, the first championship by a Canadian team since 1992-93.
“The Edmonton Oilers will end Canada’s Stanley Cup drought at 32 years. They will repeat what the Florida Panthers accomplished, becoming the second straight team to lose in the Cup Final the year prior and then vanquish their loss the following year. It’s a matter of when and not if – McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are not going to be denied.”
After coming up short against the Florida Panthers in a wild seven-game series, the prediction is that the Oilers will face the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final next spring. The Bruins lost to the Panthers in the second round of the playoffs last year but bolstered their lineup in the summer with the additions of Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov in free agency.
“On the back of a nasty back end, the Boston Bruins will win the East and advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in seven years. It’s a defense no one will like playing against. They’re giants. And size on the blueline wins in the playoffs. Charlie McAvoy is the smallest at 6-foot-1.”
Another Oilers-related prediction from Seravalli is that Connor McDavid is going to make history early in the season. Edmonton’s captain is coming into the season with 982 points, just 18 away from 1,000 for his career.
“Connor McDavid will become the third fastest player to 1,000 points in NHL history. He’s 18 away, and he’ll do it by Oct. 22 against Carolina, passing Mike Bossy for third all-time (652 games). McDavid will take home his fourth Hart Trophy. Someday, we’re going to look back on McDavid’s greatness and marvel at the idea that he only won three Harts during this stretch.”
