Who Will End Canada’s Stanley Cup Drought?
It is never too early to think about the upcoming NHL season. The last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup was the Montreal Canadiens, over 30 years ago. The Edmonton Oilers were a win away from ending the drought this year, but they came up short against the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
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The Oilers are bringing back the same team with some new additions. They are one of the favorites, according to oddsmakers, to make it back to the final. But the question remains: can they get back there?
TSN Overdrive Host Bryan Hayes joined SportsCenter to prepare for the 2024-25 NHL season. Hayes believes that the Edmonton Oilers, who lost in the Stanley Cup this year, have the best chance to break Canada’s Stanley Cup drought.
** NHLRumors.com transcriptions
Host: “Okay, as for the Oilers, they came oh so close to snapping Canada’s Stanley Cup drought. Now, next season, which Canadian team has the best chance to do it? Do you think?”
Bryan Hayes: “You just named them? It’s got to be Edmonton because I think they’re even better on paper today than they were in game seven in the Cup final, right? Arvidsson coming up. I’m a fan. I like the fact that they brought in Jeff Skinner on the cheap, right?
They brought back players that they needed to bring back as well. Adam Henrique is back. Connor Brown, after a full off-season of recovery, of training going into next year. If he plays anything like he did in the Cup Final, that’s a completely different player and a big boost to their lineup. So I’m a big fan of where Edmonton is at.
I think Stuart Skinner obviously, got a ton of experience last year and proved he can be a number one in this league. And Chris Knoblauch, he had to jump on a moving train, and he did an incredible job. But now he has a full offseason, a full training camp, and they’re going into next year locked and loaded. I love where the Edmonton Oilers are at. I think they’re chomping at the bit.
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I think McDavid will be great. Draisaitl will be great. I’m not saying anything you don’t know. I think there’s a few very good Canadian teams. Toronto is really good. Vancouver’s really good. I think Winnipeg is still good, but it’s clear at this point, Edmonton is the best team in the country. They have the best chance of breaking that drought, and I think they’re chasing Florida again this year. I’m all over the Oilers having a big, big season.”
Host: “And you know how hungry they are, especially how it ended last season, right?”
Do you agree that the Edmonton Oilers will end Canada’s Stanley Cup?