The Edmonton Oilers are entering the new season as the overwhelming favorite to win the 2025 Stanley Cup, according to a recent survey of NHL writers and broadcasters. David Staples of the Edmonton Journal reports that nearly half of the 147 media members polled (48%) picked the Oilers ahead of the 2024-25 NHL season as their championship choice, with the Dallas Stars being the next closest contender. As great as that sounds, one has to wonder if that’s potentially a curse.
Last season, the Oilers came into the year with a “Cup or Bust” mentality. They let their overconfidence take over and they started 2-9-1. Edmonton can’t afford to make the same mistakes this season.
As per Staples, here’s how the Oilers fared in predictions from major media outlets: ESPN (12 of 24), Sportsnet (16 of 20), and The Hockey News (17 of 56) all heavily favored Edmonton, while outlets like USA Today and the New York Post were less convinced.
Are Insiders Overlooking Some Obvious Concerns for the Oilers?
But while the Oilers are a popular pick, there are lingering concerns. Edmonton came within one goal of winning the Cup last season, losing in Game 7 of the Final to the Florida Panthers. They made some notable additions this offseason, including Jeff Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson, Josh Brown, and Travis Dermott. However, they also lost several key pieces, such as Cody Ceci, Warren Foegele, Dylan Holloway, Philip Borberg, and Ryan McLeod. The result is a team that is older, slower, and potentially less physical than last year’s squad.
Additionally, Edmonton still has a hole on the right side of their defense and will be without Evander Kane for at least six months, complicating their quest to take that final step and win the Stanley Cup.
What Makes Edmonton a Favorite Ahead of the 2024-25 Season?
No doubt, the Oilers are good. They have most of their key pieces back, have elite forwards, strong goaltending, and have one of the top defensive duos in the NHL in Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm. But why so much confidence in Edmonton?
Many analysts believe that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl’s determination will be the deciding factor. After coming so close, the duo’s hunger for redemption is off the charts. Add to that the understanding that each of Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Darnell Nurse need to push a little more and there’s a feeling of undeniability there.
The Florida Panthers experienced a similar heartbreak in 2023 and came back to win it all. The Oilers will be hoping to do the same this season.
