The Edmonton Oilers faced a heartbreaking defeat against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, marking a continued drought for Canadian teams, as no franchise has won since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. Connor McDavid, despite leading a strong postseason, highlighted the Oilers' struggles, including the loss of key players like Zach Hyman and facing a deep Panthers squad. The series ended in six games, with the Oilers failing to adapt their strategies against a relentless forecheck.

In Game 6, despite a strong start, the Oilers fell behind early and couldn't recover, highlighting the Panthers' dominance, especially in the first periods of recent games. McDavid's commitment and leadership were evident, but the cumulative injuries and strategic missteps proved costly. Oilers' coach Kris Knoblauch expressed the emotional toll of repeated finals losses, emphasizing a need to learn from this experience to move forward.