NHL announces schedule for 2025 Stanley Cup Final

Lots of rest

The SCF will be played over a maximum of 17 days if the series goes to seven games. Game 1 doesn’t kick off until Wednesday next week, which gives the Oilers five full days off after their conference final series. The Panthers get six days off as they wrapped up their conference final series the night before.

The Oilers will welcome the rest as they have been dealing with a ton of minor injuries, as most teams do in the playoffs. Extra days off for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor Brown, Calvin Pickard, and even Mattias Ekholm who returned after missing months with injury will be greatly appreciated.

The Panthers are in a similar boat with all of Sam Reinhart, Niko Mikkola, A.J. Greer, and Evan Rodrigues are nursing injuries and need the extra days off.

Rematch time

This will be the fifth Stanley Cup Final rematch in NHL history. So far, the team that lost the first time has gone on to win the rematch in each of the past two occurrences. That’s good news for the Oilers.

• 1968: Montreal Canadiens defeat St. Louis Blues in four games
• 1969: Montreal Canadiens defeat St. Louis Blues in four games
• 1977: Montreal Canadiens defeat Boston Bruins in four games
• 1978: Montreal Canadiens defeat Boston Bruins in six games
• 1983: New York Islanders defeat Edmonton Oilers in four games
• 1984: Edmonton Oilers defeat New York Islanders in five games
• 2008: Detroit Red Wings defeat Pittsburgh Penguins in six games
• 2009: Pittsburgh Penguins defeat Detroit Red Wings in seven games
• 2024: Florida Panthers defeat Edmonton Oilers in seven games
• 2025: ?

Here. We. Go.