It’s the heartbreak that unites Canadian hockey fans every spring.
Canada is the birthplace of hockey. Our frozen ponds, community rinks, and backyard dreams have produced some of the greatest players in NHL history. But despite having seven teams in the league, it’s been over three decades since the Stanley Cup came home.
That last victory? The Montreal Canadiens in 1993, led by the legendary Patrick Roy, who shut down Wayne Gretzky’s Los Angeles Kings in a five-game Final. Since then, it’s been nothing but close calls, broken sticks, and bitter goodbyes.
As the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs unfold, one team remains—the Edmonton Oilers. They are not just playing for themselves anymore. They’re playing for a country desperate to end the drought.
A 32-Year Drought: How Did We Get Here?
The numbers are hard to ignore.
- Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t made the Final since 1967—the last time they won it.
- Vancouver Canucks have been to Game 7 twice (1994, 2011), only to fall short both times.
- Calgary Flames lost in seven games in 2004.
- Ottawa Senators came close in 2007, but couldn’t get past the Anaheim Ducks.
- Winnipeg Jets have never reached a Cup Final.
- Montreal Canadiens had a Cinderella run in 2021, only to fall to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
This isn’t just bad luck. It’s a saga—of promising seasons derailed by injuries, bad matchups, or the weight of history. Each spring, fans believe. And each summer, they mourn.
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2025: A Moment of Hope That Didn’t Last
This year, it felt different. Five Canadian teams made the playoffs: Edmonton, Toronto, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Montreal.
For a brief, shining moment, the country flirted with the impossible: a full Canadian Stanley Cup Final. The bracket lined up in a way that made it conceivable. Montreal had a gritty run into the playoffs. Ottawa came in hot. Toronto had a favorable matchup. Winnipeg looked dominant.
But one by one, they fell.
- Toronto exited in Round 1—again—despite a new coach and a strong regular season.
- Winnipeg, the Presidents’ Trophy winner, couldn’t carry momentum into the postseason.
- Ottawa and Montreal, both underdogs, bowed out early.
And just like that, only the Oilers remained.
Edmonton Oilers: Canada’s Last Shot
If anyone can carry the weight of a country, it’s Connor McDavid.
The Edmonton Oilers are not strangers to the Stanley Cup Final. They reached Game 7 in 2024, narrowly losing to the Florida Panthers. They’ve been building toward this moment for years. McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are arguably the league’s most dangerous duo. The team is deep, experienced, and desperate.
They entered the 2025 playoffs with question marks around health—especially after Mattias Ekholm’s injury—but the stars have aligned. McDavid is rested. Draisaitl is surging. And after everything this team has been through, they look poised to finish the job.
As Derek Van Diest of NHL.com noted, “A fresh McDavid and Draisaitl at the starting line in the postseason could go a long way to combat the playoff grind.”
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It’s More Than a Game
For many Canadians, the Stanley Cup isn’t just a trophy—it’s a symbol.
It represents a connection to childhood. To fathers and mothers who stayed up late with us. To playoff overtime goals called on scratchy radios. To street hockey dreams and backyard rinks.
Each year the Cup doesn’t come north, it adds another chapter to a national story of unfulfilled longing. Some call it a curse. Others call it a motivator.
A win by the Oilers in 2025 would not only break the drought—it would restore a piece of Canadian pride and rewrite the narrative for an entire generation.
Final Thoughts: Will This Be the Year?
We’ve been here before. We’ve hoped before.
But there’s something different about this Oilers team. They’re not carrying just their own expectations—they’re carrying a nation’s.
So as they hit the ice for each round, know this: they are Canada’s last hope. And if they win, they won’t just be lifting the Cup for Edmonton. They’ll be lifting it for Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Winnipeg—and every Canadian who still believes.
Featured photo credit: LM Otero/AP Photo
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