Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) and Leon Draisaitl (29) react to a Florida Panthers empty net goal during the third period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise, Fla., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
Connor McDavid and the Oilers fall in the Stanley Cup Final again, extending Canada’s Cup drought to 32 years. It’s a sentence that cuts deep for hockey fans across an entire nation. For the second straight season, Edmonton’s dream run ended in heartbreak, and for McDavid—arguably the greatest player of his generation—the wait for a championship continues.
The emotions in Rogers Place were palpable. There was silence. Shock. Frustration. The crowd stood still, processing the bitter sting of yet another missed opportunity. Edmonton came so close. Again. But close doesn’t hang banners, and for Canada, a country that lives and breathes hockey, the Stanley Cup remains out of reach.
Not since 1993, when Patrick Roy led the Montreal Canadiens to glory, has a Canadian team lifted the most prized trophy in hockey. Since then, the drought has grown year after year. There have been flashes of hope—the Canucks in 2011, the Flames in 2004, and now the Oilers in back-to-back seasons—but none have been able to finish the job.
McDavid gave everything. There’s no question about his heart, his skill, or his leadership. He fought through adversity, produced highlight-reel performances, and carried his team through the gauntlet of the playoffs. In many ways, he was heroic. But hockey is a team game, and despite his brilliance, the Oilers were once again left watching another team hoist the Cup.
This loss stings even more because of how much it looked like it might be different. After years of early playoff exits and frustrations, Edmonton found its groove this postseason. They played with confidence. They battled through tough opponents. They found support from depth players. Goaltending held up. The power play was lethal. The fans dared to believe this was the year the curse would be broken.
But destiny had other plans.
For all of McDavid’s greatness, the final series exposed the fine margins that separate champions from challengers. Missed assignments, untimely penalties, and stretches of flat offense proved costly. Their opponents played a complete series, capitalizing on mistakes and forcing the Oilers to chase. Game after game, the pressure built, and when the final buzzer sounded on the season, it was another crushing reminder that potential doesn’t always lead to championships.
There will be debates in the coming days. Should the front office shake things up? Should coaching strategies evolve? Are there roster moves to be made? Everyone will have opinions. But the one certainty is this: the Oilers were close, but not close enough.
And then there’s the weight of history. Canada hasn’t celebrated a Stanley Cup champion in over three decades. It’s a staggering reality for the birthplace of the sport. Every spring, Canadian fans rally behind their teams with a kind of nationalistic pride. Each playoff run brings renewed hope that the Cup will come home. But each year, that hope fades into heartbreak.
The pressure on Canadian teams—especially one led by a transcendent star like McDavid—is immense. He’s compared to Gretzky, to Crosby, to every all-time great who’s worn a ‘C’ and lifted the Cup. And yet, unlike many of those icons, he still waits. This was supposed to be the year he erased that narrative. Instead, it’s another chapter in a story of what-ifs.
It’s hard to fault McDavid. His playoff performance was once again stellar. He scored, he created, he led. He made his teammates better. He left everything on the ice. But it wasn’t enough. And in the unforgiving world of professional sports, sometimes even a generational player can’t change history alone.
Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins—all poured their hearts into the fight. Stuart Skinner had moments of brilliance. The defense had flashes of resilience. And yet, when it mattered most, they couldn’t find the extra gear. The margins were razor thin, but the result was definitive.
In the locker room, you could see it. Heads down. Red eyes. Silent nods. The pain of coming so close again. There’s no consolation prize for second place, and the Oilers know that all too well now. This wasn’t just another loss. This was the culmination of months of work, sacrifice, belief, and grind—only to fall short at the very end.
What happens next will define this team’s legacy. Do they regroup, reload, and try again with the same core? Or does management look at two consecutive Finals losses and decide that something has to change? The window is still open, but nothing is guaranteed. Injuries, contracts, and competition make every season feel more urgent than the last.
For McDavid, the clock is ticking—not because he’s slowing down, but because greatness without a ring always feels incomplete. He has time, yes, but patience wears thin when you’ve already tasted the bitter end so many times. He deserves more, and the Oilers owe it to him to figure out how to get over that final hurdle.
Fans across Canada, especially those in Edmonton, are left to wonder when the wait will end. They packed arenas, flooded streets, and wore their team’s colors with pride. They believed in this group. They believed in this season. And now, they’re left with the same feeling they’ve known for over three decades—disappointment and longing.
The Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy in sports to win. That’s not an excuse; it’s just reality. But for Canadian teams, it has felt downright impossible in the modern era. The game has changed. The league has evolved. And while the passion in Canadian markets remains unmatched, the results continue to favor U.S.-based franchises.
Still, there’s something admirable in the resilience. Every year, a new hope rises. Every year, the chase begins again. Canadian teams have come close. They’ve fought valiantly. And one day, they’ll break through. But not this year. Not this team. Not yet.
So as the confetti falls for another champion, the Oilers will retreat into the offseason with the sting of what might have been. They’ll watch the film. They’ll heal. They’ll talk about lessons learned. And they’ll prepare to try again, because that’s what true competitors do.
Connor McDavid is not done. The Oilers are not done. Canada is not done.
But for now, the Cup drought lives on. Thirty-two long years. And counting.
