The 2025 Stanley Cup Final has already delivered drama—and a legendary voice is adding fuel to the fire. As the Edmonton Oilers edged the Florida Panthers 4–3 in an overtime thriller to open the series, one of the NHL’s most iconic figures was watching closely from inside Rogers Place.
Wayne Gretzky, the Hall of Famer and former Oilers captain, was on-site working with the NHL on TNT’s studio team. But his influence didn’t stay in the broadcast booth. Following the game, “The Great One” joined The Pat McAfee Show to share his candid thoughts on what sets this series—and these teams—apart.
In typical Gretzky fashion, his insights cut deeper than just goals and assists. He focused on culture, chemistry, and the physical toll of chasing a championship year after year.
Gretzky highlights what championship teams have in common
Speaking about the connection between team unity and postseason success, Gretzky praised both current finalists for their tight-knit approach. “We’re always together, I mean especially when you’re playing, it’s 20 guys and you go to dinner together,” he said. “The teams who do that are more successful. The teams where four guys go one place and three guys go to another place—that’s not a team.”
He singled out Edmonton and Florida as modern examples of that bond. “You look at the Edmonton guys, they’re always together. You look at the Florida group, they’re always together. Tampa Bay. Those teams year after year are successful, there’s no secret to why it is. They’ll go through a wall for each other, and you gotta have that in our sport.”
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His comments serve as a reminder that talent alone rarely delivers a championship. The culture within the locker room often determines whether a contender survives the grind of the postseason.
Can this Oilers team end Canada’s Stanley Cup drought?
The conversation soon turned to a broader narrative looming over the series: Canada’s decades-long wait for a Stanley Cup title. Not since the 1992–93 Montreal Canadiens has a Canadian-based team lifted hockey’s most coveted prize. Gretzky believes that streak could end this year—and he’s placing his faith in Edmonton.
“This is the team to do it,“ he declared. “One, I don’t think Florida has played a team that is as physical as Edmonton. The speed of Edmonton matches Carolina, but Edmonton’s more physical. And when you get to three championship series in a row, you’re physically beat up.”
Acknowledging the Panthers’ journey, Gretzky offered a balanced take. “Right now, I hope Florida can rebound, but they’ve put their guts on the line the last three years and it’s hard to get to the Stanley Cup Finals and they play hard… I expect them to bounce back. But listen, Edmonton feels it. That’s all anyone talks about.”
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Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final is set for Friday night, where momentum—and legacy—will be on the line. With Gretzky’s words echoing across the hockey world, the stage is set for a series that could define a generation.
