The moment is massive, the storyline almost poetic—but Connor McDavid isn’t buying into the history books. As the Edmonton Oilers prepare for a high-stakes rematch against the Florida Panthers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, all eyes are on their captain. The parallels with legends like Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby are too obvious to ignore. Yet McDavid, poised and focused, is steering clear of the narrative.
The 27-year-old phenom is once again leading the Oilers into battle on the biggest stage in hockey, just a year after a crushing Game 7 loss to Florida. That bitter defeat, followed by a record-setting playoff performance that earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy, has only added fuel to the comparisons with past greats. Both Gretzky and Crosby lost their first Final before avenging the loss one year later—Gretzky in 1984 and Crosby in 2009.
But McDavid wants no part of the legacy talk—for now. “I see, obviously, the parallels that everyone wants to write about,“ McDavid told reporters Tuesday, via NHL media availability. “At the end of the day, this is a different story. Different teams, different group. Just excited to have another kick at the can here. That’s all.”
The narrative looms, but McDavid stays grounded
While hockey historians highlight the cyclical symmetry, McDavid remains locked in on the present. He’s not chasing ghosts—he’s hunting a championship. The 2024 Finals may have ended in heartbreak, but they left behind valuable lessons.
Wayne Gretzky celebrates with Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins after a goal during the 2017 Honda NHL All-Star Game Semifinal #2 (Atlantic vs. Metropolitan) at Staples Center on January 29, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
“I would say it’s just dealing with the emotion of it [better],” McDavid explained. “It can feel like it’s larger than it is, but at the end of the day, it’s another series. We’re playing another great team, and you’ve got to beat them before anything else happens.”
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Connor McDavid could emulate Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby in Oilers’ Stanley Cup Final rematch vs Panthers
The Oilers’ captain leads a battle-tested squad that surged through the Western Conference playoffs. This year’s approach feels less romantic and more ruthless, shaped by past disappointment and driven by the singular goal of hoisting the Cup.
A different story for a different team
The 2025 edition of the Oilers is no carbon copy of last year’s group. Edmonton’s postseason resilience—ripping through the Kings, Golden Knights, and Stars—has quieted early-season critics and re-established their identity.
Despite the familiar opponent and stakes, McDavid insists this isn’t a sequel to last June. It’s a new script. “We’re just excited to have another opportunity,” he reiterated. “That’s all we can ask for.”
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Game 1 is set for Wednesday night in Edmonton, with puck drop at 8 p.m. ET. The Oilers will look to flip the script—and maybe write a new chapter in hockey history.
