The Edmonton Oilers came up just short last season on their quest to win the Stanley Cup. After going down 3-0 in the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, Edmonton roared back to force a Game 7. The Panthers weren't going to drop a fourth game in a row, and they won 2-1 to end the Oilers' hopes of a miraculous comeback. Now, one year later, both teams are back in the Stanley Cup Final and ready to go at it once again.

There have been multiple repeats series in the playoffs for the Oilers already as they took down the Los Angeles Kings and the Dallas Stars en route to the Stanley Cup Final, just like last season. Now, they get another crack at the one opponent that bested them during last year's postseason.

“I feel good as of now,” Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner said during Stanley Cup Final media day on Tuesday, according to an article from NHL.com. “I’ve just been preparing, doing my thing just like any of us, so it’s exciting. If I’m going to be completely honest here, I thought I put it (disappointment) away quickly last year, but definitely internally there was something buried.”

Winning the Stanley Cup is one of the hardest things to do in all of sports. When you get all the way to the final and come up short, it can be hard not to dwell on the loss. Stuart Skinner has done a good job letting it go, however.

Article Continues Below
More Edmonton Oilers News
Wayne Gretzky speaks during a press conference with Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (not pictured) after the game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Capital One Arena. Ovechkin scored the 893rd and 894th goals of his career, tying Gretzky for most all-time goals in NHL history at Capital One Arena
Wayne Gretzky drops truth bomb on Oilers-Panthers Stanley Cup FinalMichael Whitaker ·
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) skates with the puck against the Florida Panthers in the third period in game one of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place.
Oilers legend Wayne Gretzky reacts to Pat McAfee’s Connor McDavid linkChristopher Hennessy ·
Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) reacts after scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period in game one of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place.
Panthers’ Brad Marchand sends warning about heartbreaking Game 1 loss to OilersQuinn Allen ·
image thumbnail
Florida Panthers most to blame for blown Stanley Cup Final Game 1 vs. OilersChristopher Hennessy ·
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) gives up a goal to Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (not pictured) during the first period in game one of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place.
Oilers’ Stuart Skinner makes ‘googly’ confession about Stanley CupQuinn Allen ·
Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch during the first period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena.
Kris Knoblauch sheds light on key difference in Oilers-Panthers sequelRexwell Villas ·

“That’s kind of the easy way to do it,” he continued. “Instead of thinking about it and trying to process it, I kind of stuffed it down a little bit. It kind of bit me in the butt halfway through my summer last year, and then I was able to look back at it and process it. Obviously, I didn’t want it to eat at me going into this season.”

The Oilers have put last year behind them, and they put all of their focus into getting back in position to capture hockey's greatest prize. Now, they're here, and they're ready for the moment.

“It’s a different year,” Skinner added. “I feel completely different. I think everybody in our room feels different and you have to prepare for everything. There are so many things that can kind of happen.”

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final will go down at 6:00 MT on Wednesday night from Rogers Place in Edmonton, and the game will be airing on TNT, truTV and Max. The Oilers are narrow favorites in Game 1.