Morning Coffee: McDavid, Oilers a popular pick to win Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final

The NHL has evolved significantly since 1993.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators had just entered the league as expansion teams in 1992, followed closely by the arrival of the Florida Panthers and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 1993.

The best hockey player on the planet wore number 99 – not number 97 – during his run to the Stanley Cup Final.

And Toronto Maple Leafs fans still relied on VHS tapes to show their friends playbacks of the controversial high-sticking non-call on Doug Gilmour in the Campbell Conference Finals that still stings decades later.

The NHL was eventually expanded from 24 teams all the way to 32 teams, a salary cap system was introduced, and a new playoff format was created with an increased focus on rivalries in completely overhauled divisions.

A lot has changed since the Montreal Canadiens lifted the Stanley Cup at the conclusion of the 1992-93 NHL season.

Yet one cruel constant has lingered like a bad hangover.

A Canadian team hasn’t won the Stanley Cup since the 1992-93 NHL season.

Over the previous 32 years, a Canadian NHL team has reached the Stanley Cup Final seven different times.

All seven teams lost on the game’s biggest stage.

In all but two instances, the Canadian team lost to a franchise that either didn’t exist prior to the 1992-93 season or relocated to its current city after the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup in 1993.

In 2004, the Calgary Flames lost to the Lightning in seven.

In 2006, the Edmonton Oilers lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in seven.

In 2007, the Senators lost to the Anaheim Ducks in five.

In 2021, Montreal lost to Tampa Bay in five.

Then last year, the Oilers lost to the Panthers in seven.

Since 1993, Canadian NHL teams have combined for seven Stanley Cup Final appearances and zero rings.

For perspective, Tampa Bay and Florida have combined for five straight Stanley Cup Final appearances with three Stanley Cup wins over that five-year span.

After falling just short in last year’s Stanley Cup Final, the Oilers have earned their shot at redemption.

There’s little doubt that it will be hockey’s two best teams that meet on the game’s biggest stage.

The Panthers are chasing a potential dynasty-defining repeat.

It’s up to Edmonton to end Canada’s Stanley Cup drought.

This is the Morning Coffee for Wednesday June 4th, 2025.

Oilers, McDavid A Popular Pick To Win Game 1 Of Stanley Cup Final

Back in 1993, I was too busy trying out triple-dekes on my driveway and firing one-timers point blank into my garage door to imagine a scenario where a Canadian team wouldn’t win the Stanley Cup for more than three decades.

Gilmour and the Maple Leafs had just made it to the conference finals, Teemu Selanne had just scored 76 goals as a rookie, and I would have rather watched The Mighty Ducks on VHS than an actual NHL broadcast.

But my father is a massive Canadiens fan who insisted I stay up past my bedtime as a six-year-old to watch the Habs clinch the Stanley Cup.

As far as I was concerned, the Jurassic Park commercials were more exciting than the hockey at the time.

Ultimately, I’m glad I got to see both.

32 years later, I’ll be staying up tonight to watch Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final tonight as the Oilers try to end Canada’s Stanley Cup drought.

Who would have thought they’d be running commercials for the new Jurassic World Rebirth movie more than three decades after the original was released?

I’ll watch it.

A year ago, Edmonton opened the Stanley Cup Final as an underdog on the road.

This time around, the Oilers will be a favourite to win Game 1 on home ice at -130.

Edmonton is also the Stanley Cup favourite at -126.

Connor McDavid, who wasn’t even born until 1997, is the obvious favourite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy for the second year in a row at -105.

Oilers Nation is hoping that this time around their captain wins the Conn Smythe Trophy after leading Edmonton to a Stanley Cup win.

Just like in 1993, I’ll be cheering for the Canadian team to win it all again.

Prior to the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, I picked the Panthers to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.

By the time the second round rolled around, I had hedged my bet with a play on the Oilers to win it all.

After a clean sweep with my futures bets for the conference finals, a few readers reached out to ask me which team I like to win the Stanley Cup Final.

While I have tickets for both teams to win the Stanley Cup in-pocket, I lean Edmonton heading into Game 1 on home ice tonight.

Apparently, I’m in the majority.

Per the FanDuel traders, 55 per cent of the moneyline bets are on the Oilers to win Game 1.

78 per cent of the bets in the puck line market are on Edmonton to win by two goals or more at plus-money.

Meanwhile, FanDuel bettors are also expecting a high-scoring affair.

66 per cent of the bets are on the total to go over 6.5.

In terms of a FanDuel Best Bet for Game 1, I’ll lock in a builder Same Game Parlay with Connor McDavid to register 3+ shots on goal and Leon Draisaitl to record 2+ shots on goal at +101 odds.

McDavid 2+ shots on goal has hit in every game he’s played so far this postseason.

McDavid 3+ shots on goal has hit in all but one game dating back to Game 5 of Edmonton’s first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings.

Meanwhile, Draisaitl 2+ shots on goal has hit in all but one Oilers home game so far in these Stanley Cup Playoffs.

With an emphasis on a quick start, I expect Edmonton’s stars to play heavy minutes and generate a ton of scoring chances on home ice.

Give me a Same Game Parlay with McDavid 3+ shots on goal and Draisaitl 2+ shots on goal at +101 odds as a FanDuel Best Bet for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Have a great day, everyone!