Oilers carry Canada’s hopes into Cup Final rematch tonight
The Edmonton Oilers face off tonight in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, with more than just a championship on the line.
The Edmonton Oilers face off tonight in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, with more than just a championship on the line. As they strive to bring the Cup home for the first time in over 30 years, a sense of national unity may also hang in the balance.
A newly conducted poll by Ipsos found that 63 per cent of Canadians say they’re cheering for the Edmonton Oilers, up six points from last year’s matchup. Fifty-six per cent believe the Oilers will beat the Florida Panthers, also up seven points from 2024.
“The Edmonton Oilers winning the Stanley Cup would be a significant triumph for Canada, symbolizing national spirit and resilience,” Ipsos reported.
The Oilers, who last hoisted the Stanley Cup in 1990, are now seen by 68 per cent of Canadians as “Canada’s Team.” The Cup itself hasn’t returned to Canadian soil since 1993, and that three-decade drought appears to be uniting Canadians across traditional lines of rivalry.
“It is especially important this year for a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup,” reads the Ipsos release. “The Stanley Cup final is more than just a hockey game – it’s an important show of Canadian pride and identity.”
The latest matchup—a rematch of last year’s championship series that went the distance of seven games—begins in Edmonton tonight, with the Oilers holding home-ice advantage after finishing the season with 101 points, three more than the Panthers. Florida defeated Edmonton in last year’s Final but is viewed this time as the underdog.
“Playing for a Canadian team, the Cup having not been back to Canada in 30-plus years, it’s something that I think we all understand representing the Edmonton Oilers,” said Oilers forward Evander Kane. “Being able to kick it off here is going to be pretty special.”
The winner of tonight’s game could have a far-reaching effect on the eventual series victor. Teams that win Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final have gone on to win the Cup 76.5 per cent of the time, according to NHL statistics. That figure rises to 83.9 per cent when the home team wins Game 1.
This surge in national sentiment comes amid broader polling showing Canadians rallying around any Canadian team. A previous Angus Reid poll from April found 71 per cent of fans said they would support any Canadian team in the playoffs — the highest in a decade.
But while hockey may be boosting a sense of unity, broader national pride has been more volatile. A recent Leger poll showed that Canadian pride surged during the election period in March — peaking at 86 per cent — but fell back to 76 per cent in Quebec and just 70 per cent in Alberta following the re-election of a Liberal government.
Still, the Stanley Cup Final is showing signs of rekindling unity, with 56 per cent of Canadians saying they will pay more attention to this year’s Final than in previous years as the stakes are higher than ever.
Over eight in ten Canadians, 85 per cent, said that the Oilers winning the Stanley Cup would be a significant triumph for Canada, symbolizing national spirit and resilience.
While the Oilers have the chance to bring the Stanley Cup back home to the city that the Great One put on the map, the “Carney Curse” might be hard to overcome, as one of their best forwards, Zach Hyman, recently suffered a season-ending injury.
Game 1 begins at 8 p.m. ET tonight at Rogers Place.
