Four wins are all the Edmonton Oilers need to become the first Canadian team to lift the Stanley Cup in 31 years. Canadian fan bases have been craving a Cup parade for the last three decades, and Edmonton might just get one if it can get past the Florida Panthers.
On June 9, 1993, the Montreal Canadiens passed around the Stanley Cup after beating the Los Angeles Kings in five games. Jurassic Park was mauling its competition at the box office. “Roseanne” and ‘Home Improvement” were on just about every TV in America. Janet Jackson’s “That’s the Way Love Goes” was topping the billboard charts.
Since then, the Stanley Cup has taken up residence in the United States for 31 consecutive years.
That’s a long time for a hockey-crazy country to go without a Cup winner, but Canadian teams have done their fair share of dominating throughout the years. The Canadiens lead the NHL with 23 Stanley Cup wins, including five straight from 1956-60.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have become the butt of many postseason jokes in the modern day, but they had a couple dynasties of their own in the 40s and 60s. In total, Toronto has won the Cup 13 times, even if it has been nearly 60 years since their last championship.
The Oilers themselves are plenty familiar with Lord Stanley. From 1984-88, Edmonton won the Stanley Cup in four out of five years with the great Wayne Gretzky leading a team chock-full of future Hall of Famers like Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, and Grant Fuhr. The Oilers won their fifth and most recent Stanley Cup in 1990, after sending Gretzky to the Kings two years earlier.
If they can beat the Panthers, which weren’t even a franchise in 1993 when Montreal won the last Cup for a Canadian team, the Oilers will finally bring the Stanley Cup north of the border, ending the lengthy drought. With that in mind, let’s take a look at how long each Canadian team has gone without a championship.
Toronto Maple Leafs | 57 years
- Stanley Cup wins: 13
- Years won: 1967, 1964, 1963, 1962, 1951, 1949, 1948, 1947, 1945, 1942, 1932, 1922, 1918
Vancouver Canucks | 54 years
- Stanley Cup wins: 0
- Years won: N/A
Calgary Flames | 35 years
- Stanley Cup wins: 1
- Years won: 1989
Edmonton Oilers | 34 years
- Stanley Cup wins: 5
- Years won: 1990, 1988, 1987, 1985, 1984
Ottawa Senators | 32 years
- Stanley Cup wins: 0
- Years won: N/A
Montreal Canadiens | 31 years
- Stanley Cup wins: 23
- Years won: 1993, 1986, 1979, 1978, 1977, 1976, 1973, 1971, 1969, 1968, 1966, 1965, 1960, 1959, 1958, 1957, 1956, 1953, 1946, 1944, 1931, 1930, 1924, 1926
Winnipeg Jets | 13 years
- Stanley Cup wins: 0
- Years won: N/A
The Edmonton Oilers are gearing up for what could be a historic season as they aim to end a 31-year Stanley Cup drought against the Florida Panthers. The Oilers, who last won the Stanley Cup in 1990, have been on a mission to reclaim hockey’s ultimate prize and bring it back to Edmonton.
Led by captain Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers have been one of the top teams in the NHL in recent years. McDavid, a two-time Hart Trophy winner as the league’s most valuable player, is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world. Draisaitl, the reigning Art Ross Trophy winner as the league’s leading scorer, provides a lethal one-two punch for the Oilers.
In addition to their dynamic duo up front, the Oilers have also bolstered their roster with key acquisitions in the offseason. The addition of veteran defenseman Duncan Keith brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the team, while goaltender Mike Smith provides stability between the pipes.
The Oilers will face a tough challenge in their quest for the Stanley Cup, as they will have to navigate through a competitive Western Conference that includes powerhouse teams like the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights. However, with their talented roster and strong leadership, the Oilers are confident that they have what it takes to make a deep playoff run.
As they prepare to face off against the Florida Panthers, who are also hungry for their first Stanley Cup victory, the Oilers know that they will have to bring their A-game. The Panthers, led by superstar forward Aleksander Barkov and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, are a formidable opponent that will test the Oilers’ mettle.
But with the talent and determination that the Oilers possess, there is a sense of optimism in Edmonton that this could be the year that they finally end their Stanley Cup drought. As they lace up their skates and hit the ice, the Oilers will be giving it their all in pursuit of hockey’s ultimate prize.
