Despite a rough start at 3-9-1 under new coach Kris Knoblauch and sitting 30th in the NHL standings at American Thanksgiving, the Oilers turned their season around impressively. They defeated the Los Angeles Kings, top-seeded Vancouver Canucks, and Dallas Stars back-to-back.
Captain Connor McDavid led with three goals and 11 points in the finals, including back-to-back four-point performances in Games 4 and 5. However, the Oilers couldn't recover from losing the first three games of the Finals. In the decisive Game 6, despite a quick response from Mattias Janmark to the Panthers opening goal and numerous chances by the Oilers, they couldn't pass Sergei Bobrovsky, ultimately falling short after Sam Reinhart's late goal.
Defenceman Mattias Ekholm acknowledged that the better team wins in a seven-game series and expressed confidence in the team's future. Injuries also played a significant role, with McDavid needing surgery for an abdominal injury and Draisaitl playing through a broken rib and finger.
Despite the loss, the Oilers showed significant growth, learning from past playoff disappointments. Their deep playoff run and resilience signal a promising future, with the team and fans hopeful for another strong season next year.
