Entering First Round
* Connor McDavid (3rd) and Leon Draisaitl (4th) both rank among the top five in Stanley Cup Playoffs history for points-per-game (min. 50 GP), behind only Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. McDavid secured the 2024 Conn Smythe Trophy after breaking Gretzky’s Stanley Cup Playoffs record for assists in one year.
* Evan Bouchard ranks third among defensemen in Stanley Cup Playoffs history for points-per-game (min. 50 GP), behind Bobby Orr and Cale Makar. Bouchard set an NHL record for assists by a defenseman in one postseason last year.
* Jeff Skinner will have the most games played by any player in NHL history before his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut. The top five on that list entering the 2025 postseason will read: Skinner, Ron Hainsey (907 before 2017 SCP w/ PIT), Olli Jokinen (799 before 2009 SCP w/ CGY), Rasmus Ristolainen (active) and Zemgus Girgensons (active; expected to play for TBL in 2025 SCP).
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Clinching Notes
* The Oilers clinched a playoff spot April 11 by virtue of earning at least one point against the Sharks.
* Edmonton’s six straight playoff appearances mark the second-longest run in franchise history behind the 13-season stretch from 1980 to 1992 that saw them win each of their five Stanley Cup championships. The Oilers’ only other run of at least five seasons was from 1997 to 2001, when they faced only the Stars (5 straight meetings) and Avalanche (1997 & 1998).
* Edmonton will take another crack at hoisting the Stanley Cup after making it to the Final last season. The Oilers look to become the seventh team in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to reach the Stanley Cup Final the year after losing in the championship series, following the 2024 Panthers, 2009 Penguins, 1984 Oilers, 1978 Bruins, 1970 Blues and 1969 Blues. Florida, Pittsburgh and Edmonton all went on to win the Stanley Cup.
* The Oilers have 41 all-time series wins, which are the second most by a non-Original Six franchise behind only the Flyers (44). Their series winning percentage (.661) and playoff game winning percentage (.582) both rank second in NHL history behind the Golden Knights (.688 series W%; .600 game W%).
* The Oilers will seek to end an unwanted streak in 2025: they have been eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion in each of the past three years, one of 11 teams in NHL history to meet that fate (the only other instances since the start of the 2000s were VAN, from 2010 to 2012, and PHI, from 2009 to 2011). The only teams to have that happen and respond by winning the Cup in the fourth year were the 1950 Red Wings and 1942 Maple Leafs (TOR had lost to eventual champions in 4 straight years).
