When does the Stanley Cup Final start? Here's the full Panthers-Oilers schedule originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The last two NHL teams standing in 2025 are the same as in 2024.

The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers will square off in the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year. It’s just the fifth time since the start of the expansion era in 1967-68 that the same two teams have met in consecutive Cup Finals.

The Panthers outlasted the Oilers in a roller-coaster 2024 Cup Final that went the distance. Edmonton erased a 3-0 series deficit with three straight victories in elimination games, but Florida avoided a historic collapse by taking Game 7 at home to claim the franchise’s first championship.

This is the Panthers’ third straight appearance in the Cup Final as they look to join an exclusive list of repeat Stanley Cup winners. Florida, which entered the 2025 playoffs as the Atlantic Division’s No. 3 seed, bounced the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games, took down the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games, and won the Eastern Conference Final over the Carolina Hurricanes in five games.

The Panthers have 10 players with at least 10 points this postseason, led by captain Aleksander Barkov (17 points), forward Matthew Tkachuk (16) and center Sam Bennett (16). And between the pipes, Sergei Bobrovsky boasts a 2.11 goals against average and a .912 save percentage.

Edmonton, meanwhile, is looking to repeat the rare history that Florida pulled off last season by following up a Cup Final loss with a championship. The Oilers, the Pacific Division’s No. 3 seed, first overcame a 2-0 series deficit against the Los Angeles Kings with four straight comeback victories before defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. Edmonton won the Western Conference Final over the Dallas Stars for the second straight year, this time in five games. Since starting the playoffs with two straight defeats, the Oilers have lost just twice.

The star duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl has powered the Oilers back to the Cup Final, as they seek the franchise’s first championship since 1990 and sixth overall. McDavid and Draisitl are this postseason’s points leaders with 26 and 25, respectively. McDavid could be on his way to a second straight Conn Smythe Trophy after winning the award in a losing effort last year.

But will the NHL’s best player be able to bring the Stanley Cup back to Edmonton? Or will the Panthers double up their Stanley Cup title haul by going back-to-back? From the format to the schedule and more, here’s what to know about the 2025 Cup Final:

Who has home-ice advantage in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final?

Unlike last year, the Oilers will have home-ice advantage in the Cup Final thanks to finishing with more points than Florida in the regular season.

What is the Stanley Cup Final format?

The Cup Final is best-of-seven with a 2-2-1-1-1 format where the team with home-ice advantage hosts Games 1 and 2, along with the potential Games 5 and 7.

When is Game 1 of the Panthers vs. Oilers Stanley Cup Final?

The Cup Final begins Wednesday, June 4 at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

Panthers vs. Oilers Stanley Cup Final schedule

• Game 1: Panthers at Oilers — Wednesday, June 4, 8 p.m. ET
• Game 2: Panthers at Oilers — Friday, June 6, 8 p.m. ET
• Game 3: Oilers at Panthers — Monday, June 9, 8 p.m. ET
• Game 4: Oilers at Panthers — Thursday, June 12, 8 p.m. ET
• Game 5 (if necessary): Panthers at Oilers — Saturday, June 14, 8 p.m. ET
• Game 6 (if necessary): Oilers at Panthers — Tuesday, June 17, 8 p.m. ET
• Game 7 (if necessary): Panthers at Oilers — Friday, June 20, 8 p.m. ET

What TV channel is the Panthers vs. Oilers Stanley Cup Final on?

All Cup Final games will air on TNT and truTV.

Where to stream the Panthers vs. Oilers Stanley Cup Final live online

Oilers-Panthers will also be available to stream on TNTDrama.com, truTV.com, the TNT app, the truTV app and Max.

Since the Carolina Hurricanes signed Montreal Canadiens former player Jesperi Kotkaniemi for a $6.1 million offer sheet in the Summer of 2021, plenty has been written about the centerman, but it has rarely been positive. Earlier in the Eastern Conference final, the soon-to-be 25-year-old was scratched for a couple of games.

On Wednesday night, he was dressed for game five. With the Hurricanes leading 2-0, the center took a terrible holding penalty, which became the turning point of the game. After just 16 seconds on the power play, Matthew Tkachuk cut the Canes’ lead in half, and 30 seconds later, Evan Rodrigues tied up the game. Just over four minutes later, Anton Lundell gave Florida its first lead of the game.

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Carolina managed to even the score in the final frame, but Florida got its lead back within minutes and scored an empty netter through Sam Bennet with less than a minute to go. The Panthers took the game 5-3 and the series 4-1. One can wonder if this will be the last time we see Kotkaniemi wear the Hurricanes jersey.

After his penalty, he only took five more shifts during the game and was the forward who saw the least ice time for Carolina with just 9:31. He still has five years left on the eight-year $38.56 M contract he signed with the Canes in March 2022.

Even though the contract has a reasonable $4.82 M cap hit, the Hurricanes cannot be pleased with the Finn’s performances since signing the extension. He never scored more than 43 points in a season, and that was in the 2022-23 season. Since then, he has posted seasons of 27 and 33 points and has moved up and down the lineup.

“It’s not like just a turnover or some other mistake, that was such a dumb thing to do.”

The panel discusses Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s penalty that tipped the momentum Florida’s way. pic.twitter.com/pXPX4Io6oK

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 29, 2025

From the 2026-27 season, a modified no-trade clause will kick in in his contract, which will allow him to submit a 10-team no-trade list. Could the Canes manage to trade him this offseason? It would be surprising, given the term left on his deal and the fact that his numbers are not exactly trending in the right direction.

It'd cost Carolina $8,413,333 to buy him out, as they’d be on the hook for $841,333 per year for 10 years. This is not a huge penalty, and it will be up to the front office to determine what’s worse: a 10-year financial penalty or a player who has fallen out of favor with the coach and can no longer perform consistently.

While it was a mistake for the Canadiens to draft Kotkaniemi with the third-overall pick in 2018, it certainly wasn’t one to let him go when he signed the offer sheet with Carolina.

Photo Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

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The San Jose Sharks have announced that they have signed former New Jersey Devils first-round pick Shakir Mukhamadullin to a one-year, $1 million contract extension for the 2025-26 season. 

Shak's back 🙌

The Sharks have re-signed defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin to a one-year contract.

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) May 29, 2025

Mukhamadullin, 23, was selected by the Devils as the 20th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-4 defenseman never ended up playing a game for the Devils. This is because he was one of the main pieces the Devils sent to the Sharks to acquire star forward Timo Meier during the 2022-23 season. He did, however, play in three playoff games for the Devils' AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, back in 2022. 

Mukhamadullin appeared in 30 games this season with the Sharks, posting new career highs with two goals, seven assists, nine points, 25 hits, and 51 blocks. He also recorded nine assists in 21 games with their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. Overall, the young blueliner took a nice step in the right direction this season and will look to continue to improve after earning this new contract. 

Mukhamadullin has played in 33 career NHL games over two seasons with the Sharks, where he has two goals, 10 points, and a minus-7 rating. While the former Devil is still looking to break out at the NHL level, his future is looking bright, and he should have a more significant role with San Jose next season.

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Photo Credit: © Daniel DeLoach / The Observer-Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK