Less than 12 hours after losing to them in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, oddsmakers at a majority of sportsbooks listed the Edmonton Oilers as favorites over the Florida Panthers in the 2026 NHL title series.

A long NHL season, one that lasted 256 days to be exact, has officially come to a close. The 2025 Stanley Cup Final concluded Tuesday, when the Florida Panthers outlasted the Edmonton Oilers in six games to claim their second straight championship.

The Edmonton Oilers were inches from reaching the NHL's mountaintop, but ultimately fell short in this year's pursuit of the Stanley Cup. For the second consecutive season, the Florida Panthers defeated the Oilers to capture Lord Stanley's Cup.