The Edmonton Oilers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight season with an 6-3 win against the Dallas Stars in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final at American Airlines Center on Thursday.
The Oilers will play the Florida Panthers in a rematch of their seven-game loss in the 2024 Final. They seek their sixth NHL championship and first since 1990, when they defeated the Boston Bruins in five games for their fifth title in a seven-year span.
Fourteen players on the Oilers roster played at least one game in the Cup Final last season. Forward Corey Perry is the only one to have played at least one game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for Edmonton this season who has won the Stanley Cup, with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. It is the fifth time in six seasons Perry has been in the Final, including the past two with the Oilers. He previously made it three straight seasons with the Stars in 2020, the Montreal Canadiens in 2021 and Tampa Bay Lightning in 2022, losing all three.
Of the 25 players to play at least one postseason game, 10 signed in free agency, eight were acquired via trade, six were selected by Edmonton in the NHL Draft, and one was claimed off waivers.
Here's how the roster of this Stanley Cup finalist was built, with background on the coaching staff and general manager:
FORWARDS
Viktor Arvidsson, LW: Signed as a free agent July 1, 2024, Arvidsson had 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) in 67 regular-season games and has five points (one goal, four assists) in 11 playoff games.
Connor Brown, RW: Signed as a free agent July 1, 2023, Brown had 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 82 regular-season games and has eight points (five goals, three assists) in 14 playoff games.
Leon Draisaitl, C: Selected with the No. 3 pick of the 2014 NHL Draft, Draisaitl had 106 points (52 goals, 54 assists) in 71 regular-season games and has 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) in 16 playoff games.
Trent Frederic, C: Acquired in a three-team trade with the Bruins and New Jersey Devils on March 4, 2025, for forward Shane Lachance, Frederic had no points in one regular-season game for the Oilers and has four points (one goal, three assists) in 16 playoff games.
Adam Henrique, C: Acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in a three-team trade also involving the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 6 with forward Sam Carrick for a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, a fourth-round pick in the 2026 draft and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, Henrique had 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 81 regular-season games and has six points (four goals, two assists) in 16 playoff games.
Zach Hyman, LW: Signed as a free agent July 28, 2021, Hyman had 44 points (27 goals, 17 assists) in 73 regular-season games and has 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 15 playoff games. He was injured in Game 4 and will likely miss the rest of the postseason.
Mattias Janmark, C: Signed as a free agent July 17, 2022, Janmark had 18 points (two goals, 16 assists) in 80 regular-season games and has four points (three goals, one assist) in 16 playoff games.
Evander Kane, LW: Signed as a free agent Jan. 27, 2022, Kane did not play in the regular-season following surgery and has 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 15 playoff games.
Kasperi Kapanen, RW: Claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 19. 2024, Kapanen had 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 57 games for the Oilers and has three goals in seven playoff games.
Connor McDavid, C: Selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, McDavid had 100 points (26 goals, 74 assists) in 67 regular-season games and has 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 16 playoff games.
