Honestly, the Stanley Cup Final 2024 felt less like a hockey series and more like a collective fever dream that wouldn't end. One week, the Florida Panthers look like an invincible machine, suffocating every ounce of life out of Edmonton. The next? They’re getting boat-raced 8-1 in Alberta, and everyone is wondering if the biggest choke in sports history is actually happening.
Hockey is weird like that.
If you just looked at the box scores, you’d see a 4-3 series win for Florida. You’d see a "1" next to the Panthers' name in the history books for their first-ever franchise title. But that doesn’t even begin to cover the sheer insanity of what went down between June 8 and June 24. It was the first time since 1945 that a team came back from 3-0 down to force a Game 7 in the final. Think about that. Nearly 80 years of hockey, and we almost saw the impossible.
The Night the Stanley Cup Final 2024 Changed Everything
Most people point to Game 4 as the turning point. Florida was up 3-0. The Cup was in the building. The champagne was likely on ice. Then, the Edmonton Oilers decided to turn into the 1985 version of themselves. They put eight goals past Sergei Bobrovsky and the Florida defense. 8-1.
It wasn't just a win; it was a statement.
Suddenly, the Panthers looked slow. Older. Panicked. By the time the series got back to Sunrise for Game 7, the momentum wasn't just in Edmonton's favor—it was a freight train. But Game 7 is where the "vibe" of the series shifted back to reality. It was a 2-1 grinder. No flashy 8-goal outbursts. Just two teams hitting each other until one stayed down.
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Who Actually Won the War of Attrition?
Florida won because they had Aleksander Barkov. You can talk about Matthew Tkachuk’s "clutch gene" or Bobrovsky’s save percentage, but Barkov was the guy. He became the first Finnish captain to hoist the Cup, and honestly, the way he neutralized the best players in the world was borderline illegal.
Look at the stats. Barkov was basically glued to Connor McDavid’s hip. In Game 7, McDavid—the guy who had just put up back-to-back four-point games—was held pointless. Barkov ended the playoffs with 22 points and a Selke Trophy-level defensive masterclass. He’s the engine. Tkachuk might be the face of the franchise, but Barkov is the reason they didn't completely fall apart when Edmonton started the comeback.
The McDavid Paradox: MVP in a Loss
We have to talk about the Conn Smythe. It’s kinda awkward, right? Giving the MVP trophy to the guy who just lost.
Connor McDavid became only the sixth player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy on the losing team. The last skater to do it was Reggie Leach back in 1976. McDavid finished with 42 points in 25 games. That is the fourth-highest total in a single postseason ever. Only Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux have done better.
- McDavid’s Stats: 8 goals, 34 assists, 42 points.
- The Milestone: He broke Gretzky's record for most assists in a single postseason.
- The Reality: He didn't even come out of the locker room to collect the trophy.
Can you blame him? You put up historic numbers, you drag your team from the brink of a sweep to a Game 7, and you lose by one goal. That’s a heavy pill to swallow. There’s a lot of debate about whether the MVP should always come from the winning team, but honestly, nobody else was even close to McDavid’s impact.
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Why Edmonton’s Power Play Died
The Oilers lived and died by their power play all season. But in the final, Florida’s penalty kill was a nightmare. They killed off 34 consecutive penalties at one point. In Game 2, Evan Rodrigues (the unsung hero of this series) broke a tie on the power play, effectively ending Edmonton’s streak of dominance.
If Edmonton converts just one more of those chances in Game 3 or Game 7, we’re talking about a very different parade.
What Really Happened in Game 7?
It wasn't a masterpiece. It was a slugfest. Carter Verhaeghe opened the scoring early for Florida, just about five minutes in. Then Mattias Janmark tied it up almost immediately for Edmonton. For a second, it felt like we were headed for a triple-overtime heartbreaker.
But then Sam Reinhart happened.
Late in the second period, Reinhart took a shot off the rush that beat Stuart Skinner short-side. 2-1. That was it. The third period was just 20 minutes of Florida parking the bus and Edmonton throwing everything including the kitchen sink at Bobrovsky.
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The Final Scoreboard:
- Florida Panthers: 2
- Edmonton Oilers: 1
- Series: FLA wins 4-3
Actionable Insights for Hockey Fans
If you're looking back at this series to understand where the NHL is heading, here’s what you need to take away.
First, the "heavy" style of play isn't dead. Florida won because they were physically exhausting to play against. They didn't just out-skill Edmonton; they out-worked them in the corners. If you’re building a fantasy team or betting on future seasons, look for teams that prioritize "takeaways." Barkov led the league in that category for a reason.
Second, depth scoring is more important than superstar production in June. While McDavid was doing God-tier things, Florida got crucial goals from guys like Evan Rodrigues and Niko Mikkola.
Finally, keep an eye on the "Canadian Curse." It’s now been over 30 years since a Canadian team won the Cup (Montreal in 1993). Edmonton was inches away. Literally inches. McDavid had a tip in the third period of Game 7 that went over the crossbar by a hair.
The 2024 Final proved that while stars sell tickets, defensive structure and a brick-wall goalie (when he's "on") win championships. Florida survived the scare of a lifetime, but they earned that ring.
Check the 2024-25 standings to see how these two teams are handling the "Cup hangover." Often, the loser of a Game 7 final comes back even hungrier—just look at what Florida did after losing in 2023.