Oilers vs. Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Final Would Be Good for Hockey

The Toronto Maple Leafs are two for two in Alberta this February after beating the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on Feb. 1 and the Calgary Flames 6-3 on Feb. 4. The game against the Oilers on Hockey Night in Canada on Feb. 1 was one of the best games of the season with the Oilers appearing tying the game late in the 3rd period after falling behind 3-0 after the first period.

The apparent tying goal was eventually nullified after a video review that showed new Oiler and former Maple Leaf John Klingberg offside, and despite a furious push by the Oilers in the final minute, the Leafs and their goaltender Joseph Woll managed to seal the victory for the Buds. Could you imagine a seven game series between these two teams? It would be epic.

An Oilers/Maple Leafs Showdown Would Be Must-See TV

Considering all the star power that both teams possess from Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard to Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner, an Oilers/Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Final would be great hockey.

If both teams can somehow get through their respective conferences, an Edmonton/Toronto Stanley Cup Final would not only be epic but it would be good for hockey. The television numbers, especially in Canada, would be through the roof and the drama itself would be something hockey fans have never seen or experienced before.

Sure there’s been dramatic and intense Stanley Cup Finals over the years, but an Oilers/Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Final would blow the doors off of any Final that’s been played before including the great Maple Leafs/Montreal Canadien Finals of the 1950s and 60s mainly because of the hype created through modern media exposure. Social media, The Hockey Writers, TSN, Sportsnet, and all hockey-based media would be a buzz and no doubt raise the exposure of the Final and the temperatures of both fan bases across Canada.

No Canadian Based Team Has Won the Stanley Cup Since 1993

The last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup was in 1993 when Montreal rode Patrick Roy‘s red-hot goaltending to beat the Los Angeles Kings in five games. That’s a 32-year drought for a Canadian team, way too long in my opinion. But change could be in the air this season as the Oilers, Maple Leafs, and Winnipeg Jets are three of the best teams in the league. A Jets/Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Final would be great. But as an Oilers fan since 1979, there would be nothing better than to see McDavid win it all and cement his legacy as one of the greatest players who ever played the game.

An All-Canadian Stanley Cup Final Would Be Good for Canadians

I’m a proud Canadian and I’m also a proud hockey fan. I admit I cheered for the Philadelphia Flyers in the mid 1970s and enjoyed watching Bernie Parent win back-to-back Conn Smythe Trophies in 1974 and 1975. However, right now I’d love nothing more than to see an Oilers/Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Final.

Even though the world has caught up to Canada and even surpassed us in some areas when it comes to hockey, an all-Canadian Stanley Cup Final would be good for Canadians, and possibly give us a reprieve from all the political uncertainty we’ve faced recently.

An All Canadian Stanley Cup Final Would Be Epic

The Oilers and Maple Leafs match up well on paper with high-octane offensive units and capable blueliners but the difference could come down to goaltending. I’m not sure if I’d give the nod to the Maple Leafs with Woll and Anthony Stolarz or the Oilers with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. Right now it’s a bit of a toss up, but we’ll see what happens down the stretch and into the playoffs.

It feels like a Canadian team is due to win the Stanley Cup and this could be the season that it happens. If the Oilers and Maple Leafs were to meet in the Stanley Cup Final and play as intensely as they did on Feb. 1, hockey fans would be in for a truly memorable series. If you’re an Oilers fan, losing to the Leafs would be one of the worst outcomes imaginable. If you’re a Maple Leafs fan, losing to the Oilers after getting to your first Stanley Cup Final in 58 years would be devastating. That’s why if hockey fans are lucky enough to have an Oilers/Maple Leaf Stanley Cup Final, it would be one of the most intense and hardest-fought series we may ever witness. Here’s hoping we get to see it this spring.