Back in 1993, the Montreal Canadiens hoisted the Stanley Cup, marking the last time a Canadian team won the NHL championship. At the time, Canadian dominance felt like a given. Between 1984 and 1990, a Canadian team won the Cup in seven straight seasons—five times by the Edmonton Oilers, and once each by Calgary and Montreal. From 1982 through 1990, a Canadian franchise made it to the Final every single year, with all-Canada matchups in 1986 and 1989.
But since 1993, the Cup has eluded Canadian hands. The Vancouver Canucks came close in 1994 but fell short. Then came a long absence—no Canadian team returned to the Final until 2004. Now, in 2025, the Edmonton Oilers are once again taking their shot, hoping to end a decades-long drought after narrowly missing out in last season’s heartbreak against the Florida Panthers.
The Last Time Canada Won It All
The 1993 Canadiens lifted the Cup on the back of goaltender Patrick Roy’s brilliance, a stunning streak of 10 overtime wins, and a bold stick measurement challenge that changed the tide of the Final. In Game 2, trailing late against the Los Angeles Kings, Montreal’s coach Jacques Demers called out Marty McSorley’s illegal stick. Defenseman Eric Desjardins scored on the resulting power play and again in overtime. The Habs went on to win the series in five games.
“We knew McSorley wouldn’t switch sticks,” Demers recalled years later. “We didn’t act in Game 1, but when the time came, we took our shot.”
Why Has Canada Gone So Long Without a Cup?
Part of the answer lies in economics. In the years following 1993, the weak Canadian dollar hurt NHL franchises north of the border. Revenues came in Canadian dollars, but player salaries were paid in U.S. dollars, putting teams at a disadvantage. Star players were hard to keep—until the 2005 salary cap and revenue-sharing measures leveled the financial playing field.
Meanwhile, franchises moved. The Quebec Nordiques became the Colorado Avalanche in 1995 and won the Cup in their first season after trading for Patrick Roy. A year later, the Winnipeg Jets relocated to Arizona, becoming the Coyotes (now the Utah Mammoth). It wasn’t until 2011 that Canada got another team, when the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg.
Today, the NHL has 25 American teams and just seven based in Canada. The odds are stacked against a northern win—but not impossible.
Canadian Teams That Came Close
Since Montreal’s last triumph, several Canadian teams have reached the Stanley Cup Final, only to fall short:
- 1994: The Canucks forced a Game 7 but lost to the Rangers.
- 2004: The Flames came within a whisker in Game 6 before losing Game 7 to Tampa Bay.
- 2006: The Oilers clawed back from a 3-1 deficit, only to lose Game 7 to Carolina.
- 2007: Ottawa fell in five games to Anaheim.
- 2011: Vancouver lost Game 7 at home after blowing two series leads against Boston.
- 2021: Montreal’s magical run ended in five games against Tampa Bay.
- 2024: Edmonton stormed back from a 0-3 hole, only to lose Game 7 to Florida.
Is This the Oilers’ Moment?
Maybe. The Oilers return to the Final wiser, tougher, and with home-ice advantage. They know what to expect from the Panthers, and the moment doesn’t feel as overwhelming.
“It feels less big,” said Connor McDavid, comparing this year’s run to last year’s. “Last year was dramatic. This year feels normal.”
McDavid and Leon Draisaitl—two top picks from 2015 and 2014—lead a team filled with homegrown talent like Evan Bouchard, Darnell Nurse, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Stuart Skinner. They’re supported by savvy acquisitions such as Mattias Ekholm, Corey Perry, Evander Kane, and more.
Zach Hyman remains out, but overall, the roster is healthier and deeper than a year ago. More importantly, they’re playing structured, disciplined hockey—the kind that wins Cups. For a hockey-mad nation desperate for glory, the Oilers may just be the team that finally ends the wait.
