It’s been 32 years since the Stanley Cup headed to the Great White North, when Patrick Roy and the Montreal Canadiens took down Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings in five games. Since 1993, it’s been a doldrums for Canadian squads, but 2025 could prove the year that the Cup finally returns North.
Five Canadian teams have punched tickets to the 2025 NHL playoffs, with the Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens slated for postseason play. That the best Canadian postseason representation since 2017.
With Canada well-represented, there’s no stretch of the imagination required to envision one of these squads snapping the nation’s Stanley Cup drought.
Here’s a look at the current Stanley Cup sports betting odds followed by a closer look at each of the Canadian contenders:
Edmonton Oilers ()
Edmonton’s Leon Draisatl led the league with 52 goals through Wednesday, but the Oilers are banged up heading into the playoffs. They will be without defenseman Matias Ekholm for the first-round series against the Kings, and center Connor McDavid and winger Zach Hyman have each been ruled out of the series’ first game as a precaution.
The Oilers are no stranger to the injury bug — they’ve battled them throughout the 2024-2025 campaign and still finished near the top of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. If Edmonton can persevere through the injury setbacks, they are one of the most dangerous teams in the playoff field — and stand the best shot at bringing the Cup back to Canada.
Edmonton of course came close last season, taking the eventual Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers to seven games.
Winnipeg Jets ()
Winners of the Western Conference and the Presidents’ Trophy, the Winnipeg Jets have all the on-paper accolades but none of the postseason success to back up its claim as top Canadian team to compete for the Cup.
The Jets were summarily bounced in the first round of the playoffs the last two seasons after winning only a combined two games in series against the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche, and should Winnipeg hope to advance this year, they will need to prove that they’re not just regular season paper tigers.
Toronto Maple Leafs ()
Perennial playoff disappointment has told the tale of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but in 2025 they’re looking to turn the page — and could be the team to bring the Stanley Cup across the border.
The Leafs have only won one playoff series in 19 seasons, but ascendant forward Matthew Knies may be the one to propel them through the postseason. In just his second full year in Toronto, Knies has already carved out a reputation as a producer when it counts — look no further than his recent playoff performances.
Knies provided the assist to captain John Tavares in Game 6 against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2023 playoffs, becoming a key cog in Toronto’s first postseason series win since 2004. He followed up that moment the next year, netting an overtime goal against the Boston Bruins in Game 5 to keep the Maple Leafs alive.
Knies is made for big moments, and Toronto will need them in its Stanley Cup hunt.
Ottawa Senators ()
A renewed Battle of Ontario is on tap for the Ottawa Senators in the opening round of the 2025 postseason. The Senators will meet the Toronto Maple Leafs in the postseason for the first time in 21 years, and should Ottawa take down their provincial rivals, they could make some noise in the next round.
Young stars Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle have proved a lethal offensive pair this season, combining for 52 goals and 79 assists. The Senators are 8-16 against the Maple Leafs all-time in the playoffs, but have won the previous five of their most-recent meetings dating back to 2023.
Montreal Canadiens ()
By far the biggest longshot for Canada’s hopes for an NHL championship belong to the team that last won it for the country: the Montreal Canadiens.
The Habs punched their postseason ticket on the penultimate game of the season, besting the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2. They’re set to face Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals in the opening round, which does not bode well for the Canadiens’ playoff hopes.
While only Edmonton cracks the top five in odds to take home a championship, anything can happen in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
With its most participants since 2017, Canada has the teams in the fold that could finally quench its championship drought.
