2024 Stanley Cup Final
The 2024 Stanley Cup Final was the championship series of the National Hockey League's 2023-24 season, culminating in the Florida Panthers defeating the Edmonton Oilers four games to three to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The series, which ran from June 8 to June 24, 2024, marked the Panthers' second consecutive Final appearance and the Oilers' first since 2006. It set a record for the greatest distance between competing cities in an NHL championship series at 4,089 kilometres. The Panthers' victory in a tense seventh game at home made them the first team since the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes to win a Cup Final Game 7 on their own ice.
Paths to the Final
The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers took divergent routes to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, each overcoming significant challenges during the regular season and playoffs. The Oilers, appearing in their eighth Final and seeking their first championship since 1990, endured a tumultuous start to the season with a 3-9-1 record, leading to the firing of head coach Jay Woodcroft and his replacement by Kris Knoblauch. Under Knoblauch, the team rebounded dramatically, finishing second in the Pacific Division with 104 points (49-27-6). Captain Connor McDavid led the NHL with 132 points, including 100 assists, becoming the first player since Wayne Gretzky in 1990-91 to reach the century mark in helpers. The Oilers' playoff path included a five-game victory over the Los Angeles Kings, a seven-game series win against the Vancouver Canucks, and a six-game triumph over the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final.
The Florida Panthers, making their third overall and second consecutive Final appearance, entered the postseason with the experience of having lost the 2023 championship to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Panthers fortified their roster in the offseason by signing key free agents like defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and forward Evan Rodrigues, and later adding veteran scorer Vladimir Tarasenko at the trade deadline. Sam Reinhart led the team with 57 goals and 94 points during the regular season, as Florida claimed the Atlantic Division title with 110 points (52-24-6). Their playoff run featured a five-game victory over state rival Tampa Bay Lightning, a six-game win against the Boston Bruins in a second-round rematch, and a six-game defeat of the Presidents' Trophy-winning New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final.
Series Summary and Key Moments
The 2024 Stanley Cup Final was a tale of two halves, defined by Florida's early dominance and Edmonton's historic comeback push. The Panthers seized control of the series with three consecutive victories, beginning with a 3-0 shutout in Game 1 behind goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. They extended their lead with a 4-1 win in Game 2, highlighted by two goals from Evan Rodrigues, and a narrow 4-3 victory in Game 3 despite a late Oilers rally. Facing elimination and the threat of a sweep in Game 4, the Oilers erupted for an 8-1 victory, a game in which Connor McDavid set a new single-season playoff record with his 32nd assist. This sparked an unprecedented comeback, as Edmonton became just the third team in Final history and the first since 1945 to force a seventh game after trailing 3-0.
The Oilers' resurgence continued with a 5-3 win in Game 5 and a commanding 5-1 victory in Game 6, setting the stage for a decisive Game 7 in Sunrise, Florida. The final game was a tense, defensive battle. Carter Verhaeghe opened the scoring for Florida in the first period, but Mattias Janmark tied it for Edmonton on a breakaway. The game's turning point came in the second period when Sam Reinhart scored the eventual Cup-winning goal, snapping a wrist shot past Stuart Skinner.
Statistical Highlights and Records
The 2024 Final was notable for several individual and team achievements that etched new entries into the NHL record books. He became only the sixth player, and the first skater since Reggie Leach in 1976, to win the award as a member of the losing team. McDavid also broke Wayne Gretzky's single-playoff assist record with 34, a mark he set during Edmonton's Game 4 rout. For the Panthers, Aleksander Barkov made history by becoming the first Finnish-born captain to hoist the Stanley Cup.
The series itself set a geographical record, with the 4,089-kilometre distance between Edmonton and Sunrise breaking the previous mark set in the 2011 Final. It was also the first championship series since 2018 to not require any overtime periods. Corey Perry of the Oilers participated in his fifth Stanley Cup Final with his fifth different team (Anaheim, Dallas, Montreal, Tampa Bay, Edmonton), a unique NHL achievement. The Panthers' victory contributed to a streak of five consecutive Finals featuring a team from the state of Florida, reflecting the region's sustained competitive success in the league.
- Connor McDavid set a playoff record with 34 assists in a single postseason.
- The series set a record for the greatest distance between Final opponents (4,089 km).
- Edmonton became the third team in Final history to force a Game 7 after trailing 3-0.
- Florida became the first team since the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes to win a Cup Final Game 7 at home.
- It was the first Final since 1945 to see a team force a seventh game after being down 3-0.
Game-by-Game Results
The following table details the score, winning goaltender, and venue for each game of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers held home-ice advantage due to their superior regular-season record, hosting Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. The Oilers hosted Games 3, 4, and 6 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. The series followed a pattern where the home team won every game, a rarity in a seven-game series. Florida's victories in Games 1, 2, and 7 at home were decisive in securing the championship, while Edmonton's wins in Games 4 and 6 at Rogers Place demonstrated their offensive firepower when playing in front of their home crowd.
| Game | Date | Score | Winning Goaltender | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 8 | Florida 3-0 | Sergei Bobrovsky (FLA) | Sunrise, FL |
| 2 | June 10 | Florida 4-1 | Sergei Bobrovsky (FLA) | Sunrise, FL |
| 7 | June 24 | Florida 2-1 | Sergei Bobrovsky (FLA) | Sunrise, FL |
Stanley Cup Engraving and Roster Notes
Following their Game 7 victory, the Florida Panthers had the names of their players, coaches, and staff engraved on the Stanley Cup. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman presented the Cup to captain Aleksander Barkov. A total of 53 names were engraved on the Cup for the 2024 champions, one more than the standard 52, due to an exemption granted for two players. Defenceman Josh Mahura, who missed the entire playoffs due to injury, and forward Jonah Gadjovich, a healthy scratch throughout the postseason, were included after a successful team request. Notably, Sam Reinhart's name was engraved as 'Samson' and Nick Cousins as 'Nicholas'.
The engraving included several individuals with unique connections to the trophy. Carter Verhaeghe became the first player to have his name on the Cup with both Florida-based NHL teams, having previously won with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020. Panthers special advisor to hockey operations Roberto Luongo saw his name engraved for the first time, after previously losing in the Final as a player in 2011 and as an executive in 2023. Patric Hornqvist, a scouting and development consultant, had his name added after winning twice as a player with Pittsburgh. Eleven players who were on the roster during the Final but did not qualify for engraving, including Spencer Knight and Tobias Bjornfot, received championship rings.
- 53 total names were engraved, exceeding the standard 52.
- Exemptions were granted for Josh Mahura (D) and Jonah Gadjovich (LW).
- Carter Verhaeghe first player on Cup for both Florida teams (Panthers, Lightning).
- Roberto Luongo engraved for first time after previous Final losses in 2011 and 2023.
- Patric Hornqvist engraved for third time (2016, 2017 with Pittsburgh. 2024 with Florida).
Broadcast and Media Coverage
The 2024 Stanley Cup Final reached audiences across North America through a comprehensive broadcast and streaming agreement. In Canada, the series marked the tenth consecutive year the Final was broadcast by Sportsnet and CBC Television in English, and by TVA Sports in French. Games were streamed on Sportsnet+, though they were not available on the CBC Gem platform as in previous years. In the United States, the series aired on ABC and was streamed on ESPN+, continuing the third year of a seven-year deal where ABC televises the Final in even-numbered years. A landmark moment in sports broadcasting occurred during this series, as it was the first Stanley Cup Final to offer a live broadcast with commentary and analysis in American Sign Language (ASL) for the Deaf community, available on both ESPN+ and Sportsnet+.
The media coverage highlighted the compelling narrative of Edmonton's historic comeback attempt and Florida's quest for its first title. The record distance between the cities also became a frequent topic of discussion. The ASL broadcast, a significant step toward greater accessibility, featured interpreters providing analysis alongside the traditional video feed, allowing Deaf and hard-of-hearing fans to experience the commentary and nuances of the game in real time. This initiative was widely praised as an important inclusion in major sports broadcasting, and it represented a notable advancement in making the championship series more accessible to all fans.
Questions about 2024 Stanley Cup Final
Who won the 2024 Stanley Cup Final?
The Florida Panthers won the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, defeating the Edmonton Oilers four games to three. They clinched the championship with a 2-1 victory in Game 7 on June 24, 2024, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. This was the first Stanley Cup title in the Panthers' 30-year franchise history, after losing in their two previous Final appearances in 1996 and 2023. Captain Aleksander Barkov became the first Finnish-born captain to hoist the Cup.
What record did the 2024 Final set for distance?
The 2024 Stanley Cup Final set a record for the greatest distance between the home cities of the two competing teams in NHL history. The distance between Edmonton, Alberta, and Sunrise, Florida, is 4,089 kilometres (2,541 miles). This broke the previous record of 4,023 km set in the 2011 Final between the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins. The vast travel distance was a logistical storyline throughout the series, which followed a 2-2-1-1-1 format.
How did the Edmonton Oilers almost come back from a 3-0 series deficit?
After losing the first three games of the series, the Edmonton Oilers won Games 4, 5, and 6 to force a decisive Game 7. They avoided a sweep with an emphatic 8-1 win in Game 4, where Connor McDavid set the playoff assist record. They then won 5-3 in Game 5 and 5-1 in Game 6. This made them the third team in Stanley Cup Final history, and the first since the 1945 Detroit Red Wings, to force a seventh game after trailing 3-0. However, they fell short in the final game, losing 2-1 to the Panthers.
Which players had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup for the first time in 2024?
Many Florida Panthers players and staff had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup for the first time in 2024. This included captain Aleksander Barkov, goal scorer Sam Reinhart, and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. Special advisor Roberto Luongo was engraved for the first time after previous Final losses as a player and executive. Exemption requests allowed defenceman Josh Mahura and forward Jonah Gadjovich to be included despite not meeting the standard games-played requirement.
How was the 2024 Stanley Cup Final broadcast in Canada?
In Canada, the 2024 Stanley Cup Final was broadcast on Sportsnet and CBC Television in English. It was also broadcast on TVA Sports in French. This marked the tenth consecutive year under this broadcast arrangement. Games were also streamed on Sportsnet+. A historic first for the Final was the introduction of an American Sign Language broadcast stream available on Sportsnet+.
Why did Connor McDavid win the Conn Smythe Trophy if his team lost?
Connor McDavid won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2024 playoffs because of his historic individual performance, even though the Edmonton Oilers lost the Stanley Cup Final. He set a new single season playoff record with 34 assists, breaking a mark previously held by Wayne Gretzky. McDavid became the sixth player overall and the first since Jean-Sebastien Giguere in 2003 to receive the Conn Smythe from the losing team. He also joined Reggie Leach in 1976 as only the second skater to achieve this feat. The trophy is awarded for the most valuable player throughout the entire postseason, not exclusively to a champion.
Sources and further reading
- 2024 Stanley Cup Final (Wikipedia)
- 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Final: EDM vs. FLA (hockey-reference.com)
- Sportsnet Announces 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs ... (rogerssportsandmedia.com)
Checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-19.
