Stanley Cup Final rematches: How Panthers-Oilers join Penguins-Red Wings, other back-to-back matchups

It isn’t easy to reach the Stanley Cup Final in one season, let alone two. So when there’s a matchup of the same two teams in the championship, it goes down in the record books. 

In the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, the Florida Panthers will once again skate against the Edmonton Oilers after each squad emerged from their conference for the second-straight season. While Florida is seeking to become the first NHL squad to go back-to-back with titles since the Lightning in 2020 and 2021, Edmonton is seeking revenge and its first title since 1990.

While the feat of both teams reaching the Stanley Cup Final in two straight seasons is certainly challenging, it has been accomplished before. In fact, prior to 2025, four NHL title matchups have been a repeat of the previous season.

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Here’s what to know about the history of Stanley Cup Final rematches.

MORE: Start date, times, TV schedule and more to know about the 2025 Stanley Cup Final

How many Stanley Cup Final rematches have there been?

With the 2025 rematch between the Panthers and Oilers included, there have now been five Stanley Cup Final rematches since the start of the expansion era in the 1967-68 season.

Only one of the previous four rematches has come in the 21st century, however. The first-ever title rematch was between the Canadiens and Blues in 1969. Montreal won both of those Stanley Cup Final matchups, sweeping the Blues in consecutive seasons.

Nearly a decade later, the Canadiens did it again, beating the same opponent in the Stanley Cup Final in two straight years. That time it was the Bruins, who lost the title matchup in both 1977 and 1978.

MORE: When was the last time the Oilers won the Stanley Cup?

The other two instances of Stanley Cup Final rematches prior to 2025 were in 1983 and 1984, when the Islanders and Oilers each won one championship over each other, and in 2008 and 2009, when the Red Wings and Penguins swapped titles while facing each other.

Here’s a full breakdown of the now-five Stanley Cup Final rematches:

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When was the last Stanley Cup Final rematch?

Prior to 2025, the last time two teams met in the Stanley Cup Final for the second-straight season was in 2008 and 2009. The Red Wings and Penguins met in each of those two Stanley Cup Finals, and they also each came away with one title.

Detroit won the series in six games in 2008, but the Penguins got some revenge in 2009 by beating the Red Wings in seven games.