The Edmonton Oilers fell short again in the Stanley Cup Final, and fans were not the only ones disappointed. Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, who once led the team to glory, had some strong words after the loss. The comments came right after the Oilers lost to the Florida Panthers in Game 6. But what exactly did Gretzky say that got everyone talking?
Wayne Gretzky questions Oilers’ goalie decision after Game 6 loss
On Tuesday, June 18, 2025, the Edmonton Oilers lost 5-1 to the Florida Panthers in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. The match took place at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. Stuart Skinner started in goal for Edmonton after being benched in Games 4 and 5. He stopped 20 out of 23 shots, but Florida added two empty-net goals in the third period, making the final score look even worse.
After the game, Wayne Gretzky appeared on Turner Sports to talk about what went wrong. Gretzky, who played for the Oilers from 1979 to 1988 and helped them win four Stanley Cups, didn’t hold back. He focused on the team’s goalie situation. “Is this our goalie or not? They gotta solidify that,” Gretzky said. “You can’t go into Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals and switch your goaltenders. That’s very rare that it’s ever happened.”
His comments pointed to the uncertainty the Oilers showed when they changed goalies during the most important games of the season. While Skinner was chosen again for Game 6, the earlier decisions raised concerns for Gretzky and many others watching.
Edmonton Oilers struggle again in the Stanley Cup Final
The loss marked the second year in a row that the Edmonton Oilers were defeated by the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final. They also came up short in 2024. The team’s last championship win came back in 1990, just two years after they traded Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. Since then, the Oilers have had ups and downs but haven’t been able to return to the top.
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Wayne Gretzky’s words have added more pressure on the Oilers to fix their issues before the next season begins.
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