The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames may not need to wait another 31 years to face off in the playoffs. A rematch between these two bitter rivals, once a distant possibility, now feels increasingly likely as the 2024-25 NHL season unfolds.
The Oilers entered the season as Stanley Cup favourites. They’ve lived up to the hype, as they currently sit first in the Pacific Division with a 32-15-3 record.
In contrast, the Calgary Flames have exceeded expectations. Despite entering the season in what was supposed to be a rebuilding phase, they’ve fought hard to a 24-18-7 record, good enough for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
NHL.com
If the playoffs were to begin today, the Flames would be facing the Winnipeg Jets in the first round. However, there’s still plenty of season left, leaving the door open for a potential Battle of Alberta playoff series.
The Oilers, just six points behind the Jets with two games in hand for first place in the Western Conference, could surpass them and end up facing whichever team holds the second wild-card position.
Fans throughout Alberta would love to see a rematch between these two bitter rivals, with the last in the playoffs coming just three years ago, where they met up in the second round.
The Flames entered that series as favourites, having placed seven points ahead of the Oilers in the regular season standings. They were unable to come out on top, however, falling in just five games.
Following that defeat, the Flames underwent significant changes. Johnny Gaudreau left as a free agent, signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Matthew Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers in a blockbuster deal that saw Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar head to Calgary.
Head-to-head results in 2024-25
So far this season, the teams have split their two meetings. In October, the Flames took a 4-1 victory in Edmonton, but the Oilers got revenge with a 4-2 win in Calgary in November. The two teams will meet once more on March 29 at Rogers Place, setting the stage for a potential playoff rematch.
The Oilers haven’t been able to hoist the Stanley Cup yet but have continued to remain an elite team since that series three years ago. The Flames, on the other hand, were forced to head into more of a rebuilding direction. That would only make this matchup all the more intriguing.
Should they meet up, the Flames would be playing with the house’s money. There would be zero pressure on them given the low expectations they had entering the season. The Oilers, meanwhile, would be entering it with the weight of the world on their shoulders.
After losing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last year, anything short of a championship would feel like a failure.
Few would give the Flames any sort of chance should they meet the Oilers in the playoffs. That said, this is a group that has had the odds stacked against them all season and is taking great pride in proving everybody wrong. An opportunity to do so against their provincial rival in a playoff series is a task that they, and their fanbase, would welcome with open arms.
- You might also like:
- Golf star Rory McIlroy is apparently a big Edmonton Oilers fan