Who should Bruins' fans be rooting for in the Stanley Cup Finals?

Well, the time has arrived fans. We have arrived at the Stanley Cup Finals. The matchup: the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers.

The Panthers came three wins away from winning it all last year, falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. Florida is still in search of its first championship in its 20 year history, despite making it three times to the Cup Finals. Their opponents, however, have a bit of a different history with the end of season series.

The last time the Oilers made it this far was in the 2005-06 season where they fell to the Carolina Hurricanes, a team that had its current coach Rod Brind'Amour on its roster. They have, however, won five Stanley Cups, most recently in the 1989-90 (without Wayne Gretzky) over the Boston Bruins.

With the Bruins out of it the playoffs as of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, who should their fans be rooting for? The truth is there could be a case for each team, and here is what we see as the rationale to root for each team.

Why Bruins fans should be rooting for the Panthers

Now, while many of you reading this might be thinking "why would I root for the team that just knocked them out of the playoffs?" and you're not wrong for thinking that. It is a bit twisted to be rooting for the team that just knocked your team out of the playoffs.

However, but just as most UMass fans did in the 2024 NCAA tournament this year with Denver coming out victorious in the Frozen Four, and Yankees' fans did in 2004 after the Red Sox reversed the curse, Bruins fans would be able to take some solace in knowing that they took the eventual Stanley Cup Champions to six games.

While that may still be despiriting to many fans in Boston, it is one positive to take away from it if the Panthers were to pull off a Stanley Cup victory.

Another way of looking at it, is it would free up Leon Draisaitl to likely want to look elsewhere to win a championship. While David Pastrnak has done some solid recruiting of free agents, one he has come out and said that he would love to play with straight up Draisaitl. With Pastrnak's ringing endorsement, it might incentivize Don Sweeney and Co. to pursue the Edmonton forward.

Enough to cushion the blow of watching Sunrise celebrate? Probably not, but worth thinking about.

Why Bruins fans should be rooting for the Oilers

I mean it goes without saying that the majority of Boston fans will (most likely) be rooting for the Oilers purely from a revenge standpoint after what Sam Bennett did to Brad Marchand, but this will likely not be the only reason Edmonton will be the team they will be rooting for.

Another reason Bruins fans will be rooting for the Oilers is because they recognize greatness in hockey, and know that it's Connor McDavid's time to get a title.

McDavid has been good his entire career and is on track to catch, if not exceed, Gretzky. McDavid is a star, there is no doubt about it, and he is bound to make this Cup Finals a fun series just by himself whether he wins it or not.

Also just another note, Edmonton's Zach Hyman was drafted by Florida, it would be fun to see him get a Cup win over the team that drafted him. Enough to pique Bruins' fans interest? Possibly...

The Stanley Cup Finals start on Saturday, June 8th - puck drop on ABC is at 8:00 p.m.