NBA legend Charles Barkley was asked to make his 2025 NHL Stanley Cup picks and suggesting this will be the year they finally get over the hump, Barkley has thrown his support behind the Edmonton Oilers. Barkley has joined Oil Country with a bold prediction, suggesting an all-Canadian final between the Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Walking fans through his bracket live on TNT, and sounding like he’s got a good handle on each of the 16 teams in the playoffs, Barkley has the Oilers defeating the LA Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, and Colorado Avalanche before beating the Toronto Maple Leafs in an all-Canadian Stanley Cup Final. It would mark the first such matchup since the Flames topped the Canadiens in 1989.
Charles Barkley has revealed his GUAR-AN-TEED #StanleyCupPlayoffs bracket and he's got some Canadian teams going on a deep run ? pic.twitter.com/FTCgDHlzG4
— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) April 20, 2025
“This isn’t random,” Barkley said. “The Panthers lost two years ago and came back to win. The Oilers lost last year. They’re coming back to win this year.”
The Oilers are no longer the favorites they were in 2024-25, but they remain a contender, led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. They are also getting healthy as Game 1 on Monday is set in Los Angeles. Edmonton is hoping that the offseason changes they made, combined with key players returning, will be enough to beat the Kings for the fourth straight season and then build on that momentum.
Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs are much deeper this season on their blue line and in goal. They also have the same core four offensive stars and won the Atlantic Division this season.
