At least one person believes the Canadian Stanley Cup drought is set to come to an end.
TNT analyst and Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley made his Stanley Cup Playoff predictions on Saturday, stating that he believes the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers will meet for the Stanley Cup Final.
Barkley concluded his predictions by claiming that the Oilers will win the Stanley Cup and even sang a bit of `O Canada` to emphasize his point.
While he is confident in the Leafs and Oilers, he predicted the Montreal Canadiens would be defeated by the Washington Capitals in the first round, and the Winnipeg Jets, despite leading the league, would lose to the Colorado Avalanche in the second round. He also predicted an Ottawa Senators loss in the `Battle of Ontario.`
If Barkley`s prediction is accurate, it would be the first all-Canadian Stanley Cup Final since 1989, when the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames competed, with Calgary emerging victorious.
Barkley`s predictions are not always correct. In December 2023, he guaranteed a Boston Celtics title, which happened. However, his guarantee last month that the Arizona Wildcats would reach the Final Four of March Madness was incorrect, as they were eliminated by Duke in the Sweet 16.
So, Oilers and Leafs fans, consider this prediction as you see fit.
Barkley might not be infallible, but his confidence reflects the hope that a Canadian team could finally bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada. And confidence is something Barkley has in abundance.
