The Edmonton Oilers had Canada's best chance in over a decade to break their infamous Stanley Cup drought as they faced the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the finals. The last time a Canadian team made the finals was in 2011 when the Vancouver Canucks lost their 3-2 series lead to the Boston Bruins. With the Panthers' victory, it's now 30 consecutive years that an American team has won the Stanley Cup.
Naturally, fans believe that Gary Bettman is favoring American teams. This perception comes from the NHL's efforts to grow the sport in the United States. Hockey has always been mainstream in Canada, but it still lags in American markets. Famous YouTube creator UrinatingTree even commented on the finals:
Despite the disappointment, fans found humor in the situation. After the Panthers' win, memes flooded social media:
