The Edmonton Oilers are the NHL's Western Conference champions for the first time since 2006, but they chose not to touch the trophy for the occasion.
The Edmonton Oilers are moving on to the Stanley Cup final for the first time since 2006.
The Oilers eliminated the Dallas Stars 4-2 after a tight 2-1 victory on Sunday night despite being outshot 35-10. Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman scored in the first period, and the team held on the rest of the way. Edmonton goaltender Stuart Skinner made 34 saves, including big stops late in the game after the Stars' Mason Marchment cut the lead to one.
They're the first Canadian NHL team to make the final since the Montreal Canadiens lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021 and the second team since the Vancouver Canucks in 2011, losing to the Boston Bruins.
And as the Western Conference playoff champions, the Oilers captured the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl.
One day earlier, the Florida Panthers won the Prince of Wales Trophy as the NHL's Eastern Conference champions for the second straight year. Last year, they touched the trophy and lost in the final to the Vegas Golden Knights. This year, they didn't touch it.
There's an ongoing superstition with whether to touch the conference championship trophy or not. The Golden Knights did not touch the bowl, but the Colorado Avalanche did when they won the Cup in 2022, and the Tampa Bay Lightning touched the Prince of Wales Trophy in 2020 and 2021.
The Oilers decided to stay away from the bowl this time, choosing to focus on the Stanley Cup all the way. Draisaitl told Sportsnet post-game they decided at the end not to touch it.
They now have some time off to recharge before the Cup final begins in Sunrise, Fla., on Saturday.