Travel always plays a factor during the sports season. No matter the league, no matter the destination, going from Point A to Point B always adds an added challenge leading up to game day.
For this year's Stanley Cup Final, a lot of miles are going to be racked up, as the 2024 championship series features two teams on opposite sides of the continent.
The 2024 NHL playoffs are down to just two teams. The Panthers emerged out of the Eastern Conference for the second year in a row, aiming to avenge their Stanley Cup Final loss to the Golden Knights last year. Meanwhile, the Oilers advanced out of the Western Conference for the first time in the Connor McDavid era.
If you're thinking to yourself that Edmonton and Florida are pretty far apart from each other, you would be correct. The two sites have a lot of miles (or kilometers) in between, resulting in what is going to be lengthy travel days for each club.
There was a reason why Oilers center Adam Henrique was asking for TV recommendations ahead of the Stanley Cup Final — it's a record distance between the two Stanley Cup Final participants.
STANLEY CUP FINAL: TSN PREDICTIONS | AI PROJECTIONS
Edmonton to Florida flight distance
When looking at the flights between the two destinations, we will use Miami since that is the closest major airport to Sunrise, which is where the Panthers play.
With that said, the average flight distance between Miami and Edmonton is five hours, 38 minutes.
That does not take into effect the time difference between the two regions. Florida uses Eastern Standard Time, while Edmonton is in Mountain Standard time, which is two hours behind.
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How far is Edmonton from Florida?
If you are looking strictly at miles between the two venues, it's quite the doozy. If you start from Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise and go to Rogers Place in Edmonton, it covers approximately 2,541 miles, or 4,089 kilometers.
That is officially the longest travel distance in Stanley Cup Final history, surpassing the journey made by the Bruins and the Canucks during the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.
This year’s Stanley Cup final between the Oilers and Panthers will be the furthest between two cities in NHL history, per ESPN Stats and Information.
— Ryan S. Clark (@ryan_s_clark) June 3, 2024
It’s a distance of 2,541 miles. Here’s a chart previous long-distance Cup finals: pic.twitter.com/vvilygdn60
Not only is that the longest distance between Stanley Cup Final combatants, it's the largest distance between any two championship teams in North American sports history.
Where do the Oilers play?
- City: Edmonton, Alta.
- Venue: Rexall Place
The Oilers play at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alta. The team has called the venue home since 2016.
The venue holds a capacity of 18,347 as a hockey rink, but does have the capability to hold up to 20,000 fans at a time.
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Where do the Panthers play?
- City: Sunrise, Fla.
- Venue: Amerant Bank Arena
The Panthers play at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. The venue has hosted the NHL club since 1998. The arena has had multiple name changes throughout the years, including National Car Rental Center, Office Depot Center, BankAtlantic Center, BB&T Center, and FLA Live Arena.
The venue holds a capacity of 19,250 for hockey.
