The Stanley Cup Final is here, and that means the Conn Smythe Trophy will be awarded as well! While the Stanley Cup is widely known as the best trophy in sports, the Conn Smythe doesn’t get its due. Is is awarded to the most valuable player of his team during the entire Stanley Cup Playoffs, not just the Stanley Cup Final. Let’s take a look at a few Conn Smythe Trophy betting favorites and longshots for the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers.
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Conn Smythe Trophy Betting Favorites & Longshots
Edmonton Oilers Conn Smythe Favorites
Connor McDavid (+230)
Connor McDavid is far and away the favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy ahead of the Stanley Cup Final. He leads the playoffs with 31 points (5 goals, 26 assists) and is undoubtedly the motor of the Edmonton Oilers.
If the Oilers win the Stanley Cup, there is a great chance that McDavid will take home some extra hardware. Also, there is a non-zero chance that McDavid will win the Conn Smythe if the Panthers win the Cup. A skater on the losing team has only won the Conn Smythe once, way back in 1976, but McDavid is having a special postseason.
McDavid winning the Conn Smythe with a Panthers championship would require Florida’s offense to continue being spread out among its top few lines while the top-heavy Oilers are carried by their star. It’s not likely, but it’s possible.
Basically, bet McDavid if you like the Oilers to win it all.
Leon Draisaitl (+900)
Leon Draisaitl had the door open a bit wider earlier this postseason as he was leading the Oilers in points. However, McDavid has continued to ramp up his game while Draisaitl’s nagging injury has hampered him a bit.
Still, Draisaitl is only three points behind McDavid and has a more even split with 10 goals and 18 assists. If the Panthers are able to keep McDavid in check and Draisaitl dominates, you could hit a +900.
Florida Panthers Conn Smythe Favorites
Aleksander Barkov (+450)
Barkov may not lead the Panthers in points, but he’s the most complete forward on the team. He’s shut down the opposition’s top line for most of the playoffs as we saw last series with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider struggling to score. The captain ran away with the Selke Trophy, so we know the media respects his two-way game.
As long as Barkov stays among the points leaders for the Cats — and they don’t have someone go off the charts in the Cup Final — he’s on the shortlist to win the Conn Smythe if the Panthers win the Cup.
Matthew Tkachuk (+600)
Tkachuk is right there, too, though. He’s arguably become the face of the Panthers and leads the team with 19 points through 17 games. He’s two points ahead of Carter Verhaeghe and the aforementioned Barkov.
Tkachuk is the type of player who could explode in the Stanley Cup Final as long as he’s healthy. While Barkov has a slight edge, I’m not sure it should be a +450 / +600 difference. If I had to bet one of these two prices, it’d be Tkachuk at +600.
Edmonton Oilers Conn Smythe Longshots
Zach Hyman (+12000)
Look, Hyman isn’t going to score many goals that aren’t assisted by at least one of McDavid or Draisaitl. However, he leads the playoffs with 14 goals, and a 120/1 shot isn’t horrible, especially if Hyman can go off for multiple multi-goal games in a Cup-winning effort.
Stuart Skinner (+30000)
Skinner has been an absolute animal since getting benched for Calvin Pickard in the second round. He’s 6-2 with just 15 goals against on 187 shots (.920 SV%) in his last eight games. He’d need to post multiple shutouts in the Stanley Cup Final — and possibly then some — to surpass the superstar forwards, but stranger things have happened.
Florida Panthers Conn Smythe Longshots
Sam Reinhart (+7500)
We saw Jonathan Marchessault get hot in the Stanley Cup Final and win the Conn Smythe Trophy over Jack Eichel and Mark Stone. Could another scoring winger do the same thing this year?
Reinhart only has 12 points in 17 games, but eight of those points are goals, and he can score in bunches. I don’t hate 75/1 on a guy who can get hot in a short series.
Gustav Forsling (+11000)
Forsling has emerged as one of the best defensemen in these playoffs. He’s putting up some points with 11 in 17 games and is a +11 on the postseason while playing over 23 minutes per game. A few shutdown efforts and important goals (or assists) could give Forsling a case.
