Conn Smythe Watch: Who leads to Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP?

Greg WyshynskiMay 21, 2025, 9:00 p.m.
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Four teams remain in the race for the Stanley Cup. The race for the most valuable player in the NHL late season is somewhat overcrowded.

Here is the latest Conn Smythe watch for the 2025 post season. We asked two dozen national writers and authors who report the final of the conference for their three best MVP candidates after two rounds. The ballot papers were collected and tabulared before game 1 of the Eastern Conference final.

Remember that the Conn Smythe in the NHL is based on the performance of a player during the entire post -season, not just the championship round. The award is elected by an 18-member group of professional members of the Hockey Writers Association.

The current MVP leader

For the second round in a row, Rantane leads the Conn Smythe clock when he led the Dallas stars to their third conference final in a row. In 13 post-season games, he leads all playoff goal shooters with 19 points, including the best nine goals for playoffs.

Rantane was the only player who appeared in every ballot that we had asked about the authors. Only two voters had him everywhere for the first place for the Conn Smythe – a national writer had second place, and a Beat writer had third place on her ballot papers.

How Dalla's coach Peter Deboer put it: Rantene plays as if he were “on a mission”. He was a one-man wreck crew against his old teammates from Colorado, the team that used to exchange him this season instead of signing him to extend the contract. In the second round, he caused more damage to the Winnipeg jets with a courage trick on the street.

Rantents cooled down a little later in the series, with an assist in the last three games in the series. But his achievements up to this point made him a clear MVP in the eyes of our discussion participants. He is the first player in NHL history with five three-point games through the first 10 playoff games of a team in a single off-season. He set another NHL record by either scoring or supporting his team in 13 consecutive goals. At some point, Rantane had taken into account 15 out of 16 goals for Dallas.

A voter noticed that the “crazy solo efforts he had in a few games” made him an obvious choice.

Or like another voter put it: “It is almost difficult to believe the dominance he has exhibited.”

One thing about rantons: he has the narrative. The “revenge tour” against the avalanche in the first round was part of a greater story about the proof that he is worth his big new contract with Dallas and that as an offensive star without Nathan Mackinnon and Cale Makar, he can thrive in his team.

“If you think of his trip this year, he went through a lot,” said Deboer. “A lot was written about him. A lot was said about him. There were many doubts out there.”

So far, Rantannen has silenced them.

The other favorites

Here we have to repeat that the ballot table was carried out before game 1 of the Eastern Conference final.

Andersen was the clear second choice among the voters before he faced the Panthers. He was chosen second for Playoff -MP for 47% of the ballot papers we surveyed.

Before game 1 he had only permitted 12 goals in nine games for a percentage of 0.937 and an average of 1.36 goals. “His statistics are stunning when they think about how well Washington's offense should have been in this series,” said a voter.

After five goals at 20 shots on Florida in Carolina's game 1-not all of his guilt-the memory percentage from Andersen to 0.919, while his Tore-Ages average rose to 1.74.

It is possible that Andersen and Florida goalkeeper Sergei Bobrovsky will see their places in this ranking flip during the series. But it was just a game, and Andersen's numbers at home before this loss against the Panthers was pretty good.

McDavid was also among the top three in the last round. In 2024, the Edmonton star was only the second player in NHL history, who won the Conn Smythe in a loss when the Oilers fell to the Panthers in game 7 of the Stanley Cup final. Now he is trying to become the fourth player-and the first player since Sidney Crosby (2016-17) to win consecutive Conn Smythe trophies.

In 11 games, McDavid has 17 points (three goals, 14 templates). His average of 1.55 points per game still actively performs in the late season. With 11 games last season, McDavid had 21 points. But that was one of the things that defined this Oilers run as a conference final: they didn't need McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to move them alone. Maybe that was reflected in the vote.

For what it is worth, McDavid is the favorite to win the Conn Smythe at ESPN -Bet +325 before rantons (+350) from Tuesday evening.

Make your cases

These two players received the next higher number of votes outside the top three.

It was noteworthy that a Beat writer Oettinger first had overall on her ballot papers, with rantons third. That could be a bit after distortions: Rantenne caused most of his damage at the end of the first round and at the beginning of the second damage, and Oettinger was a differentiator in all four victories of the stars against Winnipeg, including game 7 when he lasted 22 of 23 shots. As dominant as rantons in game 7 against the avalanche was in the first round, Oettinger scored 25 parades and was brilliant in this elimination game late to keep the victory.

Overall, Oettinger has a percentage of 0.919 and an average of 2.47 goals in 13 games for Dallas. But he has some work to do: the goalkeeper of the stars only appeared on three ballots, with a first and two second voices.

Draisaitl is directly behind McDavid with five goals and 11 templates in 11 games for the Oilers. He took the top three on four ballots with two second place and two votes in third place.

There are two overtime goals in his favor: in game 4 against the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round to their series and then in game 2 in Las Vegas to give the Oilers a 2-0 lead. He also had the main assistant for Kasperi Kapanen's serial clinch goal in game 5 against Vegas.

These moments balance more than one of the lowest points from Draisaitl's post -season, when Reilly Smith scored from the Golden Knights in game 3 with 0.4 left, with a shot that was distracted by Draisaitls Stock.

One thing that you should remember at Draisaitl's MVP case is the praise he receives for his two-way game. Since the Oilers have become one of the best defensive teams in the post -season and publish conclusions one after the other to end the Golden Knights, Draisaitl could receive part of the loan.

“They often think of those who set up many points, they neglect the defense tasks,” said Edmonton trainer Kris Knoblauch before the conference final. “Leon never neglected his defensive responsibility. In fact, Leon Clips would show how to increase the backcheck and work through the opposition, and would be the leading type in all clips I can find, and he is the one who does it best.”

At the height

JaccoB Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricanes
Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers
Brad Marchand, Florida Panthers

Some panthers finally make the list! Fair, this is a tribute to the balance and the depth that Florida has shown in two rounds. The team had 11 players with at least six points through their series victory against the Leafs.

Bobrovsky had no outstanding figures that entered the conference final (. But Playoff Bob has appeared when he needed it in the last four games of the Maple Leaf series series and in game 1 against Carolina, where he might have been the difference in this 5-2 victory.

“I try to stay with a moment and not try not to think about the future or past,” he said after game 1.

After two rounds in the points (12), Marchand was connected to the team for the team and really released an explanation in the MVP race with his dagger dagger against Toronto. He also had a critical game 3 overtime after the Leafs were taken 2-0 in the series.

Both Marchand and Bobrovsky appeared on two ballots. Bobrovsky received a second vote.

Svechnikov was also on two ballots, both votes in third place. The Hurrican's wing player became second in the night with eight goals after two rounds.

Slavin had two goals and two templates in 10 games, including the overtime winner in game 1 against the capitals. He had an excellent season, including a much loud performance in the 4-nation view for the USA. He also received a sounding confirmation from Spencer Carbery, coach of Capitals after Carolina Washington removed. “As he is not in the Norris Trophy discussion every year, it doesn't seem to be right,” said the coach. “He is a devil of a player.”

Honorable mention

Seth Jones, Florida Panthers
Eetu Luostarinen, Florida Panthers

Jones was very strong for the Panthers, especially in game 7 in Toronto. In two rounds, Luostarinen was connected to his Linemate Marchand for the team leadership with 12 points, the team now leads with 13 points after playing 1 against Carolina – remarkably, his 12th point in eight games on the street.