NHL Stanley Cup Final bets: A look at Conn Smythe odds
The 2023 Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights is Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. We took a look at the odds for the series and for Game 1 already, and now we turn to the Conn Smythe board and who we like to bring home the honors of postseason MVP. As a reminder, the Conn Smythe is awarded to the top overall performer throughout a team's playoff run, not just what they do in the Stanley Cup Final.
Updated look at 2023 Conn Smythe odds
- Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida (+210 DK)
- Matthew Tkachuk, Florida (+360 FD)
- Jack Eichel, Vegas (+425 DK)
- Jonathan Marchessault, Vegas (+700 DK)
- William Karlsson, Vegas (+700 DK)
- Adin Hill, Vegas (+1200 DK)
The first observation you may have is that two favorites are from Florida, and thus the expectation is the Panthers win. That isn't exactly the case. Vegas is favored to win the series at -130, and the shortened odds and presence of Florida players shows how it is a clear two-horse race on that side.
The Panthers are not here without goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, a very deserved favorite to bring home Conn Smythe honors. Bobrovsky has been shutting down offenses the past two rounds on a bevy of shots, and if it's more of the same here in the Stanley Cup Final, this award goes to Bobrovsky.
Matthew Tkachuk is leading Florida with nine goals, three of which came in the form of a game-winning score last round. Considering that was a sweep, the series was certainly headlined by Tkachuk's heroics. If this series devolves into a shootout and Tkachuk finds himself a few more OT winners, he has to be considered the likely choice to win Conn Smythe in his first season with Florida.
On the Vegas end, it's a bit more wide open, a testament to the offensive balance that the Golden Knights have gotten from their forwards. Before we get there, an acknowledgment of goalie Adin Hill. Hill sported a pair of shutout wins last round, but despite that he seems like a long-shot to bring this home. He didn't play in the first round and has let in his fair share of goals. We're not seeing the resume for Hill, so would recommend avoiding.
Jack Eichel is the favorite on Vegas, leading the team with 18 points, 12 of which have been assists. Eichel has had some nice games against Florida the past few years, piling up 12 points in his past 10 games. If he builds on that production, he seems likely to take this home.
We still prefer the value on Jonathan Marchessault, just as we did prior to the Conference Finals. Marchessault has just one fewer point than Eichel this postseason and three more goals. He's second on the team behind William Karlsson's 10 goals, and there's an element here of franchise longevity at play. Marchessault is an original Golden Knight. If he has a big series and continues scoring, he has a viable chance to hop Eichel as the winner.
If you like Florida to win ... the choice likely needs to be Bobrovsky at +210. The Panthers take this home by limiting what Vegas does on offense, and that's going to be credited back to Bobrovsky. If the shots are flowing from the Golden Knights, all the better to pad Bobrovsky's stats.
If you think Vegas wins ... Marchessault has the better value in our eyes. He's in a position to lead this team both in points and goals, which would feel like enough to garner Conn Smythe honors.
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