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Conn Smythe rankings as Stanley Cup Final begins: Oilers stars lead the way
The 2025 Stanley Cup Final begins on Wednesday evening in Edmonton, and it will be a rematch of last year's Final between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers. The Panthers won that series in seven games after allowing a 3-0 series lead to slip away.
With the series set to begin and three rounds of playoffs in the books, let's take a look at the Conn Smythe race and six of the leading contenders for playoff MVP going into the series.
McDavid won last year's Conn Smythe Trophy despite Edmonton losing the series. He became the first player since 2003 (Anaheim Mighty Ducks goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere) to win the award in a losing effort, and his 42 points were a big reason why. He is not on track to reach that same point total this postseason, but he still enters the series leading the NHL in assists (20), total points (26) and shots on goal (59) through the first three rounds. He has been the best player in the playoffs and a constant one-man highlight reel.
2. Leon Draisaitl, forward, Edmonton Oilers
McDavid, however, is not the only superstar driving the bus for Edmonton. Draisaitl is right there with him and enters the series second in the NHL in scoring this postseason with 25 total points. He has already been named a finalist for the Hart Trophy as the league's regular season MVP, and a big series here could help him claim the playoff MVP. That would also put him in rare company if he could pull that off, as only Bobby Orr (1970 and 1972), Guy Lafleur (1977) and Wayne Gretzky (1985) have won both the Hart Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy in the same seasons.
3. Aleksander Barkov, forward. Florida Panthers
Barkov may not put up the type of offensive numbers that McDavid and Draisaitl do, but he is the engine that powers Florida's offense and is still averaging a point-per-game (17 points in 17 games) going into the series. Even more than the offense, he is also one of the league's best defensive forwards and is a constant force in all three zones and in every situation. As complete and well-rounded of a player you will find in the NHL and one of the biggest reasons Florida has become a constant force.
4. Sam Bennett, forward, Florida Panthers
Bennett is the type of player you love to have on your team and love to hate when he is playing for the other team. He is also playing his way to a potentially gigantic contract this offseason as an unrestricted free agent. Not only does he help set the tone physically for the Panthers, he is also leading the postseason with 10 goals. That is three more than any other player taking part in this year's Stanley Cup Final going into the series.
5. Evan Bouchard, defense, Edmonton Oilers
While McDavid and Draisaitl get most of the headlines, Bouchard is right there with them in terms of offensive impact. He is averaging a point-per-game (17 points in 17 games), is a plus-nine and playing more than 25 minutes per game. He is Edmonton's top defender, one of the top defenders in the entire league and putting together a second straight dominant postseason performance.
6. Sergei Bobrovsky, goalie, Florida Panthers
Bobrovsky already has a Hall of Fame resume with 429 (and counting) regular season wins, two Vezina Trophies and a Stanley Cup ring. If he adds another Stanley Cup ring and a Conn Smythe Trophy to that resume he becomes a first ballot, slam-dunk lock. He enters the series with a very strong .912 save percentage and three shutouts this postseason.
More must-reads:
- Five intriguing storylines for 2025 Stanley Cup Final
- Panthers HC Paul Maurice has a strong opinion of his team
- The 'Most points in one Stanley Cup Playoffs' quiz
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Packers releasing former first-round pick
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Dolphins Roster Moves Tracker: Impressive Camp Not Enough for Edge Rusher
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Raiders sign five-time Pro Bowl WR amid Jakobi Meyer drama
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