Conn Smythe race: Mitch Marner, Taylor Hall make strong case for Stanley Cup MVP

Now that the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs have progressed into the Stanley Cup Final, it is time to start taking a look at the potential contenders for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

A lot can change over the next two weeks as the series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes plays out and one of these teams hoists the Cup, but there at least some contenders who have separated themselves from the pack. 

Let's take a look at them.

Conn Smythe watch: The point producers

Mitch Marner, forward, Vegas Golden Knights. The best way to get acknowledged in the Conn Smythe race: Score a lot. Especially enough to lead the league in points. That is what Marner has done through the first three rounds, going into the Final with a league-leading 21 points 16 games. 

Jack Eichel, forward, Vegas Golden Knights. Eichel does not have the goal-scoring numbers (only two), but he is the highest-profile player in Vegas and is leading the league with 16 assists. If he pots a couple of big goals in the Final and helps Vegas win another Cup, he will definitely be in the discussion. 

Taylor Hall, forward, Carolina Hurricanes. Hall has been a perfect fit with the Hurricanes since he was acquired at the 2025 NHL trade deadline, and he has been one of their best players in the playoffs. He is leading the team with 16 points in only 13 games and is the third-leading scorer in the playoffs. 

The "clutch" player

Logan Stankoven, forward, Carolina Hurricanes. Sometimes it is not necessarily about the total points or total goals, but when those points and goals come. That is where Stankoven starts to put together a strong argument for himself with three game-winning goals in Carolina's first 12 wins. He has nine goals overall, and they all seem to come in massive moments. 

The goalies

Carter Hart, Vegas Golden Knights. Goalies will always be in the discussion just by the nature of their position. It is the most impactful position in the sport in terms of winning and loser, and the goalies will always factor into this discussion. After a pretty bad regular season showing in Vegas, Hart has been one of the most productive goalies in the playoffs with a .922 save percentage and saving 7.7 goals above expected (via MoneyPuck).

Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes. Of the two starting goalies, Andersen might be going into the Final with the best Conn Smythe chances. He is leading the league in save percentage (.931) and shutouts (three) while also having saved 11.5 goals above expected. Carolina has been great in front of him defensively, but he has been outstanding when he has been needed. 

The hidden value player

K'Andre Miller, defense, Carolina Hurricanes. Miller's offensive numbers might not stand out as much as some of the other players on here, but his impact can not be questioned. 

The Hurricanes are outscoring their opponents by a 16-3 margin when Miller is on the ice during 5-on-5 play, while the team has a 64.5% expected goals share. He has become Carolina's best defenseman and should very much be in the Conn Smythe Trophy discussion.