The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs have reached their climax, with only two teams remaining: the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers. They face off once more this season, vying for the ultimate prize in hockey. As the championship series unfolds, attention turns to which player will earn the prestigious Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the Most Valuable Player of the NHL postseason.
Previously, Mikko Rantanen was a leading candidate for the Conn Smythe according to recent polls. However, with Rantanen and his Dallas Stars eliminated, the race for postseason MVP has a new front-runner.
To assess the current standings, we gathered opinions from over two dozen national and beat writers covering the Stanley Cup Final. They were asked to rank their top three MVP candidates following the first three rounds of playoff action. Their votes were tallied prior to Game 1 of the Final.
It`s important to remember that unlike some awards, the Conn Smythe considers a player`s performance throughout the entire playoffs, not just the final series. The winner is decided by a panel of 18 members from the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
Connor McDavid, who surprisingly won the Conn Smythe last year despite his team losing in the Final, enters this rematch against Florida in a strong position to potentially claim the award again, regardless of the series outcome, based on his current lead among voters.
Moving up from third place in our previous voting before the conference finals, McDavid now tops the list, taking over from Rantanen. He is the only player to appear on every single ballot submitted, securing the top spot on 71% of them. The remaining ballots all ranked him second.
Heading into the Final, the Edmonton superstar has accumulated 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) across 16 games. He dominated the series against the Stars, registering points in every game and totaling nine points in their five-game victory over Dallas. While two of his goals were game-winners, the Oilers were offensively potent in their wins against the Stars, outscoring them 19-5.
As one voter noted, “McDavid convinced me in the last series.”
Last postseason, McDavid made history by becoming only the second non-goalie to win the Conn Smythe in a losing effort, when the Oilers were defeated by the Panthers in Game 7. Now, he aims to become just the fourth player ever, and the first since Sidney Crosby (2016-17), to win consecutive Conn Smythe Trophies.
Given the significant support he currently has from voters, there is a possibility he could achieve a second straight playoff MVP award even in a losing scenario. However, winning the Stanley Cup is undoubtedly McDavid`s primary goal.
Other Leading Candidates
Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Florida Panthers
If Connor McDavid doesn`t win, Sergei “Playoff Bob” Bobrovsky appears to be the strongest candidate among his Florida Panthers teammates for the Conn Smythe.
Throughout the playoffs, Bobrovsky boasts a .912 save percentage and a 2.11 goals-against average. In the Eastern Conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes, he posted a save percentage of .920 or higher in four out of five games. His statistically weakest performance came in the series-clinching Game 5. That game was the only one in his previous nine appearances, stretching back to the second round series against Toronto, where he allowed more than two goals. Bobrovsky is tied with Edmonton`s Stuart Skinner for the postseason lead with three shutouts.
Our panel of voters clearly ranked Bobrovsky as the second overall choice, with four ballots placing him first for the Conn Smythe.
“If Florida wins, I expect it will be largely because Bobrovsky was outstanding,” explained one voter who ranked him second.
Aleksander Barkov, C, Florida Panthers
Aleksander Barkov leads the Panthers in scoring with 17 points, including six goals, in 17 playoff games. His impact is evident, such as his relentless forecheck in Game 5 against Carolina that directly led to the series-winning goal late in the third period. When Barkov is on the ice at 5-on-5, the Panthers score 57% of the goals and generate 57% of the expected goals.
Florida`s captain received one first-place vote and appeared on 63% of all ballots submitted. While he appeared on more ballots than Bobrovsky (58%), Bobrovsky had higher overall placements in the rankings.
Notably, Barkov finished second to McDavid in the Conn Smythe voting last season, despite not receiving any first-place votes himself.
Players Making a Case
Leon Draisaitl, C, Edmonton Oilers
Leon Draisaitl garnered the most support among players ranked outside the top three, though there was a clear gap between him and Barkov. Draisaitl featured on 42% of the ballots but received only one first-place vote.
The Oilers` co-star is just one point behind McDavid, with 25 points through 16 games, and has actually scored one more goal (seven) than McDavid in the playoffs. If Draisaitl has a dominant performance in the Stanley Cup Final and Edmonton lifts the Cup, he could potentially leapfrog McDavid for the MVP award.
“This should probably be a top four discussion including Draisaitl,” argued one voter who placed Leon just outside their top three.
Sam Bennett, C, Florida Panthers
Sam Bennett is clearly the third-ranked player for the Panthers in this poll, appearing on 20% of the surveyed ballots and receiving two second-place votes. Like Draisaitl, he is only one point behind his team`s leading scorer (16 points in 17 games).
Bennett leads all playoff participants with 10 goals and has been a significant physical presence for Florida throughout every series. As his contract is set to expire, winning a Conn Smythe Trophy would significantly boost his value in free agency.
Other Players Receiving Votes
Evan Bouchard, D, Edmonton Oilers
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, F, Edmonton Oilers
Seth Jones, D, Florida Panthers
Brad Marchand, LW, Florida Panthers
Evan Bouchard was the only player in this group to appear on multiple ballots, all of which were third-place votes. He ranks fifth in the playoffs with 17 points, making him the highest-scoring defenseman by a considerable margin, with 13 of those points coming at even strength. He leads all Oilers in average ice time (25:01 per game) and holds a plus-9 rating.
The other players listed each received a single third-place vote.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is third in scoring for the Oilers, with 18 points in 16 games. He scored the winning goal in the crucial Game 2 victory over the Stars in the first period.
Seth Jones has contributed seven points in 17 games for the Panthers and has a plus-9 rating. Although technically playing on the second defensive pairing alongside Niko Mikkola, Jones leads Florida in average ice time per game at 24:59.
Finally, Brad Marchand has been a vital contributor lower in the Panthers` lineup with 14 points in 17 games. He brings his characteristic energy, agitation, and offensive output to his fourth career appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. He also scored arguably the most important goal of Florida`s postseason run: the overtime winner in Game 3 against Toronto, which pulled the Panthers back into the series after falling behind 2-0.
One voter mentioned Marchand`s linemate as a potential dark horse candidate, stating, “Eetu Luostarinen would honestly be fourth for me.” Luostarinen, a Florida winger, has recorded 13 points in 17 games.
Players Without Voting Support (Among Surveyed)
Stuart Skinner, G, Edmonton Oilers
Sam Reinhart, F, Florida Panthers
Matthew Tkachuk, RW, Florida Panthers
Carter Verhaeghe, LW, Florida Panthers
According to ESPN BET, these players are among the top 10 favorites by odds to win the MVP before the Stanley Cup Final. However, none of them received a single vote on any of the ballots we collected from writers.
Matthew Tkachuk (16 points in 17 games) and Carter Verhaeghe (14 points in 17 games) are key offensive contributors for the Panthers, with Verhaeghe scoring two game-winning goals in the playoffs. Verhaeghe received one Conn Smythe vote last postseason, while Tkachuk received none. Sam Reinhart is close behind them with 13 points in 15 games, having missed a couple of games against Carolina due to injury.
Stuart Skinner`s case highlights that the Conn Smythe is awarded for the entire playoff performance. Skinner`s play has been remarkable since his brief benching and return after Calvin Pickard`s injury in the second round against Vegas. Since Game 4 against the Golden Knights, Skinner`s record is 6-1 with a .944 save percentage, a 1.41 goals-against average, and three shutouts.
Could an outstanding performance in the Stanley Cup Final compensate for Skinner`s earlier struggles in the playoffs and potentially vault him past McDavid for the MVP? It`s possible. However, based on the ballots received, Connor McDavid currently holds a significant lead in the race.
