Connor McDavid won the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs and very well could be on his way to a repeat performance this spring.
As big a deal as that would be, McDavid hopes not everything repeats as it did a year ago, when his Edmonton Oilers lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers before he was handed the Conn Smythe Trophy.
McDavid is one of six players in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy despite his team losing in the Cup Final.
The superstar center can rewrite that script this year since the Oilers and Panthers meet in a rematch, beginning with Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
But where does McDavid stand after three rounds of these playoffs in trying to win consecutive postseason MVP honors? Members of the Sportsnaut hockey staff weigh in with their Conn Smythe pick, so far, ahead of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.
Related: Updated NHL Power Rankings ahead of 2025 Stanley Cup Final
Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
It's impossible to overlook McDavid's brilliance offensively, nor his improved two-way game, this spring and it's completely understandable that he's the clear favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy again. But his captain counterpart in Florida continues to fly under the radar despite impactful play at both ends of the rink. Aleksander Barkov was named the Selke Trophy winner as top defensive forward in the NHL for the third time Monday, and his shutdown play is a massive reason why the Panthers are allowing a League-low 2.29 goals per game in the postseason. His relentless 200-foot game sets the tone for the Panthers, and very quietly he also leads them with 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 17 games. The power and skill Barkov displayed when setting up Carter Verhaeghe for the series-clinching goal in the Eastern Conference Final left many speechless. Flip a coin here because each captain is deserving. Maybe I'm a contrarian, but Barkov gets my vote after three rounds.
The 2024 Conn Smythe winner isn't piling up the same kind of offensive numbers he did last spring, when he had 42 points (eight goals, 34 assists) in 25 playoff games. But McDavid's still the biggest reason the Oilers are back in the Stanley Cup Final. At 28, McDavid remains the fastest player in the NHL, and he makes everyone he plays with a threat to score. His two-way play has improved to the point that he's seen time on the penalty kill, and he leads all skaters with 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) through three rounds. After winning the Conn Smythe last year despite the Oilers' seven-game loss to Florida in the Final, he has the look of a player who wants to win it again – this time as a Cup champion.
This comes as a surprise to no one, but McDavid will once again win the Conn Smythe, and deservedly so. His 26 points through three rounds leads all skaters, and he is once again proving that he can carry a team with flaws to the very end. It was heartbreak last season for McDavid, who won playoff MVP on the losing side. Win or lose this time around, there's a good chance he repeats as postseason MVP to become just the fourth player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe in consecutive seasons, joining Bernie Parent, Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby .
Also Read:: NHL rumors: Insiders provide update on Mitch Marner, potential replacement for Toronto Maple Leafs
Despite McDavid putting on his usual show – he again leads the playoffs with 26 points, one more than teammate Leon Draisaitl – Sergei Bobrovsky has been the most important player for a Panthers team that's in the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year. The seemingly ageless 36-year-old goalie has 12 wins and three shutouts, tops in this postseason, to go with a 2.11 goals-against average and .912 save percentage. Bobrovsky has allowed two or fewer goals in eight of his past nine starts after a somewhat shaky beginning to these playoffs, and was the Panthers biggest edge in series wins over the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes .
Since dropping the first two games of the playoffs, the Oilers have lost just two games, and McDavid's play keeps improving. He had three goals and nine points in their five-game win against the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final. What's impressive is his will to draw attention in order to find the open player to finish scoring chances, leading to his 20 assists through just 16 games. The Oilers are averaging a playoff-best 4.06 goals per game , which at this stage of the postseason is pretty ridiculous, with their captain leading the way. McDavid's teammate Leon Draisaitl (25 points) as well as Florida's Sam Bennett and Barkov deserve consideration too. But McDavid's dominance can't go unnoticed. He continues to cement his legacy as the best player on the planet even without a Cup … yet.
McDavid and Draisaitl are seemingly interchangeable as Conn Smythe favorites right now, but the edge goes to McDavid. He has one more point than Draisaitl so far, but what sets him apart was his play to close out the Western Conference Final. With the series tied at one, McDavid took over, recording six points in the final three games, all wins.
Related Headlines
