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Greg wyshynski
Four team remain in the Race for the Stanley Cup. The race for most valuable player of the nhl postse is a bit more crowed.
Here’s the latest conn smythe watch for the 2025 PostSeason. We have said over two dozen national writers and even writers who are covering the conference finals for their top three mvp candidates after two rounds. Ballots Were is collected and tabulated Before game 1 of the estern conference finals.
Keep in Mind that in the NHL, the conn smiche is based on a player’s performance during the entriespion, not only the championship round. The award is voted on by an 18-personal of Professional Hockey Writers Association Members.
The Current MVP Leader
For the second straight round, rantanen leads the conn smiche watch as he helped the dallas stars to their third straight conference finals. Through 13 Postseason Games, He Leads All Playoff Scorers With 19 Points, Including a Playoff-Best Nine Goals.
Rantanen was the only player to appear on every ballot we surveyed from the writers. Only Two Voters Had Him anywhere but the first place for the conn smythe – one national writer hadim second, and a bet writer had rantanen third on their ball.
As dallas coach peter deboer put it: Rantanen is playing as if he’s “on a mission.” He was a one-man wrecking crew against his Old Teammates from colorado, the team that traded this season rather than there to be a contract extension. He did more damage against the Winnipeg jets In the second round with a game 1 hat trick on the road.
Rantanen cooled off a little bit later in the series, with one assist in the last three games of the series. But his accomplishments to that point made he the clear mvp in the eyees of our panelists. He’s the first player in Nhl History With Five Three-Point Games Through a Team’s FIRST 10 Playoff Games in a Single PostSeason. He sets another nhl record by either scoring or assisting on 13 consecutive goals by his team. At one point, rantanen had factored in on 15 of 16 goals for dallas.
One voter noted that the “Crazy Solo Efforts He has in a couple of games” makes him an obvious choice.
Or as another voter put it: “It is Almost Hard to believe the dominance he’s displayed.”
One thing to consider about rantanen: He has the narrative. The “Revenge Tour” Against the Avalanche in the first round with a larger story about proving he is worst Nathan Mackinnon And Cale makar On his team.
“When you think about his journey this year, he’s be through a lot,” Deboer Said. “There’s be a lot writen about him. There are a lot of a lot of it.
So far, rantanen has silenced them.
1:03
Kevin Weekes’ Players to Watch In ‘Epic’ Oilers-Stars Showdown
Kevin Weeks Lays Out What to Expect From The Western Conference Finals Rematch Between the Edmonton Oilers and the Dallas Stars.
The Other Favorites
This is where we need to reiterate that the ballot tabulation was done bee game 1 of the estern conference finals.
Andersen was the clear second choice among voters before he faced the panthers. He was voted for playoff mvp on 47% of the ballots we surveyed.
Before game 1, he had allowed only 12 Goals in Nine Games for a .937 Save Percentage and A 1.36 Goals-Gainst Average. “His states are mind-blowing when you think about how good washington’s offense should have been in that series,” one voter saaid.
After giving up fund goals on 20 shots to Florida in Carolina’s Game 1 Loss-Not all of Them His Fault Enterely-Andersen’s Save Percentage Dropped to .919 while His Goals-Gainst Average Rose to 1.74.
It’s Possible That Andersen and Florida Goalie Sergei bobrovsky Will see their spots in this ranking flip during the series. But it was only one game, and Andersen’s numbers at home that Loss to the Panthers Were Quite good.
McDavid was also in the top three in the last round. In the 2024 PostSeason, the Edmonton Star because the second player in nhl history to win the conn smythe in a losing effect, as the oilers fell in game 7 of the stanley cup final to the panthers. Now, heying to become the fourth player Ever – and the first player. Sidney crosby (2016-17)-to win consecutive conn smythe trophies.
Through 11 Games, McDavid has 17 Points (Three Goals, 14 Assists). His 1.55 Points-Per-Game Average Leads All Players Still Active in the Postseason. Through 11 Games Last Season, McDavid Had 21 Points. But that has been one of the things that defined this oilers’ Run to the Conference Finals: they have needed mcdavid and Leon draisaitl To drag them there on their own. Perhaps that has been reflected in the volume.
For what it is worth, mcdavid is the favorite to win the conn smythe on Espn Bet, AT +325, AHead of Rantanen (+350) as of tuesday night.
1:46
Jake Oettinger: McDavid Will Go Down as the Best Player of All Time
Stars Goaltender Jake Oetter Join “SportsCenter” to Preview Dallas’ Series Against Connor McDavid and The Oilers.
Making their Cases
These two players are recected the next highest number of votes outside the top three.
It was notable that one bit writer had oettinger first overall on their ballot, with rantanen third. That Might be a Little Bit of Recency Bias: Rantanen Did Most of His Damage at the end of the first round and early in the second, and oetinger was a difference-maker in all for the stars, winnings again Including game 7, when he stopped 22 of 23 shots. As dominant as rantanen was in the game 7 Against the avalanche in the first round, oetinger made 25 saves and was brilliant last in that elimination game to preserve the win.
Overall, Oettinger has a .919 Save Percentage and A 2.47 Goals-Gainst average in 13 Games for dallas. But he has some work to do: The stars goalie appeared on only three ballots in total, with one first- and two second-place votes.
Draisaitl is right boyhind mcdavid in scoring with five goals and 11 assists in 11 games for the oilers. He made the top three on four ballots, with two second-place and two third-place votes.
In his faver are two overtime goals: in game 4 against the LOS ANGeles kings In the opening round to even their series, and then in game 2 in las vegas to give the oilers a 2-0 series lead. He also had the primary assistance on Kasperi Kapanen‘S Series-Clinching Goal in Game 5 Against Vegas.
These moments more than balance one of the lowest points of draisaitl’s postseason, where Reille Smith Of the Golden Knights scored with 0.4 left in game 3 on a shot that Deflected Off of Draisaitl’s Stick.
One thing to remember with draisaitl’s mvp case is the praise he’s receiving for his two-way game. As the oilers have become one of the best defensive tims in the postseason, posting back-to-back shutouts to end the Golden Knights, Draisaitl Cold Get a Port a Port.
“You often think of those guys who are putting up a lot of point, they cancel the defensive response,” Edmonton coach kris knobluch said beefore the conference finals. “Leon Has Never Neglected His Defensive Responsibilities. In Fact, If I was to show clips on how to backcheck and how to work, get the opposition, leon Would be the leftting guy on all the clips Can find, and he’s the one who does it the best. “
On the cusp
Jaccob Slavin, Carolina hurricanes
Andrei svechnikov, Carolina hurricanes
Sergei bobrovsky, Florida panthers
Brad Marchand, Florida panthers
Some panthers finally make the list! In firness, that a tribute to the balance and depth that florida has shown through two rounds. The Team Had 11 Players with at last six points through their series win Against the Leafs.
Bobrovsky Didn’t Have Stellar Numbers Entering the Conference Final (.901 Save Percentage) Thanks to Four Games in which He Gave Up Four-Plus Goals. Butt Playoff BOB Has emerged when he is needed-like in the last five games of the match series and in game 1 again he he has had the difference in that 5-2 win.
“I try to stay with one moment and not try not to think about the future or past,” He said after game 1. “So it’s one moment, one save at a time.
Marchand was tied for the team lead in point (12) after two rounds, and really made a statement in the mvp race with his game 7 dagger again. He also had a critical game 3 overtime winner after the leafs together a 2-0 lead in the series.
Both Marchand and Bobrovsky showed up on Two ballots. Bobrovsky earned one second-place vote.
Svechnikov was also on Two ballots, both third-place votes. The hurricanes winger was second in the postseason with eight goals after two rounds.
Slavin Had Two Goals and Two Assists in 10 Games, Including the Overtime Winner in Game 1 Against the Capitals. He has had an outstanding season, including a much-louded performance in the 4 nations face-off for team usa. He also earned a ringing endorsement from capitals coach spencer carbery after carolina eliminated Washington. “How he is not in the norris trophy conversation every single year, it does not see the right,” the coach saaid. “He’s one heck of a player.”
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Seth jones, Florida panthers
Eetu Luostarinen, Florida panthers
Jones has been really strong for the panthers, Especially in their game 7 win in toronto. Through Two rounds, luostarinen was tied with his linemate Marchand for the Team Lead with 12 points, but now leads with 13 points with his game 1 Goal Against Carolina – Remarkaby Point in eight road playoff games.
