The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs have reached their climax, with the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers facing off once more for hockey`s ultimate prize. A key question remains: which player will earn the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the postseason?
Mikko Rantanen previously topped our Conn Smythe Watch rankings, but his elimination along with the Dallas Stars means a new front-runner has emerged for the NHL`s postseason MVP.
Ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, we surveyed over two dozen national and beat writers covering the series to name their top three MVP candidates based on performance through three rounds.
It`s important to remember the Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded for performance throughout the entire playoffs, not just the championship series. The winner is selected by an 18-member panel from the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Current Front-Runner
Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
Connor McDavid, who remarkably won the Conn Smythe last postseason despite his team losing, is currently leading the charge. His strong position heading into the rematch with Florida suggests he could potentially repeat, regardless of the final outcome.
McDavid has overtaken Rantanen as the top candidate, climbing from third in our previous voting round. He was the only player to appear on every submitted ballot and ranked first on 71% of them. Any ballot that didn`t place him first had him second.
The Oilers captain enters the Final with 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 16 games. He dominated the series against the Dallas Stars, registering points in every game and nine total points in their five-game victory. Two of his goals were game-winners, although Edmonton`s overall scoring margin in wins was 19-5.
One voter commented, “McDavid won me over in the last series.”
Last postseason, McDavid became only the second skater in NHL history to receive the Conn Smythe despite his team not winning the Cup. Now, he`s aiming to be just the fourth player ever – and the first since Sidney Crosby (2016-17) – to win the award in back-to-back years. While there`s a possibility he could win it again even if Edmonton loses, given the strong support he currently has, that`s likely the last scenario McDavid desires.
Leading Contenders
Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Florida Panthers
Aleksander Barkov, C, Florida Panthers
If Connor McDavid doesn`t take home the trophy, Florida Panthers teammates Sergei Bobrovsky (`Playoff Bob`) or Aleksander Barkov are the likely alternatives.
Bobrovsky boasts a .912 save percentage and 2.11 goals-against average in the playoffs. He was particularly strong against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, posting a .920 SV% or better in four of five games. His only game allowing more than two goals in his last nine appearances (dating back to the second round) was the series clincher against Carolina. He`s tied for the playoff lead with three shutouts.
Our voters clearly ranked Bobrovsky as the second-highest candidate, giving him four first-place votes for the Conn Smythe.
One voter who ranked him second explained, “If Florida wins, I assume it`ll be because Bob is amazing.”
Barkov leads the Panthers in scoring with 17 points (six goals) in 17 games. His influence is evident; in Game 5 against Carolina, his tenacious forecheck directly led to the series-winning goal late in the third period. When Barkov is on the ice at 5-on-5, the Panthers account for 57% of both goals scored and expected goals.
Florida`s captain appeared on more ballots than Bobrovsky (63% vs. 58%) but had a lower average ranking. He received one first-place vote. Interestingly, Barkov finished second to McDavid in last season`s Conn Smythe voting without getting any first-place votes himself.
Other Key Candidates
Sam Bennett, C, Florida Panthers
Leon Draisaitl, C, Edmonton Oilers
Leon Draisaitl received the most support among players outside the main top three, though there was a noticeable gap between him and Barkov. Draisaitl appeared on 42% of ballots but only received one first-place vote.
The Oilers forward is just one point behind McDavid with 25 points (seven goals) in 16 games. If Draisaitl has a spectacular Stanley Cup Final and Edmonton lifts the Cup, he could potentially leapfrog McDavid for the MVP award.
One voter who placed him just outside their top three argued, “This should probably be a top four thanks to Draisaitl.”
Sam Bennett is clearly the third-highest ranked player from the Panthers. He was included on 20% of surveyed ballots and received two second-place votes.
Bennett is only one point shy of his team`s scoring lead with 16 points in 17 games, leading the entire playoffs with 10 goals. He has been a significant physical presence for Florida in every series. As a pending unrestricted free agent, winning the Conn Smythe would greatly boost his value.
Players on the Radar
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 more than one ballot, all receiving third-place votes. He`s tied for fifth overall in playoff scoring with 17 points, the most by any defenseman, 13 of which came at even strength. He leads the Oilers in average ice time (25:01) and has a plus-9 rating.
The rest of the players in this section received only one third-place vote each.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins ranks third on the Oilers with 18 points in 16 games. He scored the game-winning goal in the crucial Game 2 victory over the Stars.
Seth Jones has seven points in 17 games for the Panthers and a plus-9 rating. While playing primarily on the second pairing with Niko Mikkola, Jones leads Florida in average ice time at 24:59 per game.
Brad Marchand has been a vital contributor lower in the Panthers` lineup, tallying 14 points in 17 games. He brings his characteristic mix of hustle, agitation, and offense to his fourth career trip to the Stanley Cup Final. He also scored arguably the Panthers` most important goal this postseason: the overtime winner in Game 3 against Toronto, when they were down 2-0 in the series.
One voter also mentioned Marchand`s linemate, Eetu Luostarinen (13 points in 17 games), as a potential under-the-radar candidate.
Players Not Receiving Votes (Despite Odds)
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 candidates by betting odds to win the MVP. However, none received a vote on any of the ballots we surveyed.
Matthew Tkachuk (16 points in 17 games) and Carter Verhaeghe (14 points in 17 games) are both among the Panthers` leading scorers, with Verhaeghe having scored two game-winning goals in the playoffs. Verhaeghe appeared on one Conn Smythe ballot last postseason, while Tkachuk did not appear on any. Sam Reinhart is right behind them, with 13 points in 15 games, having missed a couple games against Carolina due to an injury.
Stuart Skinner`s situation serves as a reminder that the Conn Smythe considers the entire playoffs. Skinner has been exceptional since being briefly benched for Calvin Pickard, returning after Pickard`s injury in the second round against Vegas. Since Game 4 of that series, Skinner holds a 6-1 record with a .944 save percentage, a 1.41 goals-against average, and three shutouts.
Could a dominant performance in the Stanley Cup Final offset Skinner`s earlier struggles? Perhaps. But he would still need to surpass McDavid for the playoff MVP title. Based on the ballots we received, McDavid currently holds a significant lead.
Duncan Priestley 
Gareth Tenby