Conn Smythe Power Rankings: Can this Panthers squad produce playoff MVP?

The Florida Panthers have defied the percentages through making a 3rd immediately Stanley Cup Final. They’re additionally an excessive anomaly with regards to the truth that, in spite of their implausible playoff good fortune, the Cats have not begun to provide a Conn Smythe winner.

This spring marks the 60^th anniversary of the primary most precious participant of the post-season award being passed to Montreal Canadiens legend Jean Béliveau in 1965. Since ‘Le Gros Bill’ used to be rewarded for an improbable 8-8-16 appearing in 13 video games, handiest six groups — the late-60s St. Louis Blues, the mid-70s Philadelphia Flyers, the late-70s Habs, the early-1980s New York Islanders, the early-2020s Tampa Bay Lighting and the right-now Panthers have made 3 consecutive journeys to the overall.

Five of the ones golf equipment gained a minimum of a unmarried championship and had a minimum of one Conn Smythe winner besides. And even the Blues — who made it in large part in keeping with being the most efficient membership at the susceptible, enlargement aspect of the draw when the league used to be divided in part post-1967 — produced a playoff MVP within the type of Glenn Hall in 1968, even supposing that St. Louis membership misplaced 3 immediately Finals.

Florida, after all, misplaced the 2023 Cup Final in 5 video games, when Jonathan Marchessault of the Vegas Golden Knights gained MVP. And whilst the Cats were given what everyone is actually after 12 months in the past once they lifted the Cup, Edmonton’s Connor McDavid was simply the 6th participant to win the Conn Smythe skating for the runner-up.

That makes the Panthers — together with the 1977 and ’78 Boston Bruins, who misplaced to the Canadiens on each events — simply the second one crew to play within the Final two immediately years and now not produce a Conn Smythe winner. (Technically, the 1969 and ’70 Blues qualify, however we’re discounting them in keeping with Hall successful in 1968 and the ambiguity of attaining the Final thru a department of enlargement golf equipment).

The reality Florida doesn’t have a playoff MVP is much more mind-blowing while you imagine what number of avid gamers the Panthers have — two-way standard-bearer Aleksander Barkov, generational energy ahead Matthew Tkachuk, about-to-get-paid Sam Bennett, additional time virtuoso Carter Verhaeghe, Sergei “Playoff Bob” Bobrovsky — who in point of fact appear born to thrive presently of yr.

Hey, there’s a reason why this crew controlled an Eastern Conference three-peat.

Will Florida — win or lose — have a playoff MVP this day out? It’s a stacked box, however most of the names we simply discussed are firmly within the combine. Remember, the unofficial foundation for Conn Smythe balloting is its rooted 50 in step with cent in what you probably did earlier than the Final and 50 in step with cent in what occurs all the way through that exhibit collection.

Here, then, is our ultimate Conn Smythe energy score of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

McDavid can transform simply the fourth back-to-back Conn Smythe winner in league historical past, following within the footsteps of Philly’s Bernie Parent (1974, ’75), Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux (1991, ’92) and Penguin Sidney Crosby (2016, ’17).

McDavid leads the playoffs in scoring (26 facets), points-per-game (1.63) and even-strength facets (22).

If the Oilers win this factor, it’s extraordinarily arduous to check anyone as opposed to No. 97 being recognized as probably the most integral a part of the operation.

Draisaitl used to be one among 3 Oilers — together with McDavid and any other man we’ll get to in a while — who had 9 facets in 5 Western Conference Final video games as opposed to the Stars and he’s the one man in those playoffs with two OT winners.

Draisaitl and McDavid have each performed 90 profession playoff contests; McDavid is 3rd all-time with 1.59 points-per-game and Draisaitl is fourth at 1.48. Only Wayne Gretzky (1.84) and Mario Lemieux (1.61) rank upper than the outrageous Oilers duo.

Of direction, Draisaitl used to be held with out a target in seven video games as opposed to Florida within the Final remaining yr and completed with simply 3 assists within the collection.

You can guess he’s out to blow previous the ones totals this day out.

3. Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers

Bennett had 3 targets in Round 1; 3 in Round 2 and 4 extra within the Conference Final. Add it up and also you’ve were given the playoffs’ main scorer with 10 tallies, 3 greater than anyone else skating on this Final.

If you idea he used to be cashing in as a UFA earlier than those playoffs started, simply wait and notice what occurs now.

4. Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers

Barkov’s offensive recreation has come in combination lately, with 9 facets in his previous six video games. Of direction, an enormous a part of his process on this collection will probably be seeking to comprise McDavid. If Florida wins, it’ll most likely be as a result of Barkov used to be ready to restrict the wear performed through the sport’s best possible offensive participant. And if that’s now not worthy of a Conn Smythe nod for Florida’s captain, we’re now not certain what’s.

It’s simple to get overshadowed on a crew with McDavid and Draisaitl. That mentioned, the best way Evan Bouchard has produced previously few playoffs is not possible to forget about.

Since the beginning of the 2023 Cup derby, Bouchard has an improbable 66 facets in 53 contests. That’s greater than double the selection of facets posted through every other defenceman within the league (Miro Heiskanen is subsequent with 32 facets). 

This day out, he leads all blue-liners with 17 facets in 16 outings and is averaging probably the most ice in step with recreation (25:01) of anyone suiting up on this Final.

It took a minute for Bobrovsky to search out best shape, however he’s dialled in now. After posting an .875 save proportion thru his first 8 playoff video games this yr, the 36-year-old has a .944 mark in his previous 9 outings.

Bobrovsky now ranks 3rd when it comes to profession playoff wins (57) amongst lively goalies, trailing handiest Andrei Vasilevskiy (67) and Marc-Andre Fleury (92 and, sure, we’re nonetheless counting him for now).

Nugent-Hopkins took a large jump within the West Final, matching McDavid and Draisaitl with 9 facets as opposed to Dallas. The enhance personnel is at all times so vital in figuring out results in opposition to the most efficient pageant for Edmonton and ‘The Nuge’ stays the most efficient ahead in this membership after the 2 giant boys.

Nearly 15 years after being a first-overall select in 2011, Nugent-Hopkins is having the most efficient spring of his profession — 18 facets in 16 outings — and stays a very important participant on either side of the puck.

7. Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers

Tkachuk didn’t play from past due February till the beginning of the playoffs due to a groin harm sustained on the 4 Nations Face-Off. In Game 1 of the playoffs, he instantly reminded us of the drive he will also be with two targets and 3 facets as opposed to Tampa. 

Then, in his subsequent dozen video games, Tkachuk scored only a unmarried target. 

The giant man looked as if it would to find his offensive shape in opposition to an overmatched Carolina squad, despite the fact that, netting seven facets in 5 Conference Final contests.

Can Tkachuk put his stamp — within the a large number of techniques he imprints it — everywhere this Final and stroll away with MVP? Yes, however he’ll need to do significantly better than the one-goal, three-point appearing he had in remaining yr’s collection as opposed to Edmonton.

Though two rounds, Marchand used to be tied with Eetu Luostarinen for the Panthers scoring lead with 12 facets in as many video games. Though they cooled offensively within the Conference Final, the 3rd line of Anton Lundell between Marchand and Luostarinen has been large for a Florida crew that lives to grind you down.

It would take a monster Final for Marchand to win MVP, however — who’s kidding who — his profile is helping and helps to keep a Conn Smythe a minimum of inside the realm of risk if he had been to web, say, 4 targets within the collection, together with one additional time winner.

Basically, see above. If Perry — tied for the Oilers goal-scoring lead with Draisaitl on seven targets — can bag a handful extra within the Final, he’ll should be thought to be for MVP.

Could you believe if, at age 40, Perry now not handiest were given his 2d Cup after 4 disappointing journeys previously 5 years, however took house the Conn Smythe?

The cleanliness with which this Oilers defence is breaking pucks out of the zone this spring has been a revelation in Edmonton. Still, let’s now not omit Skinner’s function on this membership taking a look extra succesful than ever in its personal finish of the rink. 

Redemption tales at all times play superbly in sports activities and right here’s a man steadily cited because the susceptible hyperlink of this membership. That used to be very true after he started the playoffs with two immediately L’s to the Los Angeles Kings and misplaced his process to Calvin Pickard. An harm to Pickard supplied Skinner with any other likelihood, despite the fact that, and the Edmonton local has a .944 save proportion in his previous seven video games.

11. A Panthers Defenceman

Nobody is enjoying out in their skates, however 3 guys benefit some attention. Seth Jones is averaging probably the most ice time within the crew; Aaron Ekblad has 11 facets in simply 13 outings and Gustav Forsling will probably be requested to muffle No. 97 for the following two weeks.

A shocking process through any of the 3 within the Final may just lead to a Conn Smythe.