NHL Experts Name Conn Smythe Favorite Regardless of Stanley Cup Final Outcome originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2025 Stanley Cup Final pits the Edmonton Oilers against the Florida Panthers in a rematch of last year’s seven-game series.
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Edmonton’s push to end its 35-year championship drought will be led once again by superstar center Connor McDavid, who enters the finals as the playoff scoring leader.
McDavid has 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 16 games, one more point than teammate Leon Draisaitl (seven goals, 18 assists). Aleksander Barkov, meanwhile, leads all Panthers players with 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 17 postseason games.
McDavid’s postseason dominance is again fueling debate over the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded annually to the most valuable player of the playoffs.
The Oilers captain claimed the award last year despite playing for the losing team, joining a short list that featured only five players who did the same before he achieved the feat.
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As the Oilers prepare for another run at the Cup, NHL Network’s Mike Rupp believes McDavid could repeat the rare feat.
“In theory, I would say, I don’t know if they would vote for him, because he got that last year in a losing effort,” Rupp said. “This guy’s all-world, so I’m gonna say: yeah.”
“There’s not many people I think that would be able to repeat in a losing effort. But if there’s someone to prove everybody wrong, it’s probably McDavid.”
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) during a stoppage of play in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.Danny Wild-Imagn Images
Former goaltender Devan Dubnyk agreed, citing McDavid’s betting odds and the unique precedent he continues to set.
“Nobody loves to have that Conn Smythe guy in the losing team,” Dubnyk said. “However, McDavid is that special… they might not have an option, they might have to pick him.”
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McDavid is the favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy with +120 odds on DraftKings, followed by Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (+250) and Florida’s forward Barkov (+550).
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.