- In Game 5, Sam Bennett scored his 13th road goal in these playoffs, an NHL record.
- Brad Marchand has scored six Stanley Cup Final goals, the most since Esa Tikkanen in 1988
- Connor McDavid has one goal on 19 shots in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Florida Panthers are the prohibitive favourites to win the Stanley Cup, and they also have the two favourites to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Sam Bennett is the minus-money favourite at the BetMGM online sportsbook, while teammate Brad Marchand is receiving the second-shortest odds thanks to a remarkable Stanley Cup Final thus far.
Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, both still in the running, will require heroic performances in Game 6, not only to keep the Oilers alive but to return to prominence in the Conn Smythe Trophy odds race.
Prediction: Who Will Win the Conn Smythe Trophy?
Sam Bennett is favoured to win the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2025, with odds of -220. He sits just ahead of:
- Brad Marchand (+375)
- Connor McDavid (+750)
- Leon Draisaitl (+750)
- Sergei Bobrovsky (+12500)
- Aleksander Barkov (+25000)
I predict McDavid will win the 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy.
The 28-year-old is tied for the lead in points (33) and leads with 26 assists.
However, he will need to be the difference-maker in Game 6 to have a chance of winning.
2025 Conn Smythe Odds
| Player | Team | Conn Smythe Odds | Opening Odds |
| Sam Bennett | Florida Panthers | -220 | +15000 |
| Brad Marchand | Florida Panthers | +375 | Off the Board |
| Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | +750 | +1300 |
| Leon Draisaitl | Edmonton Oilers | +750 | +2200 |
| Sergei Bobrovsky | Florida Panthers | +12500 | +3000 |
| Aleksander Barkov | Florida Panthers | +25000 | +2500 |
| Matthew Tkachuk | Florida Panthers | +25000 | +3000 |
| Carter Verhaeghe | Florida Panthers | +25000 | +10000 |
Favourites and Best Bets for NHL MVP During Stanley Cup Playoffs
Sam Bennett Conn Smythe Odds -220
Bennett is on course to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. Two possibilities will prevent it from happening. The first is the Oilers stealing Game 6 and extending the series. Even if that happens, Bennett still has an excellent opportunity to make it happen in Game 7.
The other possibility revolves around Marchand and how he performs in Game 6. If Marchand steps up as he’s done for most of the final, he could snatch it from Bennett’s grasp.
Both are more unlikely than him winning the award, as his -220 odds indicate. Bennett leads all skaters with 15 playoff goals. He shares the team lead in points (22) with Matthew Tkachuk, but the difference is his consistency and ability to score goals at critical junctures.
Brad Marchand Conn Smythe Odds +375
Marchand’s story is remarkable. The 37-year-old continually defies the sands of time, scoring six goals in the Stanley Cup Final through five games. It’s the first time anyone has scored six Stanley Cup Final goals since Esa Tikkanen in 1988.
He single-handedly dragged the Panthers to victory in Game 2 and has lit the lamp in four of five tilts against the Oilers. The only exception came in Game 4.
Marchand has 22 shots on goal in the Stanley Cup Final, second only to Evan Bouchard’s 30.
Leon Draisaitl Conn Smythe Odds +750
Unless the Oilers win Game 6 and improve their NHL Finals odds, Draisaitl’s hopes of winning the Conn Smythe will abruptly end.
The Oilers forward has enjoyed a better Stanley Cup Final than McDavid, scoring eight points in five games. Game 3 was the only time he was held off the score sheet.
Draisaitl has 11 goals in the playoffs, four in the Stanley Cup Final. He also has four overtime goals, the most in a single playoff. Two of those have come in the final.
His four game-winning goals are the most of any skater, one ahead of second-place Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe.
Connor McDavid Conn Smythe Odds +750
While McDavid’s Stanley Cup Final contribution has by no means been muted, he hasn’t had the timely impact Draisaitl has, particularly in Games 3 through 5. He has just two points in those three games, which the Oilers cannot afford if they are to exorcise their Florida demons.
He did, however, notch five points in the opening two games and conjured some timely moments in the previous three series. At one point, he was the clear favourite to secure his second consecutive Conn Smythe.
McDavid is blessed with an unrivalled ability to explode at any given moment, which is precisely what he and the Oilers require. He’s running out of time, though.
McDavid is still one of my favourite hockey bets, as he can be the difference-maker in Game 6 and beyond.
