Greg Wyshynskimay 21, 2025, 07:00 at
Closegreg Wyshynski is a senior NHL writer at ESPN.
Four teams remain in the Stanley Cup race. The races of the most valuable players of the NHL postseason are a little more crowded.
This is the latest Conn Smythe Watch for the 2025 postseason. We asked over two dozen national writers and writers who are covering the conference finals of top three MVP candidates after two rounds of play. Before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, votes were collected and tallied.
It should be noted that in the NHL, Conn Smythe is based on player performance not only in the championship round but throughout the postseason. The award will be voted by a panel of 18 members of the Association of Professional Hockey Writers.
Current MVP Leader
In the second straight round, Lantanen leads Conn Smythe Watch as he helped lead the Dallas Star to the third straight conference final. Throughout 13 postseason games, he leads all playoff scorers with 19 points, including the playoffs’ best nine goals.
Rantanen was the only player to appear in all the polls surveyed by the writers. Only two voters had him outside of Conn Smythe’s first location. One national writer came in second, with a beat writer taking Rantanen third in the poll.
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As Dallas coach Peter DeBoer said, Lantanen is playing as if he was “on mission.” He was a one wrecking crew against his old teammates in Colorado. This is the team that traded him earlier this season, rather than signing him an extension. He dealt more damage against the Winnipeg Jets in the second round.
Rantanen cooled a bit after the series, assisting once in the final three games of the series. But his achievements in that regard have made him a clear MVP in our panelists’ eyes. He is the first player in NHL history, earning five three-point games throughout the team’s first 10 playoff games in one postseason. He set another NHL record by scoring or assisting 13 consecutive goals by the team. At one point, Lantanen had considered 15 of Dallas’ 16 goals.
One voter noted that “the crazy solo effort he had in some games” made him an obvious choice.
Or, as another voter said, “it’s almost hard to believe in the control he has shown.”
One thing to consider about Rantanen: he has a story. The “revenge tour” against the avalanche in the first round was worthy of a big new contract with Dallas and was part of a larger story of Nathan McKinnon and Kale McKer being able to thrive as offensive stars on the team.
“When you think about his journey this year, he’s gone through a lot,” DeBoe said. “There’s a lot of stuff written about him. There’s a lot of stuff being said about him. There was a lot of doubts there.”
So far, Lantanen has silenced them.
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Players who watch in Kevin Weeks’ “Epic” Oilers Stars Showdown
Kevin Weekes shows what to expect from the Western Conference Finals rematch between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars.
Other favorites
This is where it is necessary to repeat the fact that the vote count was made before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Andersen was the clear second choice among voters before the Panthers. He was second in the playoff MVP with 47% of the votes surveyed.
Before Game 1, he only allowed 12 goals in nine games with a .937 save percentage and 1.36 goals (average). “His statistics are amazing given how good Washington’s attacks should be for that series,” one voter said.
After giving up five goals on 20 shots to Florida in a loss in Carolina’s Game 1, all of them are not entirely negligent – Andersen’s save percentage fell to .919, but his goals rose to 1.74 on average.
Andersen and Florida goalkeeper Sergei Bobrovsky could potentially see this ranking flip spot during the series. But it was only one game, and Andersen’s figures at his previous home when the Panthers lost very well.
McDavid was also in the top three in the last round. In the 2024 postseason, the Edmonton star became the second player in NHL history to win Conte Smythe in a lost effort as the Oilers fell to the Panthers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final. Now he is about to become the fourth player in history and the first player since Sydney Crosby (2016-17).
Throughout 11 games, McDavid has 17 points (3 goals, 14 assists). His 1.55 points per game average is still active in the postseason. Throughout 11 games last season, McDavid scored 21 points. But that is one of the definitions of this Oilers meeting final. They didn’t have to drag McDavid and Leon Draysitel out there themselves. Perhaps that is reflected in the vote.
Because of its value, McDavid is popular as of Tuesday night to win Conn Smythe at +325 in ESPN bets ahead of Rantanen (+350).
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Jake Ottinger: McDavid falls as the greatest player ever
Star goaltender Jake Oatstinger joins the “Sports Center” to preview the Dallas series with Conor McDavid and the Oilers.
Make their case
These two players were the next most votes outside the top three.
It was noteworthy that one beat writer had the Autotinger first and first in the vote. Rantanen was third. It could be a bit of a modernity bias: Lantanen did most of his damages at the end of the first round and early in the second, and Oztinger made a difference in all four star victory over Winnipeg, including Game 7, when he stopped 22 of his 23 shots. The dominant Autotinger made 25 saves as Lantanen was in Game 7 against the Avalanche in the first round and was great late in that elimination game to keep the victory up.
Overall, Oettinger has a save percentage of .919, averaging 2.47 goals in 13 games for Dallas. But he has some jobs. The star goalkeeper appeared in only three total votes, winning second-place votes, first and second.
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Draisaitl is just behind McDavid, scoring with five goals and 11 assists in 11 games for the Oilers. He won the top three in four votes, with 2nd and 3rd place votes.
His favor includes two overtime goals. In Game 4 against the Los Angeles Kings, in the opening round to the series, and in Game 2 in Las Vegas, they give the Oilers a 2-0 series lead. He also received a major assist with his goal of closely putting Kasperi Kapanen’s series in Game 5 against Vegas.
These moments balance one or more of Draysightle’s lowest points in the postseason. Golden Knights’ Riley Smith scored with 0.4 left in Game 3 with a shot deflected from the stick of Dry Eitle.
One thing to remember in Draisaitl’s MVP incident is the praise he receives in the two-way game. As the Oilers became one of the best defensive teams in the postseason, Draysightle was able to earn some of the credits when he posted a back-to-back shutout to finish the Golden Knights.
“You often think of people who hold a lot of points and they ignore defensive responsibility,” Edmonton coach Chris Noblaucci said before the final of the conference. “Leon has never ignored his defensive responsibility. In fact, if I show a clip about how to backcheck and how to work, then above the opposition, Leon is the main guy in every clip I can find, and he is the person who makes it the best.”
On the cusp
Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricane
Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers, Brad Merchand
Some Panthers are finally making a list! To put it in fairness, it is a homage to the balance and depth that Florida has shown in two rounds. The team had 11 players with at least six points through the series’ victory over the Leafs.
Bobrovsky didn’t have the great numbers to enter the conference final (.901 save percentage) thanks to four games that gave up more than four goals in four games. But the playoffs Bob appeared when he needed him – like the last four games of the Maple Leafs series or Game 1, he may have been that 5-2 victory difference.
“I’m trying to avoid thinking about the future or the past for a moment,” he said after Game 1.
Marchand was tied to a team lead after two rounds (12) and actually made a statement in the MVP race in his Game 7 Dagger against Toronto. He also scored the overtime winner of Critical Game 3 after the Leafs took a 2-0 lead in the series.
Both Marchand and Bobrovsky appeared in two votes. Bobrovsky won one second place vote.
Svechnikov both took part in two polls with third place votes. The Hurricane winger finished second in the postseason with eight goals after two rounds.
Slavin scored two goals and two assists in 10 games. This includes overtime winners in Game 1 with the Capitals. He had an outstanding season, including a much-lauded performance in Team USA’s four-country showdown. He also won rumbling support from Capitals manager Spencer Carberry after Carolina eliminated Washington. “It doesn’t seem right that he doesn’t have a Norristrophy conversation every year,” the coach said. “He’s one of the players.”
Honorable mention
Seth Jones, Florida Panthers
Eetu Luostarinen, Florida Panthers
Jones was really strong for the Panthers, especially with his Game 7 victory in Toronto. Throughout the second round, Luostarinen was tied to linemate Marchand with team lead, but after one game goal against Carolina, he led the team with 13 points.
