MacKinnon Leads NHL Conn Smythe Race to Start Playoffs

The Colorado Avalanche have high expectations entering the Stanley Cup Playoffs and Nathan MacKinnon will play a vital role in the success they have moving forward.

The top three favorites to win the award this season will all likely be hovering around the Hart Trophy as well, which shows how important they are to their respective teams. In terms of the Conn Smythe Trophy, there are plenty of players you can make the case for, including four goalies listed in the top ten here.

Below are the current top ten favorites to win the Conn Smythe Trophy from the FanDuel Sportsbook.

1. Nathan MacKinnon (+1400) 

The star Avalanche forward finished the year with 88 points but missed 17 games due to injury. You could argue this was the most impressive season of his career, but he has a bigger goal in mind, to try and get Colorado over the playoff hump.

2. Tie/ Auston Matthews (+1500)

Matthews is one of the most dynamic goal scorers that the NHL has ever seen and if his Toronto Maple Leafs can get out of the first round, he’s someone who holds a lot of value to win this trophy.

2. Tie/ Cale Makar (+1500)

Makar is one of the best skaters in hockey and his playing style is one that is sustainable at all times of the year. You can certainly make the argument Makar is more valuable to what the Avalanche does than MacKinnon, but there’s no debating that both are pivotal in the team’s success.

4. Jacob Markstrom (+1800)

The Calgary Flames goalie will likely be one of the finalists for the Vezina trophy this year and fits in perfectly behind a Darryl Sutter-coached hockey team. The Flames are certainly poised to make a deep run.

5. Tie/ Jonathan Huberdeau (+1900) 

Huberdeau was an important part of the highest-scoring NHL team in 2021-22 and also finished in a tie for second in the league in scoring with 115 points.

5. Tie/ Darcy Kuemper (+1900)

Even if there are question marks surrounding the Avalanche’s goaltending, Kuemper presents a high ranking here more so because of the team he’s on, rather than his actual value to them.

7. Tie/ Sebastian Aho (+2200)

Aho had another great year for the Carolina Hurricanes, as he finished the regular season with 81 points in 79 games. He’s an important part of what Carolina does on both sides of the puck and should prove his value in the playoffs.

7. Tie/ Igor Shesterkin (+2200)

Shesterkin will likely add some hardware this year by capturing the Vezina Trophy and the postseason is the ideal setting to showcase his major impact on this New York Rangers roster and the team’s success.

9. Tie/ Sergei Bobrovsky (+2400)

Bobrovsky had an up and down year for the Florida Panthers but did tie for the league lead in wins with Andrei Vasilevskiy at 39. The Panthers have question marks defensively and will need Bobrovsky to be at his best for their playoff run.

9. Tie/ Matthew Tkachuk (+2400)

You could argue Tkachuk is one of the most important players on the Flames with how many different elements he brings to the table. Don’t forget that he scored 104 points this year.

9. Tie/ Aleksander Barkov (+2400)

Barkov will likely be a finalist for the Selke Trophy as he was able to chip in 88 points for the Panthers in 67 games. His defensive impact could be the biggest factor in a Florida Stanley Cup run.

9. Tie/ Johnny Gaudreau (+2400)

Gaudreau broke out this year for the Flames and posted a career-high 115 points, which put him in a tie for second in the NHL this season. However, there are question marks if his brand of play fits in with playoff-style hockey.

9. Tie/ Aaron Ekblad (+2400) 

Ekblad is set to return to the lineup early in the Panthers’ first-round series against the Washington Capitals and should provide a big, minute-eating defenseman that Florida has been lacking.

The current Conn Smythe Trophy Odds from the FanDuel Sportsbook: