🏒 Conn Smythe Predictions: Top Candidates for NHL Playoff MVP

The Stanley Cup Playoffs have finally arrived, marking the perfect opportunity to dive into the Conn Smythe Trophy betting odds and examine which players are favored to be named NHL playoff MVP this spring.

I'm making my Conn Smythe predictions by targeting players from three different areas of the oddsboard ahead of the first round of the postseason, including a previous Stanley Cup winner who has yet to win the individual honor.

📊 Conn Smythe Trophy odds 2026

2026 Conn Smythe Trophy odds via our best NHL betting sites.

🏆 Conn Smythe Trophy favorites

Here's a breakdown of the top four Conn Smythe Trophy betting favorites with odds of +1500 or shorter.

Nathan MacKinnon (+650)

Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon leads the Conn Smythe betting odds, significantly ahead of the rest of the pack. The star power forward is also the favorite on the Hart Trophy odds after leading the league in goals for the first time in his career.

The Avalanche are the clear Stanley Cup odds favorite, and MacKinnon is their top point-getter. If Colorado wins the Cup, and MacKinnon again leads his team in points, this award will likely be his.

Nikita Kucherov (+1100)

While not the prolific season of his career, Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov seemed to finally get the recognition he deserves as a truly all-time great offensive player. 

Kucherov could parlay that public appreciation into his first career Conn Smythe if the Lightning go on another Cup run, as he wasn't named playoff MVP in either of Tampa's recent championship victories (Victor Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy each won once). However, his offensive pace did slow near the end of the regular season, and Tampa Bay has a difficult first-round series against the upstart Canadiens.

Cale Makar (+1200)

The Avalanche's Cale Makar is by far the defenseman with the shortest odds on the board at +1200, with the Sabres' Rasmus Dahlin the closest at +4000.

The two-time Norris Trophy winner already has a Conn Smythe to his name, taking home the honor as playoff MVP the last time the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022. Makar missed a couple of weeks due to injury near the end of the regular season, but he returned for two games before the start of the first round and tallied four points across that pair of contests. It appears the superstar blue-liner is locked and loaded ahead of the postseason.

Connor McDavid (+1500)

Oilers superstar Connor McDavid will always be among the favorites for the Conn Smythe Trophy during these prime years as the world's undisputed best hockey player.

The biggest hurdle for McDavid will be the team around him, especially with shaky goaltending and the uncertain health of top forwards Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman. McDavid previously won this award without winning the Stanley Cup, but Edmonton only has the fourth-best odds to reach the Final among Western Conference teams. That being said, the Oilers have the easiest path before the conference finals, going through the subpar Pacific Division.

👀 Conn Smythe Trophy predictions & best bets

Nikita Kucherov (+1100)

As our Dustin Saracini laid out in his Stanley Cup predictions, the Lightning have all the makings of a championship team. Kucherov is easily their most valuable player and one that is finally being mentioned in the same breath as MacKinnon and McDavid.

While Hedman and Vasilevskiy already have a Conn Smythe each in their trophy cases, I think it will be Kucherov's turn to claim the honor if the Lightning win their third Cup in seven seasons.

Martin Necas (+2000)

Avalanche forward Martin Necas was one of the breakout players of this season, finishing with a career-high 38 goals and 62 assists for his first 100-point season.

He scored more while shooting less this season, so I could see him winning the Conn Smythe for the Avs ahead of MacKinnon and Makar if he catches fire as an efficient goal-scorer this spring.

Kirill Kaprizov (+5500)

These are incredible odds being offered for Wild star Kirill Kaprizov, who led Minnesota in goals and points this season.

I understand why his odds are as long as they are, though, as the Wild find themselves in a first-round bloodbath with the Stars. But Kaprizov's odds could be cut in half if the Wild come out on top in Round 1, so there's no way I'm not sprinkling some of my bankroll on him now while he's at +5500.

🗒️ Conn Smythe Trophy betting strategy

Unlike Super Bowl MVP or NBA Finals MVP, the Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded to the Most Valuable Player of the entire Stanley Cup Playoffs, rather than just the championship round. That means you want to target a player who will consistently perform throughout the postseason, making an impact in every round.

As far as betting history goes, there are two overarching trends to keep in mind: it is almost always a skater (not a goalie) on the team that wins the Stanley Cup. Only six players have won the Conn Smythe without winning the Stanley Cup that season, while skaters (forwards and defensemen) have won 71.7% of the playoff MVP trophies in history. Our Gary Pearson offers a full breakdown of how to bet on the NHL playoffs, including game picks, player props, and futures.