NHL Conn Smythe Award Odds Update
Top Choices to Win National Hockey League Playoff MVP
Conn Smythe Award Odds Update
As we enter the halfway mark of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, we’re starting to see certain players emerge as the top NHL players with their club as they begin this long, nine-week journey towards hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup.
In this article, we will identify some strong favorites, some good value options as well as a couple of longshots to take home the Playoff MVP award, better known as the Conn Smythe Trophy. Let’s start off the Conn Smythe Odds update with a look at the favorites on the betting board.
Top Favorites
Connor McDavid (Forward – Edmonton Oilers)- Current Odds: +800
The 27-year old superstar who became one of two players this season and six overall in National Hockey League NHL stats history to record 100 or more assists in a Regular Season, has continued his helping ways thus far in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, registering six assists through the first two games of their opening round series versus the Los Angeles Kings.
McDavid led the NHL Playoff picture in Points with 33 back in the 2022 Playoffs, before his team was swept by that year’s eventual Stanley Cup winner, the Colorado Avalanche.
Nathan MacKinnon (Forward – Colorado Avalanche)- Current Odds: +1500
The Halifax, Nova Scotia native not only led his Avalanche with career-high marks of 51 goals and 140 points this season, but he also lead the entire National Hockey League in shots on goal with 405.
The 28-year old centerman had a point streak record of 35 consecutive games at home, and with their First Round series going back to Denver for Games Three and Four, this price might move if “Nate Dogg” continues to deliver at Ball Arena.
Jake Guentzel (Forward – Carolina Hurricanes)- Current Odds: +1700
Arguably the biggest name to move during this season’s Trade Deadline, Guentzel scored 52 points in 50 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins before getting dealt to Carolina in a six-player deal on March 7th, and the 29-year old Omaha, Nebraska native delivered upon arrival to Raleigh, scoring eight goals and 17 assists in 17 games down the season stretch, and in the first two NHL games of the Canes’ First Round series with the New York Islanders, Guentzel has a goal and an assist.
Good Value Options
Igor Shesterkin (Goaltender – New York Rangers)- Current Odds: +1800
The top goalie listed on the betting board in this category, Igor Shesterkin has been sensation between the pipes for the New York Rangers this season, posting his third straight season with at least 36 victories, a goals-against average of 2.58, and a save percentage of .912% with four shutouts in 55 starts.
With a a pair of wins at home to take a 2-0 series lead in their First Round showdown with the Washington Capitals, the prices for Igor will change as this club progresses forward.
Sergei Bobrovsky (Goaltender – Florida Panthers)- Current Odds: +2000
The 14-year veteran finally got his first taste of making the Stanley Cup Final last season as his Florida Panthers made a miraculous run towards winning the Eastern Conference in a postseason that actually saw Bobrovsky as the backup to journeyman Alex Lyon down the stretch as the “Cardiac Cats” clinched the final Wild Card berth in the East in the final week of the season.
Despite a 12-6 record with a 2.78 goals-against average, the Panthers fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. Bobrovsky and company are now back in the playoffs as one of the top hockey teams in the league, and thanks to a 36-17-4 record with a 2.37 goals-against and a league-leading six shutouts, if Florida finds their way back to the Cup Final and on the winning side this time around, “Goalie Bob” is a solid option to take home the Conn Smythe odds update.
- Frederik Andersen (Goaltender – Carolina Hurricanes)
- Current Odds: +2100
The 34-year old Danish netminder had a rough start to the season, dealing with NHL injury issues that has plagued his eleven-year career, but also being diagnosed in early November with a blood clot issue that threatened to end his season.
Upon being cleared and returning to play in March, Andersen went 9-1 down the stretch to help Carolina return to the postseason and after a pair of wins over the New York Islanders in the club’s opening round, now would be the time to buy on Andersen stock, which is actually better priced by nearly three times the price than betting the Hurricanes to win the Stanley Cup.
Longshot Choices
- Cale Makar (Defenseman – Colorado Avalanche)
- Current Odds: +2500
One of the best blue-liners in the game, defenseman Cale Makar has been a shining star with Colorado for his last six years, including in 2022, when he scored eight goals and 21 assists en route to the Avs winning the Stanley Cup and giving the Calgary native the Conn Smythe Trophy for his efforts.
Now, off an NHL regular season where he scored 90 points and has currently added a goal and four assists in the first two games for Colorado against the Winnipeg Jets in their first round series, we could see some money come in on the 25-year old as he would become the eighth player in National Hockey League to win the Conn Smythe more than once in his career should he be able to accomplish the feat this season.
Connor Hellebuyck (Goaltender – Winnipeg Jets)- Current Odds: +3000
One of the hardest working netminders in the National Hockey League, Connor Hellebuyck has been a pillar of defensive stability for his tenure with the Winnipeg Jets.
Leading the league in games played in four of the last seven years, and registering 60 or more appearances five times in his nine-year career, the 30-year old Michigan native posted a 37-19-4 record with a 2.39 goals-against average and a .921% save percentage, good enough for him to win the Jennings Trophy this season, for fewest goals allowed by a goaltender.
The two-time All-Star and former Vezina winner would love to add even more hardware to his trophy mantle in the form of a Stanley Cup championship ring, and if he leads this solid Jets club to that path, he would be in high regard for the Conn Smythe Trophy as well.
David Pastrnak (Forward – Boston Bruins) +2500- Brad Marchand (Forward – Boston Bruins) +3500
The two biggest pieces offensively for the Boston Bruins all season has been winger David Pastrnak and centerman Brad Marchand.
Pastrnak, who’s scored 40 or more goals in four of his last five seasons, has started off hot in the playoffs with a goal and two assists in the first three games of their opening round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, with the captain Marchand scoring two goals and four assists in the same span of action.
The reason why these two are listed together and down the list of dark horse options is because of what Head Coach Jim Montgomery is doing in goal, continuing the rotation of tandem Jeremy Swayman (who’s Conn Smythe odds update is 25/1) and Linus Ullmark (who’s not even listed at most shops as of press time) to start this series.
While goaltenders have won this award 17 times over the 54 years it’s been presented, it’s possible that should Boston continue to progress through the tournament with this rotation system, that votes would ultimately be split between the goaltenders, leaving these two forwards as stronger betting options.
This concludes the NHL Conn Smythe Odds Update. Check out more info and news on NHL Predictions Today and more over at PointSpreads.com
