The 2021 NHL playoffs are down to the Stanley Cup finalists: the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Montreal Canadiens, meaning a player from one of those two teams is likely to take home the Conn Smythe Trophy. Here are the latest odds on who will be the playoff MVP.
What is the Conn Smythe Trophy?
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded to the player who is determined to be most valuable to their team during the playoffs. That player is usually a member of the team that wins the Stanley Cup. The award was established in 1965 and has been handed out to 47 different players. The Professional Hockey Writers Association selects the winner after the completion of the Stanley Cup Finals.
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Who is the favorite to win the 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy?
Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche led the odds going into the playoffs, while Marc-Andre Fleury was the leader as the semifinals began. But now, the goalies for the two remaining teams have the best chances. Here are the latest odds from our partner, PointsBet:
- Andrei Vasilevskiy: +135
- Carey Price: +175
- Nikita Kucherov: +250
- Brayden Point: +250
- Victor Hedman: +2000
- Steven Stamkos: +3000
- Cole Caufield: +3000
- Tyler Toffoli: +3300
- Nick Suzuki: +3300
- Alex Killorn: +8000
- Brendan Gallagher: +10000
Who has won the Conn Smythe Trophy in the past?
San Jose Sharks
As mentioned, the trophy is typically given to a player on the winning team. However, there have been five times where a member of the losing team has been awarded the trophy. It has not happened since 2003, when goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere of the Anaheim Ducks was awarded the trophy despite the Ducks losing to the New Jersey Devils.
There also have been six players who have won the award multiple times. The most recent is Sidney Crosby, who won the award in back-to-back years in 2016 and 2017. Crosby is among five players who have won the award twice, while goaltender Patrick Roy is the only player to win the trophy three times.
Here are the most recent winners of the Conn Smythe Trophy:
- 2020: Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2019: Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues
- 2018: Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
- 2017: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2016: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Editor's note: All odds are provided by our partner, PointsBet. PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.