Originally posted on ClutchPoints
The Edmonton Oilers will meet the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, and one player will lead their team to victory and win the MVP award. We’re here to share our Stanley Cup Final odds series and make a Stanley Cup Conn Smythe Trophy prediction and pick for the series.
The Stanley Cup here and there is one thing that is nearly as great as hoisting Lord Stanley’s prestigious cup. Ultimately, there is so much glory in winning the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is the MVP award for the best player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It usually goes to a player on the winning squad. However, a player on a losing team has won it, but not since Jean-Sébastien Giguère won it as a member of the 2003 Anaheim Ducks, who lost to the New Jersey Devils that year.
Connor McDavid, Aleksander Barkov, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Matthew Tkachuk are currently the favorites to win it. Let’s examine their chances, examine their past performance, and speculate on their potential for winning it.
Here are the Stanley Cup Final Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Connor McDavid: +200
Aleksander Barkov: +380
Sergei Bobrovsky: +400
Matthew Tkachuk: +800
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
What else can you say about the greatest player in the NHL? McDavid has finally arrived where everyone believed he would be, on the grandest stage of them all. So far, he has tallied five goals and 26 assists in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, illustrating how good he has been. Substantially, if there were no playoffs left to play, he would win the award without question.
But McDavid still has one more thing left to do. Significantly, everyone will be watching him with the exception that cements his legacy by bringing the Oilers their first Stanley Cup in over three decades. The spotlight is on him on his first trip to the Stanley Cup. Now, he looks to cement his legacy.
McDavid is a force to be reckoned with. Additionally, he is as dangerous as ever on the powerplay. McDavid also works well with anyone and has built chemistry with basically everyone on the team. Thus, look at how he has helped Zach Hyman, who has netted 14 goals in the postseason. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has also tallied six goals in the playoffs. Furthermore, even defenseman Evan Bouchard had added six goals. McDavid has played a significant role in all their success. That makes him the favorite to win if he can lead the Oilers to a Stanley Cup victory.
If McDavid cannot get past the tough Florida defense, then someone from the Panthers will likely win the Conn Smythe Trophy. Significantly, Barkov is a great choice to win it. Barkov has tallied six goals and 11 assists in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Overall, he has played well in these playoffs.
But there is the question of his consistency. After getting two helpers in Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, he went scoreless until Game 5. Barkov did significantly better against the Boston Bruins, tallying three goals and five assists. Yet, he still disappeared in the final two games. The series against the New York Rangers started slow for him as he did nothing in the first two games at Madison Square Garden. Then, Barkov went off for a goal and three assists over the next two before again going missing over the final two.
If he cannot, then Bobrovsky can possibly win it. Amazingly, he has played well in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, going 12-5 with a 2.20 goals-against average and a save percentage of .908. But the one drawback against Bobrovsky is the fact that the Panthers don’t allow many shots. In fact, he faced less than 25 shots in four of the six Eastern Conference Finals games against the Rangers. That won’t be a problem against the best shooting team in the NHL. How will Borbovsky handle the extra pressure?
Bobrovsky’s results when he has faced 30 or more shots have been mixed, as he is 1-2 in those games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If he can make adjustments and avoid critical mistakes, Bobrovsky will win the Conn Smythe.
Let’s not forget about Tkachuk. Currently, he has five goals and 14 assists. But Tkachuk has also had the same consistency issues that Barkov has had. Ultimately, he either explodes for a big game or does nothing. His odds are long unless he shows up.
The problem with picking a Conn Smythe Trophy winner from the Panthers is that they are such a loaded team that anyone can win. While McDavid is the favorite, he will need to do that and a lot more to get the edge. If the Panthers win the Stanley Cup, it will be based on an incredible defense and solid goaltending. With that said, Bobrovsky gets the nod as he leads the Panthers to their first Stanley Cup win and takes home the Conn Smythe.
Click here for more betting news and predictions
Final Conn Smythe Trophy Prediction & Pick: Sergei Bobrovsky: +400
The post 2024 Conn Smythe Trophy Prediction & Pick appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Originally posted on ClutchPoints
Published: 5 months ago
Oilerhockey is in no way affiliated with the NHL or the Edmonton Oilers hockey club.
Copyright © 2009 - 2024 oilerhockey.com | Contact us at admin@oilerhockey.com | View our Privacy Policy or DMCA Policy