2024-25 Conn Smythe odds, prediction: Connor McDavid installed as favorite ahead of Stanley Cup Final
The 2025 Stanley Cup Final is set to get underway Wednesday and bookmakers are having a really tough time separating the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers.The Oilers have home-ice advantage are slight -130 favorites to win the best-of-seven series at bet365, but if it were the Panthers hosting four potential games then the odds would likely be flipped.Flip a coin.With the odds to win the Stanley Cup so tight, it would make sense that the market for the Conn Smythe Trophy to be the same. Connor McDavid is an even-money favorite to win the Conn Smythe, which would make the Oilers captain the fourth player to win the trophy in consecutive years but the first to do it despite being on the losing team in at least one of those years. McDavid currently leads the playoffs in points, assists and shots on goal.Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (+250) has the shortest odds of any player on the Panthers.Bobrovsky was the only other player in last year’s Final to receive a first-place vote besides McDavid. Aleksander Barkov is the third choice on the board ahead of Game 1 at +550 odds.Barkov leads the Panthers in scoring with 17 points, but will also play a pivotal role in attempting to shut down McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in this series.Barkov’s two-way game is so well respected that he doesn’t need to put up eye-popping point totals to get serious consideration for this award. Leon Draisaitl is the only other player with single-digit odds at +750.
The German star is one point behind McDavid in the scoring race and is tied with Corey Perry for the team lead in goals with seven.Leon Draisaitl (+750)The oddsmakers seem to be making a stand.They are saying that if the Oilers win this series, McDavid will be given the Conn Smythe Trophy.While there is certainly a strong chance that it happens, McDavid is just one point ahead of Draisaitl in the scoring race, and it’s the German who has more goals in his account in the playoffs.If Draisaitl continues at his current pace a...