Three Conn Smythe Candidates For The Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are back in the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2006 as they square off against the Florida Panthers. Several players have emerged as potential candidates for the Conn Smythe Award throughout their postseason run.
Below are the top three Oilers I think have the best chance to win the award.
Edmonton Oilers Center #97 Connor McDavid
Conn Smythe Candidates
Connor McDavid +320
You cannot talk about an MVP award and leave Connor McDavid out of the conversation. The best hockey player on the planet has been on an absolute tear in the playoffs.
McDavid is leading the playoffs in points (31), points per game (1.63), power-play points (14), even-strength points (17), and assists (26). Even when he may not be lighting the lamp much (five goals), his presence and playmaking ability have been incredible.
When he has buried a goal they have been absolute beauties such as the one he scored in Game 6 vs the Dallas Stars.
McDavid has already cemented himself as one of the greats, even at just 27 years old. To name a few of his accolades, McDavid is a three-time Hart Trophy winner, has five Art Ross Trophies, four Ted Lindsay Awards, and is a six-time All-Star. The only thing missing from his trophy cabinet is the Lord Stanley Cup and a potential Conn Smythe Award to go along with it.
Leon Draisaitl +1800
Don’t let the +1800 odds fool you. Draisaitl has been on a mission in the postseason and has played at the same level as McDavid. He is second in the playoffs with 28 points, three behind McDavid. In 19 games he has buried 10 goals and has 18 assists.
He has been dangerous anytime the puck hits his stick. His shot percentage is 16.4% and the best part of his game comes on the power play as he leads the playoffs with six goals on the Oilers' dangerous power play unit.
An underrated part of Draisaitl’s game this postseason is how he has made an impact no matter who he plays with. Per NHL.com, Oilers head coach, Kris Knoblauch, has applauded Draisaitl’s flexibility on what line he plays with.
“But also for Leon, it’s not always easy, because you’re always getting new linemates. You try to build some chemistry, and then I’m uprooting that. I’m changing that up. But for a player like Leon, to be able to be as productive as he has and play with so many different linemates, that says a lot about the player.”
Having a player who can play on any line on any shift is huge for a team, especially come Stanley Cup Finals time. Knowing you can plug him up and down the lineup for a spark can be a big reassurance and the fact that he has tallied 28 points doing so speaks volumes.
Evan Bouchard +2000
I thought about putting Zach Hyman in the third spot, but Bouchard’s plus/minus and power play points are way too convincing not to have him on the list.
Bouchard is third in the playoffs in points with 27 behind his two teammates McDavid and Draisaitl. He has been producing on both ends of the ice. Offensively he has six goals and 21 assists. He has been facilitating the power play extremely well with 11 power play assists. Defensively he has shut down opponents and is tied with Panthers Gustav Forsling for first in the playoffs in rating with a +13.
Bouchard has been doing all of this while averaging 24:42 minutes per game, the most by a player on the Oilers. He has been one of if not the best defenseman throughout the entire playoffs.
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