Mikko Rantanen was a serious contributor through the Colorado Avalanche’s run to the Stanley Cup title in 2022, registering 25 factors in 20 video games. The 29-year-old proper wing has a stable likelihood to eclipse that postseason career-high level whole through the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 19 factors in 13 contests as his Dallas Stars have reached the Western Convention Finals.
Rantanen started 2024-25 with the Avalanche earlier than being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in late January, as he was slated to change into a free agent on the finish of the season. Unable to return to an settlement on a contract extension with the Finnish star, Carolina shipped him to Dallas on the commerce deadline after he notched solely six factors in 13 video games with the membership.
The Stars instantly signed Rantanen to an eight-year, $96 million extension and have not had any regrets. The 2-time All-Star recorded 18 factors in 20 regular-season contests and has been an offensive power within the playoffs, the place he set an NHL postseason document by being concerned in 13 consecutive Dallas targets.
Regardless of being the playoff chief in each factors and targets (9) after two rounds, Rantanen is just not the favourite for the 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy based on the sportsbooks. That distinction belongs to 2024 winner Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, who trails Rantanen by two factors with 17 and is first within the league with 14 assists.
The percentages for McDavid, who turned the sixth participant in NHL historical past to obtain the award as a member of the shedding crew of the Stanley Cup Ultimate, to win it for the second straight time vary from +350 to +380. The three-time Hart Trophy winner is trying to be a part of Bernie Guardian (1974-75), Mario Lemieux (1991-92) and Sidney Crosby (2016-17) as the one back-to-back recipients of the Conn Smythe.
Rantanen’s odds are as little as +400 at DraftKings and bet365, and as excessive as +480 at FanDuel. Odds for Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen are round +500, whereas Florida Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky fetches odds of round +800.
For the reason that Conn Smythe Trophy was first given out in 1965, facilities have received the award 20 occasions, whereas goaltenders have taken the trophy on 17 events. Listed below are some gamers to contemplate for the 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy.
Finest bets
Mikko Rantanen, Dallas Stars (+480, FanDuel)
Maybe the actual fact Rantanen is just not the favourite for the Conn Smythe Trophy because the convention finals start is as a result of he has gone back-to-back video games and not using a level for the primary time since his first two contests of the postseason. Nevertheless, he already has recorded two hat methods in these playoffs, is one among 5 gamers with 5 multi-point performances and ranks sixth on the all-time postseason listing with a mean of 1.28 factors per sport, registering 120 in 94 contests. Sure, Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner is coming off back-to-back shutouts towards the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Oilers allowed greater than two targets solely twice of their six-game overcome Dallas in final 12 months’s Western Convention Ultimate. However the Stars did not have a participant with the offensive skill possessed by Rantanen in that collection and if he manages to assist deliver Skinner again all the way down to earth, his possibilities for the Conn Smythe ought to rise.
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers (+380, FanDuel)
I steered everybody keep away from backing McDavid for the Conn Smythe previous to the beginning of the postseason, primarily as a result of I did not imagine the Oilers would get by the primary two rounds. They proved me incorrect, they usually did it with out an otherworldly effort from McDavid. The 28-year-old celebrity nonetheless leads the NHL with 14 assists and is tied for second with 17 factors, however he has scored only one aim over his final eight video games and hasn’t seemed to be that electrifying since notching seven factors over the primary three contests of Edmonton’s first-round collection towards the Los Angeles Kings. As well as, he was stored off the scoresheet within the Oilers’ clinching victory over Vegas, marking simply the second time this postseason he did not notch some extent. Nevertheless, McDavid undoubtedly is one of the best participant on the planet and already has been the playoff scoring chief twice in his profession, recording 33 factors in solely 16 video games in 2022 and 42 in 25 contests final 12 months. He additionally has recorded 5 multi-point performances in these playoffs and is third all-time with a mean of 1.58 factors per postseason contest. If he continues at that tempo, the possibilities of Edmonton advancing and McDavid successful the Conn Smythe will likely be excellent.
Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers (+900, DraftKings)
Bobrovsky guided the Panthers to their first Stanley Cup championship final 12 months, and plenty of believed he would take dwelling the Conn Smythe. However his numbers weren’t staggering, as he completed fourth in goals-against common (2.32) and sixth in save proportion (.906). He was the one goaltender within the league to publish two shutouts final postseason and he already has matched that whole by two rounds this 12 months. The 2-time Vezina Trophy winner’s different stats are just like those he had in 2024, as he’s third in GAA (2.31) and seventh in SP (.901). He has adopted a four-game stretch throughout which he allowed no less than three targets by giving up two or fewer in every of his final 4 contests, allowing a complete of 4 in that span. None of his teammates are having a monster postseason offensively, as eight totally different gamers have registered between 8-12 factors so if the Panthers repeat as champions – and McDavid does not erupt over the ultimate two rounds to duplicate the feat he achieved final 12 months, Bobrovsky might add one other merchandise to his trophy case.
