NHL Conn Smythe Trophy rankings: Early look at the top 5 candidates

Q: Who are the top candidates for the Conn Smythe Trophy this year?

The article features five players considered top candidates for the Conn Smythe Trophy based on their playoff performance and team prospects.

Q: What factors influence the Conn Smythe Trophy rankings?

The rankings are influenced by players' skill levels and the likelihood of their teams advancing in the playoffs.

Q: How often will the Conn Smythe Trophy rankings be updated?

The rankings will be updated weekly throughout the NHL playoffs.

Q: Which players have previously won the Conn Smythe Trophy?

Among the top candidates, two players have previously won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

NHL Conn Smythe Trophy rankings: Early look at the top 5 candidates originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

While the playoffs have only just started, it’s never too early to take stock of the Conn Smythe Trophy favorites.

We’ll be offering a weekly Conn Smythe series, providing updates and analysis on the countless twists and turns the post-season embodies.

This week’s segment focuses on who is most likely to win playoff MVP, based on if their team is predicted to go on a Cup run and their skill level.

Three of the five featured players are battling for the Hart Trophy, but only two have previously won the Conn Smythe.

5. Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning

In search of his first Conn Smythe Trophy, Nikita Kucherov swatted an oversized monkey from his back by scoring for the first time in 17 playoff contests in Game 2 against the Montreal Canadiens.

Kucherov, who has three points (one goal and two assists) through two games, has come out firing, already with 10 shots on goal.

The Tampa Bay Lightning wizard is among the favorites to win the Hart Trophy, and he has proven his ability to produce in the post-season, with 174 points in 154 games. He tallied 93 points in 71 games when the Lightning made three successive appearances in the Stanley Cup Final.

MORE: 'Somebody's Got To Be The Villain': Why The Lightning Believe They Can Bully Their Way To A Stanley Cup

4. Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche own a 2-0 series lead against the Los Angeles Kings despite Cale Makar not registering a point.

The reason he’s among the five favourites to win the award is twofold: He plays for the team with the best Stanley Cup odds, and he won the Conn Smythe Trophy for his playoff heroics when the Avs won the Cup in 2022.

He is also tied with Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas for the team lead in shots (7), which means the production is just around the corner.

MORE: Why The 2026 Colorado Avalanche Look Ready To Break The Presidents' Trophy Curse

3. Sebastian Aho, C, Carolina Hurricanes

Thanks to the Carolina Hurricanes storming out to a 2-0 series lead over the Ottawa Senators, Sebastian Aho is among the five early favorites.

However, he has just one goal and five shots thus far. The primary reason he’s on the leaderboard is because of the Hurricanes’ recent playoff success. They lost in the Eastern Conference finals in two of the previous three seasons, both times to the already-eliminated Florida Panthers.

Aho, who led the team with 80 points in the regular season, is also a beacon of playoff consistency, notching 86 points in 91 games.

MORE: Brady Tkachuk vs. Jordan Staal fight: How Senators, Hurricanes captains opened NHL playoffs by dropping gloves

2. Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers

Off to an unconventional, almost unheard of, slow start, Connor McDavid didn’t register a point in the first two games against the Anaheim Ducks.

The only other time he didn’t notch a point in the opening two games of a playoff was in 2020-21 against the Winnipeg Jets.

But if you’ve watched McDavid in the playoffs, you know he’s about to explode. He had several good looks in Game 2 and was unfortunate not to grab a few points. The points will come; it’s as inevitable as the Edmonton Oilers conceding unnecessary goals.

The question is whether those around him are good enough to help him win a Stanley Cup. Because I doubt he’ll win another one, like he did in 2024, if the Oilers play second fiddle.

MORE: McDavid Fighting Something As Oilers Drop Game 2 To Ducks

1. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche

Through two games, no Colorado Avalanche player has more than one point. That’s a testament to how well Anton Forsberg and the Los Angeles Kings have played.

I can’t see that staggering statistic continuing, given that Nathan MacKinnon is arguably the league’s most formidable offensive threat.

MacKinnon has 126 points in 97 playoff games, and he’s among the favorites to win the Hart Trophy. I expect MacKinnon to ratchet things up soon, as he’ll be hellbent on propelling the Avs to the Stanley Cup after missing a golden opportunity to steer Canada to Olympic glory.