Steve Starr
- BetOnline lists Andrei Vasilevskiy (+150) as the favorite to win the 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy
- Carey Price (+200) has shorter odds to claim playoff MVP (+200) than the Canadiens have to win the Cup (+230)
- Brayden Point (+400) has 28 goals and 25 assists in 41 games over the past two post-seasons
On the eve of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Montreal Canadians and the Tampa Bay Lightning, let’s look at the latest odds to win the 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy. One wrinkle to keep in mind is that unlike the NBA Finals MVP, which only takes into account a player’s performance in the championship series, hockey’s playoff MVP is awarded for the entirety of the postseason.
Before diving in below, be sure to check out our NHL betting tips page for advice on how to wager on hockey.
2021 Conn Smythe Trophy Odds
 |
|
| Andrei Vasilevskiy | +150 |
| Carey Price | +200 |
| Nikita Kucherov | +350 |
| Brayden Point | +400 |
| Victor Hedman | +2000 |
| Steven Stamkos | +2800 |
| Cole Caufield | +3300 |
| Nick Suzuki | +3300 |
| Tyler Toffoli | +3300 |
| Alex Killorn | +6600 |
| Brendan Gallagher | +8000 |
Goaltender duel for playoff MVP
After a Vezina-worthy campaign in the regular season, Andrei Vasilevskiy (+150) has a league-leading .936 save percentage in the post-season with a 1.99 goals-against-average. He also has a shutout in four straight series clinching games, an NHL record. If the 25-year-old Russian outduels Carey Price in the Cup Final and closes the series with yet another shutout, he should be a shoo-in for the Conn Smythe.
The Montreal Canadiens are massive +230 underdogs against Tampa Bay, yet Price is only at +200, suggesting that oddsmakers believe the 33-year-old netminder is a lock to win the NHL’s playoff MVP award if the Habs capture their first Cup since 1993.
And then there were two… 👀
Who's taking home the #StanleyCup this year? #ItsOn pic.twitter.com/wzPh80EiLL
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 26, 2021
Multiple contenders on Tampa Bay
Nikita Kucherov (+350) leads all players with 27 points this post-season but his Lightning teammate Brayden Point (+400) has already scored 14 goals, six more than the next closest player. Before failing to score in Tampa’s 1-0 victory over the Islanders in Game 7, Point had snipes in nine straight Stanley Cup Playoff games, falling just short of Reggie Leach’s record of 10 consecutive playoff games with a goal.
Keep in mind that Point missed out on last year’s Conn Smythe Trophy by the slimmest of margins, receiving just one less first-place vote (34 to 33) than Victor Hedman, who is at +2000 despite leading all blueliners in points this post-season and playing his usual rock-steady brand of defense.
Cole Caufield for Conn Smythe?
Of those not mentioned above, Habs rookie Cole Caufield is the only guy capable of winning the award and he just so happens to be available at +3300.
The 20-year-old dominated in the upset over the Golden Knights, with four goals and an assist in six games, and seems to have a knack for scoring on the biggest stage. This year with Wisconsin, the diminutive forward led all collegiate players in scoring with 30 goals and 52 points in 31 games, and he was also the MVP of the 2019 IIHF World Under-18 Championships.
this was nasty by Cole Caufield pic.twitter.com/nBjPcMBGEA
— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) June 25, 2021
While our advice is to hedge by placing bets on both Vasilevskiy (+150) and Point (+400) to win the Conn Smythe, a +3300 wager on Cole Caufield is incredible value considering the Canadiens aren’t winning the Stanley Cup without his prolific goal-scoring touch.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
