• ESPN
Apr 29, 2025, 07:38 AM ET

The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs have begun with 16 teams looking to be the last one standing after four grueling rounds of playoff hockey action. The Florida Panthers return to defend their championship and are off to a strong start, up 3-1 against their cross-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning. The Panthers have the second-shortest odds to win the East behind only the Carolina Hurricanes, who have emerged as the Cup favorites and have a 3-1 series lead over the banged-up New Jersey Devils. Game 5 is tonight.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, looking to snap the longest championship drought in NHL history, are up 3-1 on their provincial rivals, the Ottawa Senators, but the Senators took a dramatic Game 4 win in OT to extend the series. Game 5 is tonight on ESPN. The Washington Capitals took care of business in Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens with Alex Ovechkin scoring his first career playoff OT winner and are up 3-1.

In the West, two of the favorites clash in the first round as the Dallas Stars take on the Colorado Avalanche with the teams trading wins in every game this series. The Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues are even after the Blues scored five goals on Conn Smythe-favorite Connor Hellebuyck in Game 4, while the Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights are tied 2-2 in a series the odds consider a virtual toss-up. Game 5 between the Wild and Golden Knights is tonight on ESPN. The Edmonton Oilers lost both their opening road games to the Los Angeles Kings but won the next two to even the series 2-2, with Game 5 tonight at 10 p.m.

Last year's Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Connor McDavid, won the top award for playoffs MVP despite his team not winning the championship but will first need to lead get his team past the Kings to have a chance to repeat. Below, you can see all of the top favorites for Conn Smythe, as well as the odds for every team to win their opening-round series, advance to, and to win the Stanley Cup.

All odds accurate as of publish time. For more, go to ESPN BET.

Odds to win Conn Smythe trophy

The Conn Smythe is awarded to the player deemed to have been the most valuable to his team throughout the playoffs. Players listed with 100-1 odds or better. More odds available at ESPN BET..

Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche: 12-1
Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes: 14-1
Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs: 16-1
Connor McDavid, Oilers: 18-1
Jake Oettinger, Stars: 18-1
Sergei Bobrovsky, Panthers: 18-1
Adrian Kempe, Kings: 20-1
Aleksander Barkov, Panthers: 20-1
Anthony Stolarz, Maple Leafs: 20-1
Connor Hellebuyck, Jets: 20-1
Matthew Tkachuk, Panthers: 20-1
Mitch Marner, Maple Leafs: 20-1
Nikita Kucherov, Lightning: 20-1
Seth Jarvis, Hurricanes: 20-1
Alex Ovechkin, Capitals: 25-1
Cale Makar, Avalanche: 25-1
Darcy Kuemper, Kings: 25-1
Dylan Strome, Capitals: 25-1
Frederik Andersen, Hurricanes: 25-1
Pyotr Kochetkov, Hurricanes: 25-1
Tomas Hertl, Golden Knights: 25-1
Andrei Svechnikov, Hurricanes: 30-1
Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning: 30-1
Jack Eichel, Golden Knights: 30-1
Kirill Kaprizov, Wild: 30-1
Kyle Connor, Jets: 30-1
Leon Draisaitl, Oilers: 30-1
Logan Stankoven, Hurricanes: 30-1
Mark Scheifele, Jets: 30-1
Sam Reinhart, Panthers: 30-1
Anze Kopitar, Kings: 40-1
Mackenzie Blackwood, Avalanche: 40-1
Mikko Rantanen, Stars: 40-1
Wyatt Johnston, Stars: 40-1
Adin Hill, Golden Knights: 50-1
Brayden Point, Lightning: 50-1
Jaccob Slavin, Hurricanes: 50-1
Roope Hintz, Stars: 50-1
John Tavares, Maple Leafs: 60-1
Kevin Fiala, Kings: 60-1
Logan Thompson, Capitals: 60-1
Mark Stone, Golden Knights: 60-1
Matt Boldy, Wild: 60-1
William Nylander, Maple Leafs: 60-1
Evan Bouchard, Oilers: 75-1
Jake Guentzel, Lightning: 75-1
Jordan Binnington, Blues: 75-1
Pavel Dorofeyev, Golden Knights: 75-1
Brady Tkachuk, Senators: 100-1
Connor McMichael, Capitals: 100-1
Filip Gustavsson, Wild: 100-1
Jason Robertson, Stars: 100-1
Linus Ullmark, Senators: 100-1
Miro Heiskanen, Stars: 100-1
Nico Hischier, Devils: 100-1
Pyotr Kochetkov, Hurricanes: 100-1
Quinton Byfield, Kings: 100-1
Robert Thomas, Blues: 100-1
Sam Bennett, Panthers: 100-1
Thomas Harley, Stars: 100-1
Tim Stutzle, Senators: 100-1