NHL betting: Should these players be favorites in Conn Smythe odds?

Jake Oettinger (11-1), Dallas Stars 

Oettinger had a rollercoaster of a regular season, highlighted by highlight reel performances but also puncuated with injuries and some moments of inconsistency. He got hot at the right time, however, and has been an important ingredient in Dallas' winning recipe.

"I’ve said it last year in the playoffs, I’ve said it this year in the playoffs, [Oettinger] has the ability to raise his game at the most important times," Stars head coach Pete DeBoer said after the Stars beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 in Game 3, via NHL.com

"I thought tonight when it was most hectic, he was the calmest player on the ice for us. Which is what you need your goaltender to be, to give you that calming influence. I think that’s what he does for us when he’s playing like he is right now."

Oettinger doesn't have the best goals-against average (2.12) or save percentage (.919) in these playoffs, but he does have the second-most wins at six. If he keeps adding to that win column and the Stars make it to the Western Conference Final, those odds of winning the Conn Smythe are sure to shorten.

Connor McDavid (10-1), Edmonton Oilers

We get it, he's Connor McDavid. But there are arguably players with longer odds of winning the Conn Smythe who are having a better playoff run than No. 97.

While he leads the playoffs with 15 assists and has an impressive plus-17 partway through the second round, he hasn't had consistent success through every game. His four-point effort in Game 2 against the Canucks was memorable, but Vancouver has largely kept him quiet in the other two games -- both of which have resulted in wins for Quinn Hughes's team. 

This isn't to say that McDavid shouldn't be in consideration for the Conn Smythe as he works toward his first ever Stanley Cup Final appearance. However, there could be more players with shorter odds than him.

Matthew Tkachuk (9-1) and Aleksander Barkov (8-1), Florida Panthers.

There were some discussions last year about whether Tkachuk should win the Conn Smythe even if the Panthers didn't win the Cup. (Which they didn't, and Jonathan Marchessault win named playoffs MVP.) So this is a bit of a redemption run for the feisty forward, who has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) through nine games.

He has had a couple of very quiet games in the second round against the Boston Bruins, however. If the Panthers make it to the Eastern Conference Final, Tkachuk will have to rediscover the Conn Smythe-level he reached last season for his odds to get shorter.

Barkov, for his part, has the same number of points as his teammate but has been more of a fixture in Round 2 as Florida tries to knock Boston out of Cup contention for a second consecutive postseason. He has points in every game in the current series, including a four-point night in Game 2. With that in mind, it's easy to see why he's the second favorite on DK's odds list.

Igor Shesterkin (6-1), New York Rangers

Goalies may not win the Conn Smythe as frequently as position players do, but if the Rangers make it back to the Cup Final it will be because of miles Shesterkin has logged in these playoffs.

The Russian netminder set a staggering record in the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes, becoming the first Rangers goalie to make 45-plus saves in back-to-back playoff games. (He made a whopping 54 in New York's double-overtime win in Game 2.) 

"He's world class," Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour told the press. "When they do have their breakdowns and we get to him, he's been sharp." 

If the Rangers shut the Hurricanes down, it won't be surprising if Shesterkin is still the betting favorite to win the Conn Smythe.