2023 Conn Smythe Trophy power rankings: Playoff MVP candidates entering the Stanley Cup Final

Credit: Matthew Tkachuk and Sergei Bobrovsky (© Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)

If you predicted we’d be seeing the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers in the 2022-23 Stanley Cup Final: congrats on your winnings, Mr. McDuck. This postseason has treated us to a circus of thrills, upsets, randomness and gargantuan individual performances.

After two rounds, I ranked my top 10 contenders for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP drawing on names from the four remaining teams. Now that we’re three rounds deep, the list of realistic contenders comes from two teams. One has a pair of obvious MVP candidates, while the other has half a dozen players who’ve made similar impacts. Who has the inside track?

1. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers

Yes, Matthew Tkachuk scored the winning goal in three of four games in the Florida’s sweep over Carolina. But if we factor in the totality of the Panthers’ run so far: they would’ve cleaned out their lockers in late April if it weren’t for Bobrovsky’s heroics. Since he rescued his team from elimination with a 44-save overtime win in Game 4 of the first round against the Boston Bruins, ‘Bob’ has gone 11-1 with a .942 save percentage. He was somehow even better in Round 3 than he was in Rounds 1 and 2, compiling a downright silly .971%. It’s easy to get romantic about Tkachuk, for all his flare, but no player has influenced his team’s fate more than Bobrovsky this postseason.

2. Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers

Not that Tkachuk is far behind his teammate by any means. He has delivered the heroic power-forward performance that makes 31 rival GMs green with envy, asking themselves, “Why can’t I have a Matthew Tkachuk?” His 21 points through 16 games this spring include 33.3 percent of the Panthers’ game-winning goals so far. His three against the Canes included the overtime winners in Games 1 and 2 and the series clincher with four seconds remaining in Game 4. Tkachuk, like Bobrovsky, has been so good in the 2023 playoffs that it’ll be tough for either of them to lose the Conn Smythe even if the Panthers don’t win the Stanley Cup at this point.

3. Adin Hill, Vegas Golden Knights

Who would’ve predicted Hill would outduel Jake Oettinger in the Western Conference Final? Goaltender was supposed to be Dallas’ primary on-paper advantage. But the towering Hill towered over Oettinger, posting two shutouts and a .939 save percentage across the six-game series. Hill has been as good as any goaltender in the 2023 playoffs, with a .937 save percentage and a higher 5-on-5 goals saved above average per 60 than Bobrovsky’s. But because Hill took over in Round 2 for the injured Laurent Brossoit, the sample size is just nine starts across 11 appearances. That holds Hill out of the top Conn Smythe tier.

4. William Karlsson, Vegas Golden Knights

Karlsson had five goals in the Western Conference Final and leads Vegas with 10 overall, including nine at even strength, in 17 games this postseason. Karlsson has been a true ice tilter at 5-on-5, matching up regularly against opposing teams’ top players. Vegas has outscored opponents 14-5 with him out there despite his most commonly faced opposing forwards being the Jason Robertson/Roope Hintz/Joe Pavelski line and Connor McDavid.

5. Jonathan Marchessault, Vegas Golden Knights

Marchessault has built momentum as the playoffs progress, catching fire since the midway point of the Edmonton series. He has nine goals and 15 points, including three game-winning goals, in his past 10 games alone. He closed out the Dallas series with four goals and seven points in Games 2 to 6.

6. Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights

Eichel was arguably the Golden Knights’ best player in the first two rounds of the playoffs. He had a quieter Western Conference Final on paper, held without a goal, but he remained consistently dangerous and is Vegas’ top scorer in the 2023 postseason with 18 points in 17 games.

7. Mark Stone, Vegas Golden Knights

Stone has done a bit of everything in these playoffs, chipping in 15 points, battling the opposition’s most dangerous scoring threats and upping his takeaway game. He already averaged the fifth most 5-on-5 takeaways per 60 in the NHL during the regular season at 3.48, and he’s swiping 4.75 per 60 this postseason, a demon in transition.

8. Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers

Tkachuk’s shadow is so large in these playoffs that other excellent Panther forwards have been overlooked. Barkov, the all-situations maven, tied Tkachuk for the team scoring lead in the Eastern Conference Final. He and linemates Carter Verhaeghe and Anthony Duclair were the only Florida forwards who weren’t on the ice for a single 5-on-5 goal against versus the Hurricanes.

9. Ivan Barbashev, Vegas Golden Knights

Barbashev piled up six points in the Western Conference Final and has been one of Vegas’ most consistent playmaking weapons. Among all players reaching the Stanley Cup Final, only Marchessault averages more points per 60 than Barbashev at 5-on-5 this postseason.

10. Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers

I orginally tabbed Verhaeghe for this spot given he’s scored three game-winning goals this postseason. But Bennett has arguably been more of an X-factor literally knocking multiple opponents out of series with his heavy-hitting play. He also has generated the most 5-on-5 scoring chances of anyone still alive in the 2023 playoffs.

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