Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid is the best player the sport of hockey has seen in a very long time, and he put on a show in the opening round series against the Los Angeles Kings. For the second consecutive year, the Oilers were able to bounce the Kings in the first round. After getting past the first round on Sunday night, the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs odds now show Connor McDavid is the favorite to win his first Conn Smythe Award.
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2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds: Connor McDavid Takes Over As Conn Smythe Favorite
Per DraftKings Sportsbook, Connor McDavid (+600) is now the favorite to win the Conn Smyth (postseason MVP). He entered the playoffs as a slight underdog to Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak (who began the postseason at +750).
Pastrnak (+800) is second to McDavid in the Conn Smythe odds. He is followed by Leon Draisaitl (+900), Mitch Marner (+1100), Auston Matthews (+1100), Sebastian Aho (+1500), Roope Hintz (+1600) and Nathan MacKinnon (+1600).
It is entirely possible that Pastrnak regains his status as betting favorite to win the Conn Smythe if the Bruins are able to win Game 7 over the Florida Panthers on Sunday night. But as of now, there is no better bet than McDavid.
McDavid came into the Stanley Cup Playoffs with all eyes on him, as fans have been anxiously waiting for the Oilers to get over the hump and make a run for their first championship since 1990. Not only did McDavid shoulder the pressure, but he might have exceeded the sky-high expectations placed on him in the first round.
After being held to just one assists in the first two games of the series, McDavid took matters into his own hands, scoring multiple points in each of the last four games of the series. He opened the scoring on Sunday night with a tip-in and added an assist to Draisaitl on a power play goal later in the 5-4 win.
McDavid and the Oilers set up a date with the Western Conference’s No.1 seeded Las Vegas Golden Knights in the second round. Despite starting the season on the road, Edmonton (-155 on DraftKings) is a slight favorite to win the series.
“It’s always so hard, especially in the first round. L.A. is such a good team. They seem to match up so well against us. And I thought we were resilient throughout the series…There’s no time to relax here. Vegas played great in their first round, and it’s going to be a tough series, but we’re looking forward to it,” McDavid said to TNT after Game 6, per Clutch Points.
The Oilers are going to need the offensive prowess to break through a stingy Knights defense in the second round. And that means keeping McDavid hot in the coming games. Based on the latest Stanley Cup Playoffs odds, McDavid will stay productive and give the Oilers as good of a chance as anyone to win the cup.
Bettors looking for the best value for the remainder of the Stanley Cup Playoffs should be sure to check out OddsShopper tools!
