Power Ranking The Most Likely Conn Smythe Contenders For The Vegas Golden Knights
Who will be crowned MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Knights?
Just two more wins stand between the Vegas Golden Knights and ultimate glory as they chase a first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Vegas proved in Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final that they are an unstoppable force, an absolute juggernaut of a team that has been carefully crafted since they entered the NHL as an expansion team in 2017.
Despite going up against a team of destiny in the Florida Panthers who have been on a magical ride this postseason, the Golden Knights have looked every inch a true championship contender and they have been absolutely dominant in both games of this series so far.
With just two more wins needed in order to lift Lord Stanley, the conversation around leading Vegas contenders for the Conn Smythe Trophy - awarded to the most valuable player of his team during the Stanley Cup Playoffs - is also starting to gain some momentum.
As such, I’m going to attempt to power rank who I believe to be the main frontrunners for the Conn Smythe Trophy should the Golden Knights get the job done. Let’s dive right in…
Jack Eichel
I believe it is about the larger sample size in the postseason when it comes to handing out the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is why I think Jack Eichel is still the leader in the clubhouse.
While Jonathan Marchessault is now the new betting favorite for the award after going off on an absolute tear over the last two rounds, Eichel has been a consistent force for the Golden Knights throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The superstar center leads all Vegas players in points with 22 (6 G, 16 A), and he’s tied with Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk for the second most points in the postseason. Only Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz has more with 24. And, with up to five potential games left of the Playoffs (hey, you never know), it is beyond feasible and probably very likely that Eichel becomes the leading points scorer by the time a Stanley Cup champion is crowned.
That would certainly bolster his case to win the Conn Smythe, as probably did the fact that Eichel returned to the ice and claimed a primary assist on Marchessault’s second goal after getting absolutely trucked by Tkachuk. Intangibles like toughness and resiliency count too, and Eichel displayed both of those attributes in the third period of Game 2.
Eichel has nine primary assist in these Playoffs - tied with Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid and Tkachuk for the most in the postseason - he’s averaging 19:08 of total ice time and he’s morphed into a reliable, effective two-way center that can impact the game in all three zones. The 26-year-old - playing in the postseason for the first time ever in his career, don’t forget - has 23 blocks, 22 hits and 17 takeaways. His plus-13 is second on the team at 5-on-5, behind Marchessault (plus-16).
The only knock on Eichel is his lack of goals. He has six all postseason and hasn’t lit the lamp since Game 5 of the Second Round against Edmonton. But, if Eichel can continue his strong two-way play, if he can continue to be the playmaking master he’s been - some of his assists have been absolutely beautiful - and if he can find the back of the net a couple of times for the remainder of this series, especially at key junctures - then there is a very good chance the center will walk away from his first ever taste of the Playoffs with both the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy in his arms.
Jonathan Marchessault
Momentum is everything in sport and Jonathan Marchessault is currently riding a hot streak to end all hot streaks.
The veteran wing has hit the very peak of his powers at the best time possible for the Golden Knights, emerging from the shadows to act as an electric spark plug for this offense.
You can’t keep good players down, and the tear he’s been on dating back to the latter stages of the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars has just been epic. Marchessault had two assists and no goals through the Knights’ first seven games of the postseason. But, since potting two goals in Game 3 of the Second Round against the Oilers, Marchessault has 12 goals and 19 points in his last 12 games.
Furthermore, the original ‘Golden Misfit’ has recorded all 12 of his goals in his past 12 contests, and his red-hot surge includes scoring 10 goals in nine games since his series-clinching hat-trick against Edmonton in the Second Round.
Marchessault is currently riding his second three-game goal streak of these Playoffs, and he will also take a seven-game point streak into Game 3, which is tied for the longest in Golden Knights Playoff history.
What makes Marchessault’s Conn Smythe Trophy case more compelling is the fact that not only has he gotten hot at just the right time, but he’s scoring big-time goals in clutch moments. He has scored the opening goal of the game in both Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, becoming just one of five players in the past 35 years to score his team’s first goal in Games 1 and 2 of the Final.
The others were:
Joe Sakic - Colorado Avalanche - 2001
Rod Brind’Amour - Philadelphia Flyers - 1997
Ray Bourque - Boston Bruins - 1990
Adam Graves - Edmonton Oilers - 1990
That is some pretty good company to keep, and Marchessault needs just two more goals to take over from Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl for the most goals in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. With 21 points (12 G, 9 A) in 19 games, Marchessault could clinch the Conn Smythe Trophy if he’s able to maintain his current pace and repeat his heroics from Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final in particular.
Adin Hill
Without doubt, one of the biggest and most feel-good stories to emerge from these Playoffs is Vegas Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill.
A career backup netminder with the Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks - he made a combined 63 starts for the two franchises across five years - Hill was acquired in a trade by the Golden Knights in August 2022.
He started 25 games for Vegas during the regular season in 2022-23 - putting up a .915 Save Percentage and a 2.45 Goals Against Average - and wasn’t even the main guy to begin the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, after Laurent Brossoit got hurt in Game 3 of the Second Round against Edmonton, Hill seized his opportunity and he’s been the spark behind the Knights’ run to the Stanley Cup Final.
Hill has been stellar in every sense of the word and he’s backstopped his team to the cusp of ultimate glory. He’s come up with clutch saves in huge moments of games, and he’s answered the bell every single time he’s been needed to stand on his head and play the role of a miracle worker.
The 27-year-old leads all goalies in the postseason with a .937 Save Percentage, he owns a 2.06 Goals Against Average and he also has two shutouts. Plus, winning the next two games would tie Hill with Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky for the Playoff lead in wins with 11.
Oh, and then there’s the not-so secret weapon that is the fact Hill has the greatest save made this postseason at his disposal. In Game 1, with the teams tied at one-apiece early in the second period, Hill made an absolute heroic desperation save to absolutely rob Nick Cousins right on the doorstep with the heel of his stick. It was one hell of an effort and that will help Hill’s Conn Smythe Trophy case, as will if he’s able to stand on his head in the next two games and help lead Vegas to a sweep. If that happens, and he makes some huge saves in the process, then that may be enough to earn Hill an extra piece of hardware.
Mark Stone
At this point, the Conn Smythe Trophy isn’t likely to go to anyone outside of the top three we’ve mentioned if Vegas does win the Stanley Cup.
However, I thought I’d mention Mark Stone because he has the potential to shift the momentum in any game he plays in, and there’s still time for the Golden Knights Captain to bolster his chances with a couple of monster games.
Despite having two major back surgeries in a year and featuring in just 43 games during the regular season, Stone has had a major impact on these Playoffs and he’s the pulsing heartbeat of this Vegas team.
Stone has 17 points (7 G, 10 A) through 19 postseason games, he’s averaging 19:00 of total ice time a game and he’s one of the best two-way forwards there is. He is an elite game-changer when he is on the ice and his presence alone takes the Knights from being a very good team to an absolute juggernaut of a contender.
He’s that damn good.
Plus, Stone has already had a sizeable impact on the Stanley Cup Final with two absolute monster plays. He flashed his insane high hockey IQ in Game 1 by anticipating a weak clearance attempt from Matthew Tkachuk, before batting the puck down and going top-shelf to effectively ice the game. Then, in Game 2, after breaking his stick, Stone rushed to the bench to get another, got back on-side and then produced a beauty of a dish to allow Brett Howden to score on an odd-man rush.
That’s the kind of elite difference-making ability Stone brings to the table.
Granted, he’s trailing quite a bit in the clubhouse but, if he can pad his stats in the next couple of games and make a couple of monster plays that directly lead to Vegas clinching this series and the Stanley Cup, then there is a world in which Stone is crowned the Conn Smythe Trophy winner too.
And, given that Stone has made a habit of beating the odds this year, don’t be surprised if he does it one more time.
