2022 Conn Smythe Trophy Winner Odds and Best Bets: Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon Lead the Way for the Avalanche

The Conn Smythe Trophy has been around since 1964, and it was first awarded to a player in 1965. The trophy is awarded to the Most Valuable Player throughout the entirety of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Trophy is usually awarded to a player from the team who wins the Stanley Cup. However, that is not always the case, as it has been awarded to a player from the losing team 5 times in history.

The last time it was awarded to the loser was all the way back in 2003, when Jean-Sebastien Giguere won it as a member of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Since that instance in 2003, it has been awarded to the winning team each year.

Since 2010, there has only been one repeat winner of the award. That happened in 2016 and 2017 when Sidney Crosby lead his Pittsburgh Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cup Titles.

Conn Smythe Trophy Winners Since 2010

• 2010: Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
• 2011: Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins
• 2012: Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings
• 2013: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
• 2014: Justin Williams, Los Angeles Kings
• 2015: Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks
• 2016: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
• 2017: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
• 2018: Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
• 2019: Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues
• 2020: Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
• 2021: Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning

It has been proven over the past few years that the big star is not always the hero of the playoffs. It takes a team effort, and the player that comes away with the trophy has gone above and beyond for his own team, not individual stats.

Below are ten players, who so far, have gone above and beyond and hold the shortest odds to win the Conn Smythe Trophy this season.

2022 Conn Smythe Trophy Winner Betting Odds

Odds are via BetOnline.

• Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche) -190
• Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) +370
• Mikko Rantanen (Colorado Avalanche) +650
• Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning) +1100
• Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning) +1100
• Valeri Nichushkin (Colorado Avalanche) +2300
• Darcy Kuemper (Colorado Avalanche) +4000
• Gabriel Landeskog (Colorado Avalanche) +4000
• Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning) +7000
• Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning) +9500

Cale Makar -190

As a defenseman, Makar is certainly contributing to the offensive attack of the Avalanche. He has tallied 7 goals and 17 assists during this postseason.

Historically, Makar has always been an offensive threat. Since he was drafted in 2017, he has 48 goals and 132 assists. However, his breakout season came this year, as he scored 28 times in 77 games.

At the age of 23 he has a chance to make history as the second youngest player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. With his team up 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Final, the odds for him to take home the hardware are quite short. However, as one of the best offensive producers in the playoffs, and a strong defensive presence, it’s a safe bet.

Nathan MacKinnon +370

Like Cale Makar, MacKinnon is a lock for playing time in the Stanley Cup Final. He had points in every game against the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final to bring his totals to 11 goals and 9 assists in the playoffs.

MacKinnon is a sniper, and he tends to find the back of the net in big moments. For example, late in the 3rd period of Game 4 against the Oilers, he finished off a beautiful pass to tie the game at 4-4 and shift the momentum back to his team’s side.

The Avalanche would go on to win that game and clinch a berth in the Finals. Without the contribution from MacKinnon, the team would not be as powerful on offense. He already has 2 assists in the Final against the Lightning, and he has put 8 shots on goal.

Mikko Rantanen +650

The third and final player on the list is also a scoring threat on the Colorado Avalanche. Mikko Rantanen has 5 goals and 17 assists during the playoffs, but 5 of those assists have come in the first two games of the Final.

Rantanen lead the team in regular season scoring, tallying 36 goals and 56 assists. He picked up where he left off in the playoffs and has made the most of his opportunity. to help the team.

Rantanen might be a long shot to win the Trophy, but with his ability to move the puck around and set up his teammates, he has to be a part of this list. At +650 it’s a risky bet, but the return could draw some to ignore the odds.

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