The St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins begin the Stanley Cup Final on Monday. Here, we focus on betting tips for who'll win the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the most valuable player throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Before we dive into the odds, here are some things to keep in mind:
- No goalie has won the Conn Smythe since Tim Thomas and Jonathan Quick took the honors back-to-back in 2011 and '12, respectively. Five of the last six recipients have been forwards.
- Only five players have won the Conn Smythe as a member of the losing Stanley Cup Final team.
- Bruins skaters will be shaded a bit shorter due to Boston being favored in the series.
Conn Smythe odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tuukka Rask (BOS) | 2-3 |
| Jordan Binnington (STL) | 13-5 |
| Brad Marchand (BOS) | 6-1 |
| Jaden Schwartz (STL) | 10-1 |
| David Pastrnak (BOS) | 20-1 |
| Patrice Bergeron (BOS) | 20-1 |
| Vladimir Tarasenko (STL) | 25-1 |
| Alex Pietrangelo (STL) | 40-1 |
| David Krejci (BOS) | 40-1 |
| Ryan O'Reilly (STL) | 80-1 |
| Charlie Coyle (BOS) | 100-1 |
| David Perron (STL) | 150-1 |
| Oskar Sundqvist (STL) | 200-1 |
| Tyler Bozak (STL) | 200-1 |
Goalies favored to buck the trend
Both Rask and Binnington have had memorable postseasons and odds say one of those netminders will end the six-year Conn Smythe goalie drought. Rask boasts a 1.84 goals-against average and .924 save percentage along with two shutouts over 17 postseason games. Meanwhile, Binnington has been excellent in his playoff debut despite being roughed up in his previous series against the San Jose Sharks. Overall, the rookie has posted a .914 save percentage with one shutout.
Forwards to consider
Schwartz is the front-runner for the Blues at 10-1 odds thanks to potting 12 goals so far in the postseason, including a pair of hat-trick performances. However, Tarasenko might be the more intriguing winger on that top St. Louis line. Following a slow start to the playoffs, Tarasenko has recorded a point in each of his previous six outings and has put the second-most pucks on net of any player in the postseason.
Marchand leads Bruins skaters at 6-1 odds thanks to posting 18 points in 17 games. His linemate, Bergeron, only has 13, but has been a consistent point producer in the championship round, registering six goals and nine points in 12 career Stanley Cup Final games.
Long shot to consider
O'Reilly was St. Louis' top point-getter during the regular season, recording 77 along with 28 goals and 49 assists. He's only found the back of the net three times this postseason but the 80-1 number for O'Reilly to win the Conn Smythe is too long not to take a shot on with a player who's currently second on the Blues with 14 playoff points.
Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.
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