NHL Conn Smythe Trophy rankings: Avalanche, Hurricanes players dominate leaderboard originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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With the halfway mark of the playoffs on the horizon, it’s time to check in on the five Conn Smythe favorites, one of whom can be considered a bit of a head-scratcher.
What isn’t perplexing, though, is seeing the five favourites playing for the Carolina Hurricanes or the Colorado Avalanche.
Both juggernauts are in pole position to represent their respective conferences in the Stanley Cup Final.
5. Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
Sebastian Aho is among the five Conn Smythe favorites despite registering only three points (three goals and zero assists) in six games.
One of those goals came on an insurance marker into an empty net in Game 4 against the Ottawa Senators.
He’s been given the benefit of the doubt because of his previous success in the playoffs, with 88 points in 95 games.
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4. Logan Stankoven, Carolina Hurricanes
As far as Hurricanes forwards go, Logan Stankoven is my pick to snag the coveted award. He scored six goals in the first five games, netting one in each of the first four and two in Game 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers.
He scored the opener in three of the four games against the Senators and opened the Hurricanes’ account against the Flyers, too.
Stankoven was held off the scoresheet in Game 2 against the Flyers, the first time he didn’t notch a point. He has seven points in six games, trailing only linemates Jackson Blake (eight points) and Taylor Hall (nine points) for the team lead.
3. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
After failing to register a point in the opening two games against the Los Angeles Kings, Cale Makar entered beast mode, scoring four goals in the subsequent three contests.
Two of those goals came in the 15-goal Game 1 thriller against the Minnesota Wild. In that game, Makar didn’t play most of the first period after taking a heavy hit from Marcus Foligno.
He returned at the start of the second period and tallied both goals in the third. Makar won the Conn Smythe in 2022, when he scored eight goals and added 21 assists.
While he has a lot to do to eclipse that impressive haul, Makar is one of the only defensemen in the world who can shift the complexion of a series on his own.
MORE: Ranking The NHL’s Three Norris Trophy Finalists: Is It Werenski’s Year?
2. Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes
Frederik Andersen is by far the most experienced goaltender among the remaining eight starters, as his performances indicate. With an unblemished 6-0 record, he still hasn’t allowed more than two goals.
The 36-year-old leads most statistical categories, including goals saved above expected (10.1), save percentage (.958), and goals-against average (1.02). He’s also tied with Dan Vladar for the most shutouts (2).
1. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
If Makar entered beast mode, Nathan MacKinnon transformed into Hulk mode in the last three contests, accumulating nine points.
He has 10 points in six games despite being blanked in Games 2 and 3 against the Kings. MacKinnon is just one point behind leading scorers Quinn Hughes and Kirill Kaprizov, but the pair of Minnesota Wild superstars have played two additional games.
While he won’t maintain the three points per game he’s scored in the previous three, MacKinnon is sixth all-time in points per game in the postseason (1.33).
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