With one round in the books and eight teams sent home, the race for Stanley Cup playoffs MVP is starting to come into focus.
That focus is currently on one player who set a handful of records with his Game 7 heroism.
Here's the first Conn Smythe Watch of the 2025 postseason. Keep in mind that in the NHL, the Conn Smythe is based on a player's performance during the entire postseason, not just the championship round. The award is voted on by an 18-person panel of Professional Hockey Writers Association members.
We polled more than a dozen writers who are still on the beat in the playoffs for the Conn Smythe Trophy top three.