Not much separating McDavid, Draisaitl in Conn Smythe race
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The Edmonton Oilers got one step closer to their first Stanley Cup since 1990 with a 4-3 overtime win over the Florida Panthers in Game 1 on Wednesday night.
Leading the way throughout the playoffs have been star forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who have been key for the team on both ends of the ice.
When it comes to who would be the best Oilers candidate to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs, there isn't much that separates the two stars.
The case for McDavid
McDavid has been a force for the Oilers throughout the first three round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which is to be expected from the three-time Hart Trophy winner.
The Oilers captain became the sixth player on a losing team to win the Conn Smythe Trophy last season after recording eight goals and 42 points in 25 games. His 34 assists were the most in NHL playoff history and his point total was the third most in a single postseason, with only Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux scoring more.
FanDuel currently has McDavid as the odds-on favourite to win the award at -145 as he leads this year's playoffs with six goals and 22 points in 17 games and has been dangerous with 63 shots on goal.
The 6-foot-1 superstar centre also has two game-winning goals, and set up Draisaitl for the overtime winner on Wednesday.
"There's no question he's the best player in hockey," Gretzky told ESPN's Pat McAfee on Thursday. "He's an unselfish young man who loves playing in Edmonton and loves being the captain of the Oilers. He wants desperately to win a Stanley Cup. That's all he wants and it's what he cares about the most."
If McDavid does pickup his second Conn Smythe Trophy this season, he will join Bernie Parent, Lemieux, and Sidney Crosby as the only four players to win the award in back-to-back seasons.
The case for Draisaitl
Draisaitl was the leader offensively for the Oilers in the regular season, recording 52 goals and 106 points in 71 games.
His offensive totals led him to claiming this season's Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the league's leading goal scorer and is a finalist for the Hart Trophy as regular season MVP along with Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov.
The 6-foot-2 centre's dominant play has continued into the postseason, with nine goals and 27 points, one point behind McDavid. His nine goals are second in the NHL behind Panthers forward Sam Bennett (13).
A large part of Draisaitl's play comes from the timeliness of his goal scoring as he's tied with Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov with three game-winning goals, with all three coming in overtime.
"There's maybe nobody better [than Draisaitl]", McDavid told reporters after the victory in Game 1. "You can't put a number on [what Draisaitl brings]. He's invaluable. Clutch, faceoffs, you name it, he does it. He doesn't get enough respect or credit for his defensive capabilities."
Draisaitl and McDavid are tied with six 5-on-5 goals each and are three behind Bennett for the most in the league. Draisaitl is also one power-play goal behind Oilers forward Corey Perry and Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz for the most power-play goals in the playoffs.
The Cologne, Germany, native's production this year comes after he was hampered with injuries to his hand and ribs during last year's Stanley Cup Final loss to the Panthers.
Draisaitl had 10 goals and 31 points in 25 playoff games last year, but was limited to three assists during the Oilers' seven-game loss to the Panthers in the final.
FanDuel currently has Draisaitl tied for second in Conn Smythe odds at +430 along with Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.