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The 2026 Stanley Cup Finals could wrap up as soon as Sunday night, with the Carolina Hurricanes holding a 3-2 advantage over the Vegas Golden Knights. Both teams have been led to the finals by standout stars, building a strong pool of Conn Smythe Trophy candidates no matter who wins the Cup.<\/p>\n
A strong performance in the Finals is the best way to stick in voters\u2019 minds and no player has stood out more than Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal<\/a><\/strong>. The 38 year old has scored six goals and seven points in five games this series. That is more than Staal had scored through the entirety of the first three rounds \u2013 when he notched five points in 13 games. Playing under the lead of head coach Rod Brind\u2019Amour<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 who spearheaded Carolina\u2019s last Cup win in 2006 \u2013 Staal has found his next gear at exactly the right time.<\/p>\n But \u2013 Brind\u2019Amour didn\u2019t win the Conn Smythe in 2006, and Staal lacks scoring across the full postseason. A better standout could be playoff scoring leader Mitch Marner<\/a><\/strong>, who has blossomed into a playoff star in his first postseason run with the Golden Knights. He has recorded eight different multi-point games, including two four-point performances, en route to 29 points in just 21 playoff games. Marner has looked a cut above the rest for the last two months. That standing \u2013 marked by his lofty scoring \u2013 could be enough to earn Marner the Conn Smythe regardless of the series outcome. Connor McDavid<\/a><\/strong> was bestowed that honor in 2024, though he finished those playoffs with an incredible 42 points in 25 games. Marner\u2019s chances would rise significantly should Vegas mount a comeback \u2013 one that would likely be led by his electric offense.<\/p>\n If the trophy does land in Carolina, MVP could go to any member of the Hurricanes best line: Taylor Hall<\/a><\/strong>, Jackson Blake<\/a><\/strong>, and Logan Stankoven<\/a><\/strong>. The trio has clicked perfectly in the postseason. Hall and Blake lead the Hurricanes in playoff scoring with 18 points in as many games, while Stankoven ranks fourth\u00a0 with 15 points. Brind\u2019Amour has leaned on this line to dig Carolina out of the defensive end and double-shift in important moments of the game. Their impact allowed the explosive styles of Nikolaj Ehlers<\/a><\/strong>, Seth Jarvis<\/a><\/strong>, and Sebastian Aho<\/a><\/strong> to shine. Opponents simply can\u2019t cover all of Carolina\u2019s top performers \u2013 and that begins with the hard-nosed impact made by each of Hall, Blake, and Stankoven.<\/p>\n There appeared to be a clear Conn Smythe option in Carolina\u2019s net, before the Stanley Cup Finals. Starter Frederik Andersen<\/a><\/strong> was in the midst of a stellar postseason after recording 12 wins and a .931 save percentage through 13 games of the first three series. But the wheels fell off in the Finals, where Andersen recorded a .815 save percentage in 162 minutes before being pulled partway through Game 3. Rookie replacement Brandon Bussi<\/a><\/strong> has stood out in two-and-a-half games since. He has set a .908 save percentage and could very well end up the piece that pushed the Hurricanes over the line. That may not be enough to earn Bussi MVP consideration, though his emergence has certainly pulled down Andersen\u2019s odds.<\/p>\n The top-notch, two-way impact of Mark Stone<\/a><\/strong> and Jack Eichel<\/a><\/strong>, or even the solid performances before the Finals from Vegas starter Carter Hart<\/a><\/strong>, could also push voters to consider their choices. A Vegas win on Sunday night could respark the debate, too, offering one more chance for players to make their case for the award. With the season set to reach its peak, who do you think will take home playoff MVP?<\/p>\nWho Will Win The 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy?<\/h3>\n