Conn Smythe Watch: Who leads for Stanley Cup playoffs MVP? - ESPN

After three grueling and very entertaining rounds, the Florida Panthers or the Edmonton Oilers will raise the Stanley Cup as the NHL's champion.

The Conn Smythe Trophy field for playoff MVP offers a far greater number of potential winners.

We asked nearly two dozen potential voters and hockey media members who have covered the playoffs for their top three players for postseason MVP. Those ballots were compiled to create this ranking. We attempted to have an equal number of Eastern and Western conference media personnel in the survey.

Here's a look at where the Conn Smythe race stands ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+). Keep in mind that the winner is determined for his entire body of postseason work and not just what happens in this final round.

Everyone likes a comeback story. Skinner had a save percentage under .900 in six of his first eight playoff games. That's when coach Kris Knoblauch benched his starting goalie, replacing him with Calvin Pickard in Games 4 and 5 against the Vancouver Canucks. Skinner returned to win Games 6 and 7. In his past eight playoff games, Skinner is 6-2 with a 1.91 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. Knoblauch praised him as the difference-maker in Edmonton's important Game 5 win at Dallas.

In full disclosure, Skinner didn't receive a top-three vote from our panelists, but a few mentioned he was at least on their radars.

One of the Panthers' most clutch scorers, Verhaeghe had three goals and three assists against the New York Rangers in the conference finals — although he had only one goal in the final three games of the series. He leads Florida with nine goals and is tied for second in points with 17.

His only vote was a third-place