Hurricanes’ Jordan Staal Is the Conn Smythe Favorite

As we’re still over 24 hours away from Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, there have been a plethora of storylines through five games. Between multiple comebacks, disallowed goals, goalie changes, and historic scoring runs, this series has had it all. Game 5 felt like the most normal contest in a series that saw both teams score at least four goals in a game.

Heading into the series, there was a lot of noise surrounding Mitch Marner, Logan Stankoven, Taylor Hall, and Frederik Andersen as the favorites to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. However, with the Carolina Hurricanes being one win away from their second-ever Stanley Cup in franchise history, there’s a different name that’s been making a case and has become the odds-on favorite to win it.

The Captain Leading by Example

At 37 years old, Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal has turned back the clock and is on an otherworldly, historic scoring run through five games in the Stanley Cup Final. Through five games, Staal has six goals, with goals in all five contests. His five-game goal streak has tied him with a Stanley Cup Final record. He joined Jean Beliveau (1956), Maurice Richard (1951), and Cyclone Taylor (1918) to score in the first five games to begin a Stanley Cup Final.

Staal has eight goals, 12 points, three power-play goals, and four power-play points through 18 games this postseason, all career highs. His eight goals on 35 shots have given him a 22.9% shooting percentage. When it comes to the faceoff dot, Staal is winning at a 56.4% clip, with him winning 69% of faceoffs in the Stanley Cup Final.

According to BetMGM, Staal is set at -200 odds to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. Marner is +310, with Stankoven at +650 and Hall at +700. Imagine telling someone a week ago that Staal would be the odds-on favorite to win the Conn Smythe. While people will mention Marner has the most points throughout the entire playoffs, it’s hard to argue what Staal has done for the Hurricanes through five games.

Ahead of their Game 5 win, Jordan Martinook described how Staal is a leader no matter the moment or when during any given season. “He’s putting up goals, points, and all of that right now, but he leads us all year. Obviously, everybody that’s been around here all year, you see the way Jordo plays every night.

Some stretches aren’t filled with however many goals he’s scoring right now, but every night he’s the guy that sets the tone for our team. In the most important series of our season, he’s setting the tone every night and playing phenomenal. That shows you what type of captain he is.”

When it comes to seeing the story arc for Staal during his tenure with the Hurricanes, Jaccob Slavin knows it best, having been teammates for 11 years. Slavin’s first season in Raleigh came during the 2015-26 season, just a few seasons after Staal was traded to the Hurricanes ahead of the 2012-13 campaign.

When asked about Staal’s play, Slavin stated: “It’s unbelievable. I’ve been with him for 11 years now; he’s been my captain the whole time. Obviously, he wasn’t wearing a letter for the first couple of years, but he was a leader on this team, always has been. It’s welcoming to see; he’s what, 37 years old and still one of the hardest workers on the team.

He puts in his time, always wanting to get better, and even learning from the young guys, some of the young forwards. It’s just the way he comes about the game, the way he is as a person; you couldn’t wish anything better for him.”

Staal is seen as the driving force to get the Hurricanes ready night in and night out. It can be during the Stanley Cup Final or a random Tuesday night in Salt Lake City, Utah. No matter the game, the Hurricanes captain is the voice and the presence, having the team prepared to play Hurricanes hockey.

Head coach Rod Brind’Amour, after the win, described Staal as being huge for them on and off the scoresheet, but knows how the captain will have everyone ready for Game 6 on Sunday night. “Massive. This is necessarily, not necessarily; you’re expecting him to put up those kind of numbers. When he does, it’s like an added bonus. He’s deserved it; he’s been playing great. You got to get that one more still, and he knows it and will have our group ready.”

If Staal does score in Game 6 on Sunday night (June 14), he would add more to his legacy in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. If he doesn’t, all that matters is helping the team win its second Stanley Cup. When asked postgame on Thursday night (June 11) about his continued scoring success, “It feels great. It’s a good time to get hot, and trying to contribute anyway I can. Just win games, and the puck’s been going in, and continue to do all the things I have to do to help win the games.”

It’ll be interesting to see who wins the Conn Smythe Trophy when the series is all said and done. Regardless of whether he wins it or not, Staal has made the case through five games so far. The ultimate goal is always winning the Stanley Cup, but like what Cam Ward did in 2006, adding a Conn Smythe would be another bonus for Staal in his career. The Hurricanes are one win away from another Stanley Cup, and they’ll be looking at their captain to lead the way.

This team has been focused all season on reaching their number one goal. Now they’re on the precipice of winning it all, 20 years after reaching the mountaintop the first time. When it comes to their focus during the playoffs, it’s been the most intense in recent memory. They’ve learned how to move on and focus on the next one in these playoffs. Regarding Sunday, it’ll be business as usual for them with the Stanley Cup in the building as they’re one win away from glory.