The stage is set and the stars are all in place – no, unfortunately for Dallas fans not those ones. All bad jokes aside, the better team is moving on to the Stanley Cup Final as the Edmonton Oilers took care of business on Sunday night while punching their ticket to the big dance for the first time since 2006.

There are a lot of ways we could break down just how good the Oilers were in their six-game masterclass against an excellent Dallas hockey team, but the daunting fact remains that they still have to go through an equally tough – if not tougher- test in the Florida Panthers to reach their ultimate goal. It might sound like an obvious take, but both clubs deserve to be here and both will need to continue to get MVP-level performances from their big guns if they want to be the ones sipping out of Lord Stanley in a couple weeks' time.

Hockey in June tends to reveal the game's biggest heroes and this year's run is no exception. Let's dive into the top-10 Conn Smythe threats based on their current betting odds.

10. Zach Hyman (+11000)

Considering how good Hyman's been and that he's currently four goals clear on Leon Draisaitl for the postseason goal-scoring lead with 14, these are definitely the best odds available for a player with a legitimate shot at winning this prestigious trophy. Not only has Hyman been sensational all playoffs long, he was also instrumental in Sunday's series-clinching performance as his first period power-play tally ended up being the game-winner – his third GWG of the postseason. Clearly, other names near the top of the list are the much more obvious choices as the Conn Smythe winner, but Hyman is proving his worth as an elite fantasy piece who will be heard from before the series is over.

9. Gustav Forsling (+9000)

Forsling is assuredly one of the most underrated fantasy blue-line options out there – but he really shouldn't be. Yet another feather in general manger Bill Zito's cap, Forsling is one of many under-the-radar-type players that Zito's collected over the past few seasons that have helped propel Florida to its second Cup Final in as many years. Forsling is a shining example of how a strong postseason showing can dramatically boost a player's upcoming fantasy draft stock, as the soon-to-be 28-year-old is leading all Panthers D-men in scoring these playoffs with four goals and seven assists while establishing himself as a dependable rearguard at both ends of the ice. Do not sleep on him when it comes to next season's draft preparation. Forsling holds 45-55-point potential and is going to get a really good chance to run it back on a dangerous Florida squad for the 2024-25 campaign.

8. Sam Reinhart (+5000)

Conversely, even though Reinhart has been nothing short of stellar all year long, the pending unrestricted free agent should be drafted with caution, as he'll be in tough to replicate the 57-goal output he had this season. However, that means nothing when it comes to this list and the opportunity Reinhart has in front of him. The scoring winger's eight goals trail only Carter Verhaeghe for the team lead with nine and if the Panthers have any hope of cracking the Oilers' stingy penalty kill that hasn't allowed a goal in 10 consecutive games, Reinhart is going to need to generate some chances and make an impact at the offensive end of the rink.

7. Carter Verhaeghe (+2400)

Much like a number of his teammates, Verhaeghe's been mostly operating in incognito mode over the past few seasons due to a slow start to his NHL career and his time with small-market clubs. Although, he is a very worthy member of our list who has regularly shown the ability to step up in the clutch for the Panthers. Verhaeghe has 17 points in 17 games these playoffs and already has nine game-winning postseason goals under his belt in only 62 career games. Verhaeghe thrives during this time of year and it won't come as any surprise if he's a major factor if Florida is the franchise left standing.

6. Evan Bouchard (+700)

We already discussed how strong postseason performances can catapult fantasy draft stock and Bouchard's name should be right at the top of that trending list as he's arguably been the best defenseman these playoffs. Bouchard's all-around game is really starting to impress and establish him as an elite offensive option who can impact the outcome of games in a number of ways: a big shot from the point, creating chances with elite-level passing, and the ability to sacrifice his body with timely blocked shots. Bouchard is doing it all while also leading blue-liners in playoff scoring with 27 points – he will be one of the first five D-men off the fantasy board come September, if not top three.

5. Leon Draisaitl (+650)

The top-five names on our list will all be heard from at some point during the Stanley Cup Final. Draisaitl's is no exception, as the offensive wizard has once again been producing on the game's largest stage to the tune of 28 points so far. If Draisaitl can pop a few big-time goals, there's absolutely no reason why he can't be the one lifting more than one trophy when all the dust settles.

4. Matthew Tkachuk (+600)

As much as the Florida Panthers definitely embody their coach in terms of their determination and relentless commitment to playing a physical brand of punishing hockey, their swagger and confidence pulsate through Tkachuk. When Tkachuk is on his menacing-style game this Panthers team is extremely hard to beat and they're showing the hockey world that last year's improbable run to the Cup was no joke. Tkachuk was the catalyst for that run, along with the next guy on our list, and he's going to be a difference-maker once again.

3. Sergei Bobrovsky (+400)

Bob is already a shoo-in Hall-of-Famer whose elite-level resume speaks for itself: 396 regular-season wins, 44 shutouts, two All-Star appointments, a career .915 save percentage, and two Vezinas. All that's missing is the big one. Even though the team in front of him has been suffocatingly good over the past handful of weeks, Bobrovsky's been solid when called upon while going 8-3 over his last 11 games and rocking a .921 save percentage. He's about to face the ultimate test with the best player on the planet in Connor McDavid breathing down his neck, but Bobrovsky is an unflappable netminder with a cerebral approach who's more than capable of winning this trophy.

2. Aleksander Barkov (+400)

Someone throw some respect on Aleksander Barkov's name and quickly, this is the best two-way player in the game and a major reason why Florida is such a difficult team to match up against on a nightly basis. Barkov is the definition of a complete player, one who is also a true leader who makes his teammates better around him – a trend that's been prevalent throughout this postseason and one that is likely to continue over the course of the Stanley Cup Final. If Barkov can improve on his 17 points with a big series against the Oilers he will be the Conn Smythe winner as the on- and off-ice leader of the Panthers.

1. Connor McDavid (+200)

If you need any explanation for why 97 tops this list other than the obvious, watch the tape of his goal-of-the-season candidate from Game 6 against the Stars on Sunday. That's the kind of level McDavid is on right now that has him leading all postseason scorers with 31 points. Enough said.