The Golden Knights are heading to the Stanley Cup Final, and while Mitch Marner is the betting favorite for playoff MVP, goaltender Carter Hart’s stellar play is creating a contentious subplot for voters.

Marner, acquired from Toronto this season, has shed his reputation as a playoff underperformer. He leads the NHL with 21 postseason points, including seven goals, and is listed as less than 2-to-1 at Westgate SuperBook after opening at 50-1. One local sportsbook director said his book faces significant liability on Marner.

But Hart, who wasn’t even listed in some preseason Conn Smythe odds and was 300-1 at one book, has been sensational. He allowed just seven goals in four games against the high-powered Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final, solving the Knights’ biggest weakness. His odds now sit at +1000.

The debate centers on whether Hart’s off-ice history—he was not charged but was part of the Hockey Canada sexual assault investigation—could influence voters. On their podcast, hockey insiders Frank Seravalli and John Buccigross discussed whether voters would shy away from Hart due to potential backlash. “Will anyone want to touch that topic knowing there will be social media pushback and blowback if Carter Hart were somehow to win the Conn Smythe?” Seravalli asked.

TSN analyst Jamie McLennan argued Hart deserves consideration. “If Carter Hart is not in the conversation for the Conn Smythe, then shame on the voters,” he said on the Barn Burner podcast. “Mitch Marner I know is the leader and all of that. Great, no problem. He’s been awesome. But if they don’t get saves, (they aren’t in this position).”

Marner remains the frontrunner, with a positive narrative bolstering his candidacy. The Conn Smythe has gone to a skater in four straight years and 74% of the time overall. Hart will need to be exceptional in the final to overcome both the odds and the controversy.