Conn Smythe Trophy 2015: Ranking Top Candidates After Round 1 of NHL Playoffs
The first round of the NHL postseason is behind us, and the field of 16 teams has been reduced to eight.
There have been standout performers on each of those eight teams, and we'll use this space to recognize the skaters and goaltenders who have established themselves as early candidates for playoff MVP. To that end, we've evaluated 20 players based on their performance through the first round, with an emphasis on both value to their teams and how their play ranks against the league overall.
Which players in particular are worthy of note? The following slideshow puts the spotlight on the best players so far.
Nos. 20-16: Sami Vatanen-Nicklas Backstrom
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20. Sami Vatanen, Anaheim Ducks: He's much more than just a power-play weapon, though of course he's that, too. He managed five points in four games in Round 1, played 21:03 per game and in all situations.
19. Derick Brassard, New York Rangers: Brassard scored a team-leading three goals in the Rangers' first-round matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. While two of his four points came on the man advantage, his line also played an excellent puck-possession game at even strength.
18. Jiri Hudler, Calgary Flames: Hudler led Calgary in scoring, providing three goals and three assists in a six-game victory over the Vancouver Canucks. He scored the game-winning goal in Game 4 to give the Flames a 3-1 series lead and managed four points in the Game 6 win that knocked Vancouver out of the playoffs.
17. Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild: The hottest goalie in the NHL down the stretch had his human moments against St. Louis, notably allowing six goals on just 17 shots in Game 4. But he held the Blues to one goal or fewer in three of the series' final four games, all Minnesota wins.
16. Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals: Backstrom led the Caps in scoring in their first-round series against the New York Islanders, posting three goals and three assists in seven games. He also killed penalties, won 59 percent of his faceoffs and helped his team enjoy an edge in puck possession when he was on the ice.
Nos. 15-11: Jonas Hiller-P.K. Subban
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15. Jonas Hiller, Calgary Flames: Hiller was brought in over the summer as the veteran safety net for a young Calgary team, and he provided that and then some in the first round. He had his bumpy moments but managed to go 3-2-0 with a .931 save percentage in the series. He'll have plenty of motivation to beat the Ducks in Round 2.
14. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning: Hedman recorded three assists while playing more than 22 minutes per game for Tampa Bay in the first round. The Bolts outscored Detroit, 6-1, when Hedman was on the ice at evens and also boasted a significant advantage in terms of on-ice shot numbers.
13. Scott Darling, Chicago Blackhawks: It was something of a surprise when Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville told Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune that Corey Crawford would play Game 1 against Minnesota. Darling supplanted Crawford between the pipes in the first round, going 3-1-0 with a .936 save percentage and playing a leading role in helping the 'Hawks past the Nashville Predators. Still, he's a solid MVP candidate based on what he's done so far in the postseason.
12. Ryan Kesler, Anaheim Ducks: Kesler was brilliant against the Winnipeg Jets. He played in all situations and logged some heavy defensive minutes, including own-zone starts and time on the penalty kill. He appears to have formed strong chemistry with winger Jakob Silfverberg and had five points in the first round.
11. P.K. Subban, Montreal Canadiens: Subban had a strong showing in the first round. He played better than 25 minutes per game, posted four points in six contests and Montreal managed a 99-78 edge in unblocked shot attempts when he was on the ice despite an unfavourable zone-start ratio. His slash on Mark Stone early in the series was dirty and unpopular but also a pivotal moment that helped lead to the Habs' victory in the series.
10. Ryan McDonagh, New York Rangers
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2015 Playoff Statistics: Five games, one goal, four points, 25:45 TOI/game
Why He's Here: McDonagh took on a massive load for the Rangers in the first round. He faced the toughest opponents, started far more frequently in the defensive than offensive zone and averaged nearly 26 minutes per game. He didn't just saw those minutes off, either; he posted four points to tie for the team scoring lead, and New York enjoyed a significant advantage in terms of shot metrics and goal differential when he was on the ice.
Looking Ahead: There's no rest for the weary. After helping to shut down Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the first round, McDonagh will now undoubtedly be tasked with the work of suppressing Alex Ovechkin.
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9. Zach Parise, Minnesota Wild
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2015 Playoff Statistics: Six games, three goals, seven points, 17:53 TOI/game
Why He's Here: Minnesota's offence hinged on Parise in the first round; he led the team in both goals and assists against the St. Louis Blues. He picked up two points on the power play, scored a shorthanded goal and played an effective two-way game at five-on-five, recording four points and posting the best Fenwick rating on the team.
Looking Ahead: None of this is all that surprising; Parise is a high-end, two-way winger and will be pivotal to his team's efforts against Chicago. He's likely to see heavy lifting against either Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane.
8. Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
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2015 Playoff Statistics: Six games, three goals, eight points, 21:38 TOI/game
Why He's Here: Toews had an excellent first round, posting a league-leading eight points in just six games against Nashville. The Selke candidate was an all-situations workhorse for Chicago, posting a dazzling 54.6 percent Fenwick rating at evens, scoring twice on the power play and taking a regular shift on the penalty kill, too.
Looking Ahead: Toews should be the best centre in his team's second-round series with the Wild. With all due respect to Mikael Granlund and Mikko Koivu, Minnesota doesn't have a comparable player at the position.
7. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
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2015 Playoff Statistics: Five games, 4-1-0 record, .939 save percentage, zero shutouts
Why He's Here: Lundqvist was a key part of making Pittsburgh-New York the most boring series in the first round. His defence certainly helped, but he held the Penguins to just a single goal in four of his five starts and showed his resilience by closing out the series brilliantly following a disappointing Game 2. The best goalie of the last decade was the key factor in getting the Rangers to the Stanley Cup final last year and will be pivotal in helping the Rangers return.
Looking Ahead: Lundqvist will have his work cut out for him in the second round. Not only will he face this generation's best goal scorer in Alex Ovechkin, but he'll be going head-to-head with Braden Holtby, who was spectacular in Round 1.
6. Tyler Johnson
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2015 Playoff Statistics: Seven games, six goals, seven points, 18:45 TOI/game
Why He's Here: With Steven Stamkos struggling to score, Johnson picked up the slack. He scored six goals in the series, including two in Game 6 with the Lightning facing possible elimination. He was the offensive leader of his team and currently leads the postseason in goals scored.
Looking Ahead: The Lightning are going to need Johnson to keep scoring in the second round. Hart Trophy candidate Carey Price is standing between them and the Eastern Conference final.
5. Corey Perry, Anaheim Ducks
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2015 Playoff Statistics: Four games, three goals, seven points, 19:16 TOI/game
Why He's Here: The Ducks' first-round matchup with Winnipeg was an intense, physical affair with lots of scoring, and unsurprisingly, Perry was in his element. He was a nasty, agitating, physical player, and he did it while leading the Ducks in shots, goals and assists.
Looking Ahead: Calgary faced a Vancouver team known more for skill than viciousness in the first round, but in Perry, the Flames face perhaps the league's best combination of irritation and effectiveness.
As Calgary defenceman Deryk Engelland put it to George Johnson of the Calgary Herald, "This is a far different challenge altogether than the Sedins."
4. Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks
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2015 Playoff Statistics: Six games, two goals, seven points, 32:03 TOI/game
Why He's Here: Chicago's first-round series was a close affair, and it arguably hinged on the fact that, unlike Nashville, the Blackhawks' No. 1 defenceman was healthy throughout. Keith was an offensive powerhouse, scoring a ridiculous six points at even strength, but he was more than that. With Keith on the ice, the Blackhawks had a 126-94 edge in unblocked shot attempts and outscored Nashville by a 10-7 margin.
Looking Ahead: None of this is new to Keith, who has produced well over a distinguished playoff career. He likely won't get the toughest available minutes in Round 2 (those typically go to Niklas Hjalmarsson's pairing), but he will continue to be a versatile two-way threat against the Wild.
3. Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals
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2015 Playoff Statistics: Six games, 3-3-0 record, .943 save percentage, zero shutouts
Why He's Here: Holtby won a difficult head-to-head battle with Jaroslav Halak in the first round, battling through illness to deliver a stellar series for Washington. The Capitals are known more for their offensive weaponry, but in a heavily defence-oriented series, it was Holtby who emerged as the team's most vital piece.
Looking Ahead: Holtby will now face off against one of the best in the business, taking on Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers. The last time these teams met in the playoffs, Holtby was inconsistent, allowing four or more goals in three games but holding the Rangers to one or less in the other four. He'll look to improve on that showing this time around.
2. T.J. Brodie, Calgary Flames
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2015 Playoff Statistics: Six games, one goal, four points, 27:10 TOI/game
Why He's Here: When Calgary lost then-Norris Trophy candidate Mark Giordano to injury, there was good reason to wonder how the team would cope. Mostly, it's done it by having Brodie do the heavy lifting. As Flames Nation's Kent Wilson notes, not only did Brodie lead the Flames defence in virtually every on-ice metric, but he did it while playing brutal minutes, largely alongside third-pairing rearguard Deryk Engelland.
He's been a coach's dream through one round. He's provided offence, defence, handled tough minutes and done it all without much help. These playoffs could prove to be a star-making turn.
Looking Ahead: Brodie's tough assignments are about to get more difficult. The 6'1", 182-pound defenceman matched up well defending against the Sedins; the question now is how he'll cope against Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.
1. Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
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2015 Playoff Statistics: Six games, 4-2-0 record, .939 save percentage, one shutout
Why He's Here: What a performance. Price, who has emerged as the best goalie in the NHL today, looked every inch of it against the Ottawa Senators. He saved his best for last, putting on a 43-save, shutout performance in the decisive Game 6, thereby eliminating an Ottawa team that had started to show significant signs of life.
Looking Ahead: Montreal's game plan always starts with Price. He was their best player in the first round; he'll need to outperform his counterpart in Round 2 as well.
All statistics courtesy of NHL.com or War-on-Ice.com.
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