NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs: Can Ilya Kovalchuk Win the Conn Smythe Trophy?

“I’ll trade all those points to be one day in the Stanley Cup Finals.”

Those were the words of Ilya Kovalchuk to Fire & Ice (h/t sports.ru) when he scored his 750th career point earlier in the season.

Now, Ilya Kovalchuk and the New Jersey Devils are preparing for a first-round playoff matchup against the Florida Panthers.

The Devils enter the first-round matchup as the lower-seeded team, even though they finished the year with eight more points and 10 more wins than the Southeast division-winning Panthers.

Although the odds certainly favor the Devils in this series, Kovalchuk and Co. cannot afford to take their opponents lightly.

This is only the third time that Kovalchuk has made the playoffs in his 10-year career, and of the nine games he’s played in, he’s only come away with one playoff victory.

The soon-to-be 29-year-old has bigger plans on his mind, which include accomplishing more than just one playoff victory. Kovalchuk has had Stanley Cup on his mind ever since he’s entered the league as a teenager.

He’s come a long way in his career. A former 50-goalscorer for the Atlanta Thrashers, Kovalchuk has learned what is needed to win and developed his overall game while playing in New Jersey.

Many people question his effort, question his heart and desire to win. They question whether or not he is money hungry or wants to be known as a winner.

It’s clear that Kovalchuk is in it to win it. He’s in this league for one thing only.

Kovalchuk left the Thrashers in 2010 for a new opportunity. One that he may have never saw in Atlanta. He wants to compete for a Stanley Cup.

Kovalchuk finished the season with 37 goals and 83 points. He exploded down the stretch and is the main reason why the Devils are in the position they’re in.

It can’t stop there, however. Kovalchuk has to find a way to let it all out in the playoffs. He’s poised and passionate about playoff hockey.

The skill set of Kovalchuk is unmatched, and when he’s on, there are few people in this league who can stop him.

He desires it, he wants it. Now he has to show it when it matters most in the playoffs.

Is Kovalchuk capable of winning the Conn Smythe Trophy? I don’t think there is any doubt, but the task is tough—and that’s an understatement.

To be a Conn Smythe Trophy winner, you must step up and lead your team to the Stanley Cup and probably even win it. Both of those trophies go hand-in-hand.

Can the Devils or, more importantly, can Kovalchuk raise above the occasion and do such a thing? There’s a ton of weight on Kovalchuk’s shoulders and he won’t be able to carry it all himself.

But he has to carry the load of it. He has to become a true leader and will his way through the postseason.

There’s passion and desire that lies within Kovalchuk. Everyone’s waiting for it to be unleashed.

The Cup-run begins Friday for Kovalchuk and the Devils.

Could this be the year that Kovalchuk gets what he desires? Whether you think so or not, he’s going to make some noise this postseason.