NHL Playoffs 2012: Jonathan Quick and Claude Giroux Prove They're the Real MVPs

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick and Philadelphia Flyers forward Claude Giroux were wrongly snubbed as Hart Trophy finalists this season, but there's a more important trophy that these two superstars have their eyes on. Each of them is the primary reason why their teams are legitimate championship contenders right now.

Let's break down why Giroux and Quick are the two most valuable players in the NHL and why they will lead their teams to the Stanley Cup Final.

Jonathan Quick - Making the Case for LA Kings Goaltender as MVP

Anchoring a Bad Offensive Team

Jonathan Quick is the best goaltender in the NHL right now, and he single-handedly led the Los Angeles Kings into the playoffs this season.

There were so many regular season games that the Kings had no business being in, but Quick's remarkable play in net helped them win so many games they didn't deserve to. 

He led the league in shutouts (10), was second in GAA (1.95), fifth in save percentage (.929) and fourth in games played (69).

Quick was under immense pressure this season to be near-perfect every night since the Kings had so much trouble scoring, ranking 29th in goals scored per game.

His record would have been much better if the Kings didn't lose six 1-0 games, in which the offense was terrible, but Quick played well.

Raising His Game in Playoffs, No Matter the Venue

Quick is 6-1 in the playoffs and has an unreal save percentage of .952 thus far. He completely shut down the President's Trophy-winning Vancouver Canucks in Round 1, winning three games on the road in Vancouver.

Through two games in the second round against the St. Louis Blues, Quick is 2-0 with three goals against in two more road victories.

Quick's road success has reached a historic level, as Tim Graham of the Buffalo News points out.

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Jonathan Quick has won 7 straight road playoff games without allowing more than 2 goals in each. Only others: Dryden 8, Broda 8, Brodeur 7.

— Tim Graham (@ByTimGraham) May 1, 2012"

A hot goaltender can turn a good team into a great team during the Stanley Cup playoffs, and while Quick has done that through the first few weeks of the postseason, he has played at a high level for the entire year.

The fact that Quick wasn't nominated for the Hart Trophy is a joke. He was more valuable to the Kings than New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist was to his team, and he's a finalist for the award.

Quick could ultimately get the last laugh in June, however, because the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy are far more important than the Hart. If Quick continues his high level of play through June, he will be holding both of those awards in a little over a month.

Quick was nominated for the Vezina Trophy, given to the league's best goaltender, but he deserved more recognition than that.

Claude Giroux - Making the Case for Philadelphia Flyers Center as MVP

Birth of a Superstar

Flyers fans expected Claude Giroux to develop into a legitimate star this season, but I doubt many of them envisioned him becoming one of the three best players on the planet.

After general manager Paul Holmgren traded the team's two best offensive players in the summer, captain Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, the pressure was on Giroux to become one of the team's leaders and top-line star.

Not only did Giroux meet expectations, he exceeded them tremendously.

Giroux went from 76 points last season to 93 (28 goals, 65 assists) this year, which ranked third in the NHL. He helped revive the career of veteran Jaromir Jagr and was a major reason linemate Scott Hartnell had career highs in goals (37) and points (67).

With the Flyers having major issues in net since high-priced free-agent signing Ilya Bryzgalov was inconsistent between the pipes all season, Philly had to score a lot to win games. Led by Giroux, they finished second in the league in goals scored per game.

Legend of Giroux Grows in the Playoffs

Giroux has had a legendary playoffs this year and has been the best player throughout the league by far since the quest for the Stanley Cup began last month. He leads the playoffs with 15 points, and his 14 points in the first round against the Pittsburgh Penguins were the most ever for a Flyers player in a single playoff series.

However, in Game 6 of the Penguins series, Giroux showed us why he's so valuable to Philadelphia. Before the game, he demanded that head coach Peter Laviolette give him the first shift, and Giroux responded in a major way. When he got the first shift, Giroux delivered a big, clean hit to Penguins star Sidney Crosby, then opened the scoring with a sweet goal. 

Laviolette talked about the exchange after the game, saying via ESPN:

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"When the best player in the world comes up to you and tells you, 'I don't know who you're planning on starting tonight, but I want that first shift,' that says everything you need to know about Claude Giroux right there."

"

That shift showed the leadership, commitment, and offensive talents that Giroux gives to the Flyers, all of which are reasons why he's the most valuable player on the team.

Giroux also has the exact attitude that all coaches want their star players to have. Being recognized for regular season awards is nice, but those aren't the trophies that should be focused on.

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Giroux on Hart snub: "At the end of the day, that's not the trophy I want." #Flyers #Devils

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) April 27, 2012"

Giroux was more deserving of being a Hart Trophy finalist than Lundqvist and Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos, but being snubbed for the award could give Giroux the extra incentive he needs to dominate the playoffs. Judging by his play thus far, the extra motivation is already there. 

Young Stars Just Getting Started

Jonathan Quick and Claude Giroux, 26 and 24 years old, respectively, are two of the brightest young stars in hockey and will have plenty of opportunities to win Hart Trophies.

It's not often that two of the most deserving players for the MVP don't get chosen as finalists, but being snubbed for the award will certainly fuel both players to prove to voters that they are the most valuable players in the sport.

The Flyers and Kings will meet each other in the Stanley Cup Final, setting up an extraordinary matchup between the two best players in the NHL right now, Giroux and Quick.

Follow @NicholasGoss35

Nicholas Goss is an NHL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and was also the organization's on-site reporter for the 2011 Stanley Cup Final in Boston.