Stanley Cup Finals: Top 5 Conn Smythe Finalists

With the Stanley Cup Finals coming to a close, potentially as soon as tonight, its time to take a look at the top five finalists for the Conn Smythe trophy.

The display of dominance by the Kings in this series and throughout the playoffs has led to the emergence of a clear-cut favorite in the Conn Smythe race.

Nonetheless, without further ado, let's rank the top five finalists for the trophy and discuss the strong points of each candidate.

5. Zach Parise

The struggles in the Cup finals have put a damper on Parise's otherwise stellar postseason. At the conclusion of the conference finals, the free agent-to-be had posted seven goals and seven assists in 21 games.

Thus far in the Stanley Cup, Parise has yet to record a point and is sporting a minus-3 rating as well. It would take a complete collapse for the Kings in order for Parise to have a shot at this award.

If the Devils are to stage a comeback like the Flyers in 2010, the North Dakota product will likely play a huge role in determining that. New Jersey would need consistent contributions from their two most gifted offensive players, Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk.

At the end of the day, No. 9 has still posted some very solid numbers during the course of an unexpected playoff run for his team, but will fall just short of the Conn Smythe trophy this time around.

4. Jeff Carter

By far the best acquisition at the trade deadline this season, one could argue that Jeff Carter has made the difference in this series.

Acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets for Jack Johnson and a draft pick, Carter introduced himself to L.A. in a big way, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime in Game 2.

Often criticized for his "soft" style of play during his stint in Philadelphia, Carter has quieted the critics by bringing his A-game during the playoffs. He has tallied six goals and five assists over 17 playoff games thus far, providing the Kings with the scoring option that was sorely lacking at times during the regular season.

I think we are finally starting to see Carter finally realize the potential that he has had all along. Sometimes it requires just a simple change of scenery and the right system for a player to fit in.

3. Drew Doughty

Another key part of the Kings during this playoff run, Drew Doughty is also one of those guys who has all the talent in the world, and we are finally starting to see him realize that potential.

Getting a chance to showcase his skills on the sport's biggest stage for the first time, the defenseman has responded in a big way, netting three goals while also contributing 10 helpers, including five assists in his past four games.

Doughty has been extremely effective playing both ways, creating odd-man rushes and other scoring opportunities for the offense, while also more or less shutting down the entire Devils attack.

In my opinion, his performance in the playoffs has moved him to the status of elite defenseman. We have seen his true capabilities on the blue line finally start to shine through.

However, Doughty will likely end up losing the award to teammate Jonathan Quick, barring any catastrophic occurrences.

2. Dustin Brown

In normal years, Dustin Brown would be considered the favorite for the Conn Smythe trophy. Despite not having a great series vs. the Devils thus far, his contributions over the three prior series cannot be overlooked.

By normal years, I mean when the team's goalie isn't putting in one of the most impressive performances we will ever see in the playoffs.

The biggest contributions made by Brown come from his aggressive style of play and the leadership ability that he displays on a consistent basis.

His numbers are not as flashy as some of his teammates', and his recent slump will hurt his chances, but Brown still could finish second in the voting behind Quick due to his immeasurable contributions and the role he has played on this Kings team.

1. Jonathan Quick

I'm not quite sure if words can truly describe what we've seen from Jonathan Quick this postseason. His performance has been otherworldly.

Quick is 15-2 with a miniscule 1.36 goals against average, a .950 save percentage and three shutouts in the playoffs.

Let's just put it this way: The Kings would not be on the cusp of their first Stanley Cup if it wasn't for Quick. The American goalie has placed himself on the short list of elite goalies in the NHL.

Barring a historic collapse or any other unforeseen circumstances, Quick should be the runaway winner of this year's Conn Smythe trophy. His numbers have been too good to ignore, and you have to wonder how far L.A. would have advanced if it wasn't for their netminder.