Way-Too-Early Rankings for the 2016 Conn Smythe Trophy

Is it too early to start naming candidates to win the Conn Smythe? As the headline says, well, yeah. But that won't stop us from selecting the eight best early candidates to win the prestigious trophy, which goes to the most valuable player of the postseason and was won by Duncan Keith of the Chicago Blackhawks last year.

The criteria for inclusion obviously center on individual statistics, but how each player has helped their teams win is huge, too. If the award were handed out today, these would be our top eight names.

It was tough to leave a few players off this list. Joe Pavelski, Alex Ovechkin and Tyler Johnson come to mind in this regard. The good news for them: There's still a lot of hockey to be played.

Please click on the following slideshow to see our choices, and tell us why they deserve or don't deserve to be there. 

8. Kyle Okposo, New York Islanders

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With one goal and four assists through the first three games of the Islanders' first-round series against Florida, veteran forward Kyle Okposo deserves a spot on this list.

Two of his points have come on the power play, and he's had 12 shots on net as the Isles lead the first-round series 2-1.

Okposo has long been one of the most underappreciated players in the league. The Islanders don't get a lot of media attention, even with the move from Uniondale to Brooklyn. But if he keeps up his current pace of 1.67 points per game, the rest of the country will start to know more about him.

7. Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues

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Vladimir Tarasenko scored two goals in Tuesday's Game 4 against Chicago, giving him three for the series and five points overall. The young Russian winger's wrist shot is lethal, as he showed in a late second-period goal in Game 4 that tied the contest. It was arguably the biggest tally of the night for the Blues, who were down 2-1 and back on their heels after successive Blackhawks goals.

Tarasenko has already proved he's a playoff performer. He scored six goals in six postseason games for the Blues last year. As other teammates around him have had a tough time putting pucks past Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford, Tarasenko has grabbed the leadership mantle.

That's what it takes to be a Conn Smythe candidate.  

6. Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals

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Six points in three games is certainly good enough for early Conn Smythe consideration here.

Five of Nicklas Backstrom's points are assists, his usual specialty. He's done it all in a relatively modest average of 17 minutes and 58 seconds of ice time per game. Four of his points, though, have come on the power play, where he has long excelled as a player.

Backstrom is a premier playmaker who always seems to have great chemistry with Alex Ovechkin on the power play.

He's also been tasked with containing Flyers captain Claude Giroux, who hasn't found the scoresheet in this series following a 67-point regular season.

Thanks in large part to Backstrom's contributions, the Caps, who hold a 3-0 series lead, look like a lock to get to the second round.

5. John Carlson, Washington Capitals

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When the Caps lost Mike Green to the Detroit Red Wings in free agency, there was no panic in Washington. That's because Caps fans knew they still had John Carlson, who was terrific in the regular season and has been just as good or better in the postseason so far.

With three goals and three assists through the first three games, Carlson is the highest-scoring defenseman so far in the playoffs. He's put 11 shots on goal.

All teams need that two-pronged attack only guys like Carlson can bring. He's bringing it in these playoffs.

4. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay LIghtning

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

When Steven Stamkos was diagnosed in early April with a blood clot issue that could keep him out from one to three months, lots of pundits (hand raised here) thought the Lightning would be a one-and-done playoff team. After the first four games of Tampa Bay's first-round series with Detroit, the Bolts have a 3-1 lead.

Nikita Kucherov has been a big reason why, with five goals and three assists in the four games. Kucherov scored the first two goals in Tampa Bay's big 3-2 win in Game 4 Tuesday night.

Kucherov was a top player in Tampa Bay's run to the Stanley Cup Final last year, and he's showing even more leadership with Stamkos out.

3. John Tavares, New York Islanders

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John Tavares has shown his readiness for the playoffs with six points (two goals, four assists) in three games.

Not only that, the Islanders' captain is winning faceoffs at a 58.9 percent clip. He has displayed great leadership so far—especially in Game 3 at home, when the Florida Panthers had a 2-0 lead only to see the Islanders battle back for a 4-3 overtime victory.

Tavares put 16 shots on net in those first three games. If he keeps up this kind of output, he'll have a great chance at the MVP.

2. Reilly Smith, Florida Panthers

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The 25-year-old Panthers right winger is the surprise co-scoring leader (Nikita Kucherov) of the playoffs so far. Entering Game 4 against the New York Islanders, Reilly Smith has four goals, four assists and a plus-seven rating.

The former Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins prospect has really shown something in these playoffs. While he has eight points, he's been robbed on a couple of other chances, too.

Smith posted 25 goals and 25 assists in the regular season. It's hard to believe a player with his kind of promise is already on his third NHL team, but it's likely Smith will stay a Panther for a good while.

1. Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals

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In his first three games against Philadelphia, Braden Holtby stopped 91 of 93 shots for a .978 save percentage.

That makes the Capitals goalie the early leader for the Conn Smythe. He's had one shutout among the three games and even has an assist on the scoresheet.

Holtby is the leading candidate to win the Vezina Trophy based on his 48-win season, and he's looked even better than that so far in the postseason. He is the biggest reason to like the Capitals as a Stanley Cup finalist.

Adrian Dater covers the NHL for Bleacher Report. Follow him @Adater.