2011 NHL Playoffs: Top 10 Conn Smythe Contenders After Round 1

The first round of the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs came to an end last night with two more exciting Game 7 thrillers.  Without question, this first round was as good as it gets.  We can’t wait to see what the second round has in store. 

There were many great individual performances in the first round and a number of guys are in position to win the Conn Smythe when it’s all said and done.  As we kick off the second round tonight, here are the top 10 2011 Conn Smythe contenders. 

1. Danny Briere – Philadelphia 

Briere helped the Flyers stave off the upset minded Sabres in a back and forth seven-game series.  Briere was huge scoring six goals in those seven games.  Those six goals give him a tie for the playoff lead. 

Goals are huge, and if Briere can keep lighting the night this way, the Flyers will be tough to stop in the next round.  Tim Thomas has been warned. 

2. Pavel Datsyuk – Detroit 

Remember the Red Wings? It might be easy to forget they are still in the playoffs after sweeping the Jets…er…Coyotes. 

Datsyuk has been under the radar so far in the playoffs, but he was huge in the four games against Phoenix. He potted a couple of goals along with four assists and ended the four games an impressive plus-six.  As he gets more games, he will be pushing for the Conn Smythe. 

3. Michal Neuvirth – Washington 

The young Capitals goal tender got his first Stanley Cup action and came through looking great.  In beating the New York Rangers, Neuvirth posted a 1.38 GAA and a .946 save percentage. 

Maybe the Rangers should have used the Avery-stick-wave attack method to try and disrupt Neuvirth.  Everything else they tried didn’t do the job. 

4. Claude Giroux – Philadelphia 

The Flyers and Sabres played an entertaining and high-scoring seven games and Giroux, along with Briere, led the way for the Flyers. 

Giroux only scored once, but he helped out on eight others giving him nine points.  He helped out in his own end as well ending the series with a plus-five defensive rating. 

5. Martin St. Louis – Tampa Bay 

In many ways, St. Louis is the heart and soul of the Lightning and the team leaned on the little guy to come back and beat the Penguins.  Surviving a root canal that came from a horrible Game 1 stick to the face, St. Louis ended the seven-game series with four big goals and eight points. 

6. Ryane Clowe – San Jose 

When you think of the Sharks best players Clowe may not be the first one you think of, but that didn’t stop the fiery player from having a great series against the Kings. 

Clowe ended up plus-two and led the Sharks in scoring with seven points.  Clowe’s start should worry the Red Wings as it gives them one more good player to worry about.

7. Daniel Sedin – Vancouver 

Sedin, like the rest of his Canuck mates, stormed out of the gates only to take a nap for a few games.  Sedin and his brother disappeared for a while, but he still ended up with seven points and five goals after the entertaining series with the Blackhawks. 

The Canucks will need even more from him in the next round.

8. Dwayne Roloson – Tampa Bay 

Roloson should be the hero to all of us who miss our 20s.  The long time veteran was solid backstopping the Lightning as they erased an early 3-1 series deficit and upset Pittsburgh last night.  Roloson ended the series with an impressive 1.77 GAA and a .949 save percentage. 

9. Mike Fisher – Nashville 

Fisher started strong and helped lead the Predators to their first ever Stanley Cup Playoff victory. He ended with three goals and six points and was plus-two on defense.  The Predators will need Fisher to be big again if they hope to upset the top seeded Canucks. 

10. Teemu Selanne – Anaheim 

Selanne is not going to win the Conn Smythe but has to be on this list for his great swan song playoff performance.  Even though the Ducks lost to Nashville, he scored six goals making his fans everywhere beg for one more season. 

Honorable Mentions – Alexandre Burrows-Vancouver(six points, series winning overtime goal), Michael Cammalleri- Montreal (3-7-10), Carey Price-Montreal (2.11 GAA, .934%)