NHL Playoffs 2011: Members of Each Team That Could Win the Conn Smythe Award
The Conn Smythe award is given to the player who is most valuable to his team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Throughout its history, several huge names have won this award. Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Scott Stevens, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Mario Lemieux, just to name a few.
The playoffs are the time of the year where stars become superstars and superstars become legends of the game. So which players from the remaining teams could put their name on the Conn Smythe Award this year?
Ryan Kesler
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More than playing very solid hockey in his own defensive zone, Kesler has stormed to the front of playoff scoring with 15 points.
Kesler was especially huge against the Predators from Game 3 on. He was everywhere during that series, doing absolutely everything right.
He accounted for some huge goals in that series, very few bigger than the overtime power play goal that was scored in Game 3 of the series that put the Canucks up to stay.
If Kesler keeps playing in the same clutch manner that he has been, and if the Canucks win the Cup, don't be shocked to see Kesler with some hardware.
Christian Ehrhoff
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Ehrhoff is a bit of a reach for this list, there is no doubt about that, because he really hasn't been the most valuable member of his team.
He has, however, continued to be very productive on the offensive side of the puck.
He is tied for the playoff lead in scoring amongst defensemen with 9 points.
He is, at the same time, ranked at a minus-7 and has 12 penalty minutes.
By this point of the playoffs, there is almost never a time when there is such a thing as a good penalty, and Ehrhoff is doing his team no favors by being in the penalty box as often as he is.
He might be a possibility, but he is a reach.
Daniel Sedin
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On the whole, you could argue that both of the Sedins have underachieved a bit when it comes to playoff scoring this season.
10 points is a pretty good total, but not exactly stellar.
On the other hand, Sedin's six goals are a tie for the second most in the playoffs. There are four players with seven goals, and Sedin is also one of four with six goals scored.
That does give him some consideration as MVP, and if he is able to step things up to that level he had during the regular season, then Daniel may have another trophy to add to his mantel this year.
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Tim Thomas
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Thomas has been a part of two very physical and intense series.
Thomas was absolutely clutch against the Canadiens in Round 1, though he did have his share of struggles as well, and was lights out against the Flyers where he gave up as many goals as the Bruins managed to score in the first game.
His goals against average for the playoffs is a stellar 2.03, with an equally impressive .937 save percentage.
Thomas will likely win the Vezina trophy this year and, if he manages to win the goalie duel that is bound to highlight the Eastern Conference Finals, Thomas may very well also pull a Conn Smythe out of things.
David Krecji
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Krecji may have been the most dangerous Bruins player during the series with the Flyers.
He had nine points, four goals and five assists in that series, which only took up four games.
He also helped Milan Lucic snap out of his playoff scoring lull in the last two games of the series.
It wasn't just the number of goals, it was the type of clutch goals that he scored; the best example of this being the overtime goal that he scored in Game 2.
In the playoffs, teams need guys to elevate their game to help carry the team and propel them forward. Krecji has done that and then some for the Boston Bruins.
Zdeno Chara
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Scoring is always celebrated in the playoffs, but two other things that the Conn Smythe voters appreciate just as much, if not more than the scoring, is defense and leadership.
Zdeno Chara has provided both of those for the Bruins this playoff series.
He's a workhorse for this team and is always out against the opponent's best players.
It's very significant when the defenseman that is always against the No. 1 pairing of the other team is plus-10 in a series, especially one that was only four games long.
Chara is simply dominant as a defender and provides great leadership for his team. Scott Stevens won a Conn Smythe with a similar combination.
Dwayne Roloson
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Roloson has been absolutely insane in net for the Lightning.
He has a 2.01 goals against average and a save percentage of .941 percent.
Those types of numbers are showing that he really is carrying his team through these playoffs.
He has gotten some good offensive help as well, but he is really nailing things down for the team.
He played similarly to this when he led the Edmonton Oilers to the Stanley Cup Finals as an eighth seed.
Roli the goalie is definitely turning a few of the heads of the Conn Smythe voters.
Vincent Lecavalier
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Vinny Lecavalier is doing everything very well for his team right now.
He was an absolute thorn in the side of the Washington Capitals and kept filling the net with the puck every single time he was given an opportunity.
Only Marty St. Louis has more points (13) on the Lightning than Lecavalier does right now, with his 12 points (five goals and seven assists).
He also provides that veteran leadership that people love to talk about so much.
If he continues to play with the type of consistency and efficiency, we could see Vinny raising that Maple Leaf trophy.
Martin St. Louis
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Martin St. Louis currently leads his team in playoff scoring with 13 points (six goals and seven assists).
He has picked up in the playoffs right where he left off in the regular season when he was second in the league in points scored (99), trailing only Daniel Sedin.
St. Louis was definitely the Lightning MVP of the regular season, and his play has been equally impressive in the playoffs.
It would be a very tough choice between any of these three Lightning players if the Bolts were to take home the Cup for a second time.
Joe Thornton
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Jumbo Joe is finally performing in the playoffs the way that you would expect a guy of his size and skill level to perform.
Though he only has two goals in this current playoff season, he has easily been the best San Jose player on the ice.
He has been setting his teammates up time and again, and has nine assists in the playoffs, but he is also doing a ton of little things.
He is playing great defense, winning a ton of faceoffs, killing penalties and being a real leader.
If this is finally the year for the Sharks, it may very well also end up being the year for Joe Thornton.
Devin Setoguchi
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Setoguchi has been Captain Clutch for this team all playoffs long.
Every time there needs to be a big goal scored, Setoguchi is a part of it.
He had a huge hat trick, which included a game-winning overtime goal in Game 3 against Detroit.
He also had the primary assist on Patrick Marleau's game-winning goal in Game 7 of the same series.
He is everywhere for this team and does absolutely everything at the right time, in the right moments.
It would be hard for the voters to ignore this guy after all of the big-time goals that he has scored in this postseason.
Antti Niemi
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Niemi has quietly been the rock of Gibraltar for this San Jose team.
Even when the Sharks were reeling against the Red Wings, he was keeping them in the games until the very end, doing the most important thing that a goalie can do for his team, which is giving them a chance to win.
All of this in his second year as a starter.
Antti Niemi has yet to lose a playoff series in his career, which is an incredible feat to have accomplished in the several series he has already played in his young career.
It's possible that the Conn Smythe voters could recognize him for that, as he is quickly establishing himself as one of the best playoff goalies in the league today.
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