2011 NHL Playoffs: Who Could Win the Conn Smythe?

With both the Eastern Conference and Western Conference Finals underway, Stanley Cup Finals speculation time has begun. Although the Canucks boast a commanding 2-0 series lead, right now a trip the Cup Finals is anybody's game.

The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to player judged most valuable to his team in the NHL postseason. 

Typically, a Conn Smythe winner is the captain of his respective team, but in the past the award has also gone to outstanding goalies and veteran players who have won after overcoming years of playoff frustration.

Unlike other playoff MVP awards, the Conn Smythe can be awarded to any player that plays in the Cup Final, not just a member of the winning team.

Last season's playoff MVP was Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. He commanded the Blackhawks' history-making run for the Cup after nearly fifty years of playoff futility. 

So who deserves the Conn Smythe trophy in 2011? Which Bruin, Bolt, Shark or Canuck has put up the stats and played with enough heart to deserve the playoff MVP award? 

Vancouver Canucks: Ryan Kesler

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VANCOUVER, CANADA - MAY 18: Ryan Kesler #17 of the Vancouver Canucks skates the puck across the blue line in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals against the San Jose Sharks during the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Arena on May 18, 2011 in Van

Canucks forward Ryan Kesler has led the Vancouver Canucks both on and off the ice for the entire length of the 'Nucks deep playoff run. 

It's a known fact that in round one, Kesler was unspectacular. He closed out the series with a lowly four assists and two penalty minutes. These numbers are an anomaly in Kesler's stat books.

His slow offensive start can be attributed to the tight defensive play of the Chicago Blackhawks (just ask fellow stars Daniel and Henrik Sedin) and does not account for Kesler's presence off the ice.

He resonates with his teammates on a level that is akin to a seasoned veteran, yet the Michigan-born skater has only played four 82-game seasons with the Vancouver Canucks. 

Against Nashville, Kesler came alive. He had multiple-point nights on three occasions and was a dangerous physical presence in both the offensive and defensive zones.

His rousing play spilled out to other members of his team and allowed Vancouver to win the series in six close, but entertaining, games.

In interviews, Kesler repeatedly asserted his team's dominance and partook in a fair share of trash talk to get the Canucks warmed up to win on the road inside Nashville's packed Bridgestone Arena. 

So far in the Western Conference Final against the San Jose Sharks, Kesler has netted one assist (as of the close of Game 2) but has played an increasing number of minutes against the Sharks' big name players, including Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi. 

A Conn Smythe award would be the cap to a career year for Ryan Kesler, who put away 41 goals in the regular season.

Already a fan favourite, a playoff MVP award would boost Kesler's league popularity to record highs. He deserves the trophy based on his gritty play and ability to lead his team when the chips are down. 

San Jose Sharks: Joe Thornton

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VANCOUVER, CANADA - MAY 18: Joe Thornton #19 of the San Jose Sharks lines up in the left wing position prior to a faceoff in Game Two of the Western Conference Finals against the Vancouver Canucks during the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Arena on M

Jumbo Joe Thornton has come alive in this year's playoffs. Famously dogged for his lackluster play in the postseason, Thornton has done everything in his power to reverse that reputation in 2011. He leads a hungry San Jose Sharks team that is ready to win at all costs.

Thornton deserves a Conn Smythe consideration should his team reach the finals because of his non-stop intensity and ability to keep pressure on opposing defensemen and goalies. 

He has already racked up 14 points in just over two series of play and shows no sign of stopping. His series-winning goal in Game 6 of the Sharks' quarterfinal series against the Los Angeles Kings was the second game winning goal of the playoffs for Thornton.

Off the scoresheet, Thornton played with great muscle and determination against a young Kings team that was bent on erasing the failures of the 2010 playoffs. A strong case can be made for San Jose's first-round victory being because of their captain's fantastic play.

In the second round against the Red Wings, Thornton continued on his memorable romp through the playoffs. He was responsible for six points against the aggressive Red Wings, a feat tough to imagine given the strengths of Detroit head coach Mike Babcock's defensive pairings. 

Currently, Thornton continues to make games a nightmare for the Vancouver Canucks. Although his Sharks dropped the first two games in Vancouver (Game 2 being an embarrassing 7-3 rout), Thornton notched a goal and two assists at Rogers Arena. 

If the Sharks can overcome their series deficit and play in the Cup Final, Thornton will win the Conn Smythe because of his excellent two-way play and career year in the playoffs. 

Boston Bruins: Nathan Horton

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BOSTON, MA - MAY 14: Nathan Horton #18 of the Boston Bruins controls the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on May 14, 2011 in Boston, Massachusetts. (P

Heading into the playoffs, Nathan Horton may not have been an obvious choice for playoff MVP; in fact, the thought alone would have stunned many of the Bruins' frustrated, but faithful, fanbase. 

His regular season was decent with 26 goals and 27 assists, but the Welland, Ontario, Canada, native has rebounded in two and a bit series of play with 13 points in 14 games. 

In the first round against longtime rivals the Montreal Canadiens, Horton was held to only three goals. Of those three tallies, however, two were game-winners.

Those key goals occurred at times when it looked the Habs might come back and force the Bruins out in the first round for the second straight year, but Horton effectively snuffed all chances of a Montreal resurgence.

Following that, Horton continued to grow in the Bruins' second-round series vs. the Philadelphia Flyers. In what was expected to be a tight tilt between two Eastern Conference giants, the Bruins swept Philly in four games.

Horton blasted past the Flyers' revolving door of netminders and finished the series an impressive plus-6. 

Against the Lightning, Horton has had no problem pressuring the Bolts' defense into buckling and creating scoring chances. In Game 1, he took control with a goal and two assists and although he was held scoreless in Game 2, his off the scoresheet play was still a dominating force. 

Nathan Horton has lifted the spirits of the long disappointing Boston Bruins. A Stanley Cup drought that has lasted since the 1971-1972 season is very close to being lifted, and Horton's play has been a huge part of the Bruins' 2011 playoff campaign. If his team can pull of a Cup win, they owe it all to Horton.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Dwayne Roloson

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BOSTON, MA - MAY 17: Dwayne Roloson #35 of the Tampa Bay Lightning attempts to block a shot by the Boston Bruins in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on May 17, 2011 in Boston, Massachusetts.

In professional sports, everybody loves a comeback. This year's latest oldie-but-goodie has been 41-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Dwayne Roloson.

Since being traded on Jan. 1 to Tampa Bay from the New York Islanders, Roloson has returned to his 2006 playoff form, where he led the Edmonton Oilers to their most recent Stanley Cup Final, a heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Although he was unable to win big in '06, Roloson (or as he known by his teammates, Roli) is just a series win away from having another shot at Lord Stanley's Cup.

A back and forth series against the highly skilled Pittsburgh Penguins cemented Roloson's reputation as 2011 playoff darling.

He posted one shutout and never let his save percentage fall below .900 over the course of the entire stretch...very impressive considering Pittsburgh's offensive firepower. 

In the second-round against the Washington Capitals, Roloson continued to ride his wave of excellency. The Lightning swept the President's Trophy runners-up in four lopsided games.

In that series, he shut the door repeatedly on snipers Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin and Mike Green, as well as never letting in more than three goals in a game.

Roloson's play was exactly what the Lightning needed to climb into the Eastern Conference Final, on route to recreate the magic of their Stanley Cup-winning 2003-2004 season.

While things have slipped as of late for the veteran netminder in the Conference final against the Boston Bruins, Roloson still deserves to win the Conn Smythe if the Lightning advance to the next round.

His steady and dependable goaltending has given his team the assurance it needs to push hard on offense and eke out the wins against the Eastern Conference's best teams.  

We'll Just Have to Wait and See

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VANCOUVER, CANADA - MAY 11: A pair of Vancouver Canucks fans sit in the stands after the Canucks lost 5-1 to the Chicago Blackhawks in Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinals and the series 4-2 during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 11, 20

As with most kinds of sports speculation, the answers will not reveal themselves for quite some time.

At this point, the Bruins and Canucks have series leads, but that momentum could shift anytime and send the San Jose Sharks and the Tampa Bay Lightning to the final.

Either way, the 2011 Conn Smythe winner will be a dynamic, team player that has contributed immensely to his team's success.

The four men mentioned previously may not end up on the other side of Gary Bettman come the end of the Finals, but right now they are all leading their teams in the right direction.