If Florida wins the Stanley Cup, several Panthers players could make a strong case for the Conn Smythe Trophy
The Florida Panthers are four wins away from the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
That's a fact.
Should the Panthers complete their mission and defeat the Edmonton Oilers, Florida will be Stanley Cup Champion.
Usually, that means the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is given annually "to the most valuable player for his team in the playoffs," will come from the winning team.
Considering there isn't an Oilers player who has set the world ablaze thought the playoffs, a la Jean-Sebastian Giguere for Anaheim in 2003, it's probably a safe bet that if the Panthers win, the Conn Smythe victor will be wearing red.
When the time comes, following the end of the final game of the Stanley Cup Final, the Professional Hockey Writers Association will select the winner.
Here are the top cases for a Cats Conn Smythe winner:
Sasha Barkov
The stats: 6 goals, 11 assists, 14 points, leads team with 3 game-winning goals.
The case: Has played superb defensive hockey against some of league's best players (Tampa: Kucherov/Point/Stamkos, Boston: Pastrnak/Marchand, New York: Panarin/Kreider/Zibanejad)
Gus Forsling
The stats: 4 goals, 7 assists, 11 points, leads team with +11 rating
The case: He may not win the award, but he’ll get some consideration, and deservedly so. His overall defensive play has been elite, from extremely tight gaps to his stickwork, shutting down rush opportunities and backchecking like a beast when needed.
Sergei Bobrovsky
The stats: 12-5 record, 2.20 goals against average, .908 save percentage, 1 shutout.
The case: Bob may not be in the zone he was in during last year’s Stanley Cup Final run, but he’s still been good, and he’s been consistent. That being said, he took things up a notch during the conference final against the Rangers, going 4-2 while skating to a 1.89 goals against average and .921 save percentage. He held New York to two or less goals in five of the six games, and his goals saved above expected was 1.80.
Matthew Tkachuk
The stats: 5 goals, 14 assists, 19 points, leads team in assists and points.
The case: Barkov may be the Panthers’ captain, but Tkachuk is their emotional leader. He sets the tone physically and personifies the kind of hockey that Florida wants to play: tough, skilled and with no hesitation. He also leads the team in scoring, so there’s that.
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