Former Flyers Forward Picks Conn Smythe Winner
Former Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakub Voracek took to social media to voice his opinion on who would win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports - Former Flyers Forward Picks Conn Smythe WinnerFormer Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakub Voracek took to social media to voice his opinion on who would win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Voracek responded to a comment on a list of the top ten candidates for the award. Although Voracek's pick was ranked No. 6, his reasoning is sound.
Aleksander Barkov has been a terrific two-way forward this postseason. The Selke Trophy winner has played his game like only Barkov can. He's got 17 points in 17 games while shutting down some of the best offensive threats.
Like Sergei Bobrovsky, Barkov has won three straight matchups against top-tier opponents. In the first round, Barkov was tasked with shutting down this season's Art Ross winner, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov. He then had to shut down Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak. In the Eastern Conference Final, Barkov kept New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin to one goal, which came with 1:40 left in the deciding game six.
He will likely have his hardest challenge yet, as the expectation is that Barkov will match up against three-time MVP Connor McDavid. If he has a terrific Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers, Voracek's pick can create a strong case.
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