Taking a look at the five leading candidates for the Stanley Cup playoffs MVP award.
Goalies, you guys can take the week off. (Perhaps you already did.)
In the race for the Conn Smythe Trophy as the NHL's playoff MVP, not to mention the Stanley Cup, the goalies didn't have a great week. Vancouver's Roberto Luongo leads all stoppers with 11 wins, one more than Boston's Tim Thomas, but both players faced their shares of ups and downs last week. As for defencemen, no one separated themselves from the pack in terms of lighting it up on offence or standing out as a shutdown guy.
Therefore, we turn our attention to the forwards. Here are this week's top five candidates for the Conn Smythe:
Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning: How does a guy -- a Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy winner to boot -- finish second in NHL scoring during the regular season and remain underrated? Your guess is as good as mine. St. Louis, the best and most consistent player on the Lightning, continues to be the driving force behind Tampa Bay's rise to prominence. He is tied (with three others) for second in playoff scoring with eight goals and 17 points. On any given night, other players on the Lightning may steal the headlines; but night after night St. Louis is, to borrow a phrase from Reggie Jackson, the straw that stirs the drink.
Ryan Kesler, Vancouver Canucks: He has been one of the best two-way performers in the playoffs keeping his team in the hunt while the Sedins revved their engines. Kesler, who has six goals and 17 points, does it all. He scores, plays solid defence, blocks shots and hits. A little word to the wise though: His feigning injury in an attempt to draw penalties for his team is likely to rub some voters the wrong away.
Ryan Clowe, San Jose Sharks: Once again the Sharks find themselves on the verge of elimination and, naturally, if they go out, so does Clowe's chances of winning the Conn Smythe. If they win, however, he's right in the thick of things. Clowe has emerged on a team desperate for leadership. He's a take-no-prisoners player who doesn't mind getting his nose dirty while putting up points and playing a blatantly physical style.
Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning: Even when his team was in the midst of losing Games 2 and 3 in their Eastern Conference final series with Boston, Lecavalier continued to do everything in his power to set an example as the captain and leader on the Lightning. In Game 2, he managed a goal and four points and even when Tampa Bay was shut out 2-0 the next game he managed five shots on goal. After his team fell behind 3-0 in the first period of Game 4, Lecavalier was Tampa Bay's most forceful player in the final 40 minutes leading the Lightning to a miracle comeback. He only had one assist, but his energy rubbed off on the rest of the team.
Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks: Thornton is in the same boat as Clowe. Facing elimination he drops out of the race if San Jose is eliminated. And no doubt he'll remain under the gun for not leading his team to the Promise Land. Thornton has raised his level of play in this year's playoffs and his three goals and 17 points in 17 games are not only impressive, but his career best for the playoffs. You know the story, though, if the Sharks are to keep on playing, they'll need more from Big Joe. That's just the way it is.
Last Week: Dwayne Roloson, Tampa Bay; Ryan Kesler Vancouver; Ryane Clowe, San Jose; Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay; Joe Thornton, San Jose
