There’s a new leader at the top of the Conn Smythe power rankings.
In last week’s edition, former Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Toews took the top spot, but Anze Kopitar has surpassed him following an outstanding week of play.
Toews still appears on the list a week later, but Tuukka Rask, Ryan Getzlaf and Duncan Keith have all fallen out of the top 10. At least the Simmons Curse didn’t apply this week after we jinxed Patrick Marleau and the San Jose Sharks in the first edition of the power rankings.
With Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs starting to heat up, here’s our list of the top 10 Conn Smythe candidates:
1) Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings – Kopitar ranked No. 2 on last week’s list, but he jumped past Toews with four points in the Kings’ two road victories against Anaheim. Not only does Kopitar lead the playoffs in scoring (14 points), he’s also contributed a point in every one of his post-season games this year.
2) Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens – Price has allowed nine goals in three games against Boston, but he’s been on fire during the second round of the playoffs. Price stole Game 1 with a 48-save performance (.941 save percentage) and was just as impressive with 26 saves on 28 shots in Montreal’s Game 3 win. It was tough to separate Price over teammate P.K. Subban, but in Conn Smythe rankings, we tend to side with the goaltender.
3) Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks – Toews didn’t have a bad week per se, but he couldn’t top the performances of Kopitar and Price. The captain still leads the Blackhawks in post-season scoring with nine points (four goals, five assists) in nine games and (as usual) is contributing in all three zones of the ice.
4) P.K. Subban, Montreal Canadiens – There’s no debate anymore. P.K. Subban is an absolute superstar. He leads all defencemen in playoff scoring with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in seven games while averaging more than 27 minutes per game. After barely getting any time during the Olympics, Subban has proved his worth with clutch goals that have energized the team against Boston in both games 1 and 3.
5) Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins – In three weeks Sidney Crosby has yet to appear on the list, as the top Penguins forward has been Evgeni Malkin. The big Russian added two points in Wednesday’s Game 4 victory to give him 12 in 10 playoff games. Malkin has notched at least one point in each of Pittsburgh’s three victories over the New York Rangers in Round 2.
6) Marian Gaborik, Los Angeles Kings – It’s evident that Dean Lombardi and the Los Angeles Kings were winners at the trade deadline. Gaborik has been a vital addition to a team that struggled to score on a consistent basis during the regular season. The Slovakian is tied for league lead in playoff goals with six in nine games, including the game-tying goal and overtime winner in Los Angeles’s Game 1 victory over the Ducks.
7) Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins – Never would’ve figured Fleury would end up on his list, considering his lousy history in big games, but the Pens netminder has rightfully earned his spot with his second-round play. During Pittsburgh’s three straight wins over New York, Fleury posted consecutive shutouts and was playing his best hockey since the Pens’ Cup run. Not bad for a guy who’s routinely thrown under the bus and was benched during the playoffs last year.
8) Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings – Once Quick bounced back from an ugly start in his first three games against San Jose, he’s been playing at an elite level. The Kings netminder has won each of his last six starts, allowing more than two goals just once during that stretch.
9) Zach Parise, Minnesota Wild – If Minnesota is unable to rally back to beat Chicago, Parise won’t last long on this list, but his play thus far is certainly worth recognizing. Parise has been one of the most effective offensive players in the post-season, scoring four goals and nine assists in 10 playoff games.
10) Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks — Kane is averaging just under a point per playoff game, with five goals and three assists in nine games. He hasn’t scored in the last two games against Minnesota, but his backhand goal in Game 1 might have been the prettiest highlight of the entire post-season.
Honourable mention: Jussi Jokinen, Pittsburgh Penguins
