Have you ever seen a year where it is so hard to give out the Conn Smythe to a player? Yes the Stanley Cup Finals are not over yet and to think Game 6 is not until tomorrow night in Philly. But leave it to us here at The Program to put our sadistic twist on this thing by quoting a movie that has absolutely nothing to do with hockey. Yes this is from a baseball movie but the premise is perfect.
From good old “Brewster’s Millions”, how about “None Of The Above”.
Much apologies are needed for the language but the message is clear. I am tired of people trying to justify one candidate for the Conn Smythe over the other but the reality is no one really deserves this award this year. It may be the first time I am saying that in years but it needs to be said. Do we really need to go over some candidates?
Well since I have been told that we apparently need to list some candidates here to justify our position, we shall do so as such. The following is not for the faint of heart and some of these arguements come straight out of debates from previous years. Without further adieu, here are your 2010 Stanley Cup Conn Smythe Candidates. Read them and weep in varying degrees.
Jonathan Toews
He was really lighting up the competition until the Finals where he has put up 3 bagels in 5 games. This is not exactly what you are looking for in a Conn Smythe candidate. The 28 points in 21 games are great along with the 14 points on the man advantage but in reality other players have stepped up more at the most crucial times for Chicago. HINT: Marian Hossa ring a bell?
That being said, Toews has been solid throughout. However just the fact that he had to be shuffled linewise by Coach Q kind of sends the wrong message. You should be able to rise up to the challenge and not be almost “hidden to excel”. That is what has essentially happened as Toews played much better at the end of Game 4 and all of Game 5. People forget how Toews was just brutal in Game 1. Maybe it was the nerves but his candidacy takes severe hits during this round which kind of counts the most.
That being said, if Toews can keep it going in Game 6 then all is forgiven. However the way this series has gone, I am not really expecting a great Toews performance to solidify the Conn Smythe. I kind of having the feeling that if Chicago wins it, the golden performance is coming from someone other than Toews. Who would that be? More than likely it will be none of the candidates listed below. Sorry but that is just how it is.
Duncan Keith
This one is tough….but to give a Conn Smythe to a guy who only has 16 points and plays defense. What do you think this is….2000? We all remember Scotty Stevens winning the award because he pasted Eric Lindros into another continent. I also understand that Keith leads all Blackhawks with six points in the Finals. That is what we would like to call the best of parity in a balanced effort. It is really hard to give this award to more of a defensive defenseman these days.
But I can hear it now. He has been clutch when it counts and that 28:02 of ice time is second to Chris Pronger. He has lost teeth and much blood. Seven teeth and then to skate just minutes later like nothing happened is some serious grity and ballsy determination but is that what it takes to win the Conn Smythe? I am still waiting on a “History Will Be Made” on what if the trainer did not have any milk. Yes I know that is in poor taste but Keith is another player who has been really good in the playoffs but not great or elite.
I have heard all the stories of how he skates like Scott Niedermayer and plays as cagey as Nick Lidstrom but he is still young and still makes mistakes like in Games 3 and 4. Yes I know it happens but the whole body of work does not scream Conn Smythe winner and that bothers me. Someone is going to inevitably win this thing.
That in itself is freightening most of all.
Dustin Byfuglien
Byfuglien (pronounced Bufflin thanks to DGB) has had brilliant moments in this postseason but again the problem here is those are just moments. The consistency has been lacking aside from the San Jose series where he scored one goal in each game and yet was not all that dominant, he was just timely. It is weird because when I look up the word timely, I see Claude Lemieux’s 1995 performance and while Dustin Byfuglien has, at times, played like that force….unfortunately he has not done so enough.
He has had several “History Will Be Made” commercials made about him. However that is not enough to sway the vote either. The 10 goals are really nice and the hat trick too. People forget that he was completely invisible in the Nashville series and the first game against Vancouver. Yes there are holes to be poked in all of the candidates but Byfuglien may have a few more than others because even he had to be “hidden from Pronger”.
Just to put him in this discussion is probably enough for Byfuglien. The reality is unless he does something as dramatic in Game 6 as in Game 5, he will not be hoisting the Conn Smythe either.
Mike Richards
He has 23 points which is good for fourth among playoff scorers and though Danny Briere has 27 points, even I have to give a slight nod to Richards as he has had more of an impact. Now this is the part that really helps and hurts Richards all at the same time. He delivered the playoff changing hit for Philly when he knocked David Krejci (broken wrist) out of the playoffs. Personally I thought it was a reckless play but the league did not see it that way at all. Without that, we probably do not see Danny Briere’s great performance in the comeback against Boston to be honest.
I know all about the Game 5 shorthanded effort against Montreal and I understand all the extensive time he plays on the penalty kill Keep in mind that the play involved Marc Andre-Bergeron. Yes the finish was nice on his back side with no regard to his safety but the reality is that Richards plays sometimes too reckless and across the line to win a Conn Smythe. Though the same could be said for Claude Lemieux, the bottom line is Richards has had at least two moments in this playoff where Colin Campbell should have taken a look at him.
When a captain makes another captain’s helmet fly from an ELBOW. That by definition is under the new rules and a reason why I do not consider Mike Richards Conn Smythe worthy. When you cross the line like the next candidate has as well, it does not immediately remove you from consideration but it definitely should be a black mark against you. Yes I may have some high standards but sue me and deal with it.
Mr. Richards….Conn Smythe? I do not think so.
Chris Pronger
We all know where we are going on this one. He has been great at home for Philly in the playoffs but actually only a hair above average on the road. Time to use the Keith Primeau defense? Everyone remembers how Keith Primeau scored a ton of points at home during the Flyers 2004 run but only had three points on the road. Ironically this run included a five game defeat of the New Jersey Devils. It is weird how these coincidences happen. He nearly plays a half hour on the ice at night (29:01 a game) but I actually think his age is starting to show some.
Ironically he was a -5 in Game 5 and literally could not get out of the way of making bad plays. One of the penalties he took also led to a goal so technically yes you get the idea. To me at least, Chris Pronger has just been imposing and has been very good in these playoffs but not great. It is almost as if reputation has helped him some. It is also easier to stop little mighty mights and guys like Ilya Kovalchuk when the refs seem to look away at every near transgression. Pronger has gotten away with a little more than usual. It makes me think he used some of “Brewster’s Millions” to pay the ref off but I will not quite go that far.
Guys like Pronger are actually why some fans have been turned off by the playoffs entirely. I know the ratings are very solid…best in 7…8…even 10 years. However just as many hardcore fans are just like oh god its Pronger, here we go with the dirty stuff again. Then again the Flyers are a borderline dirty team. It may be an off color comment to make but if anything reminds you of the Broad Stree Bullies of the 70’s, it is this edition of the Flyers and let’s face it Pronger is the leader of the pack when it comes to these things.
So to say he is Conn Smythe worthy? To me, not so much to be truthful.
Danny Briere
I toss Briere’s name into the discussion because he does have 27 points. Ten of those points came in that epic comeback against Boston. I will even be nice and say he does have 4 GWG’s which is impressive. He even has nine points in the Finals which is saying something. However there are some minor details here that need to be acknowledged sadly.
One Philly is not even here if not for the Mike Richards hit. Two, he has not been clutch since the GWG in Game 2 against Montreal. So most of his points have come in less meaningful situations. Three, it appears that if this series goes as planned, Briere’s team will not be hoisting the Stanley Cup anyway. Really, he has not done so much above and beyond to merit winning the Conn Smythe on a losing team.
Yes it is nice to see Briere finally playing up to his potential in the playoffs but he needs something memorable to happen in Game 6 and 7 for him to be able to hoist the Conn Smythe over his head and I do not see that happening either.
As For The Goalies????????
Do not even get me started. This looks like something out of Helter Skelter or late 80’s and early 90’s playoff hockey where goaltending started out pretty good and deteriorated by the Finals. The best goalies more or less survived aside from Roy’s 1993 run and even he needed OVERTIME an awful lot.
So you should not see a goalie win the Conn Smythe. Although Niemi may get some consideration, as he has looked less shaky than the Flyer combo of Leighton and Boucher.
The Verdict
I vote for “None Of The Above” but it seems the money will be on Jonathan Toews if he has either a money Game 6 or Game 7. At any rate either Wednesday or Friday, Gary Bettman will be giving the award to someone who probably does not deserve it for a variety of reasons. Let the nitpicking truly begin!
