With the Panthers going up three games over the Oilers in last night’s win, it’s truly safe to start talking about Conn Smythe candidates. Shayna Goldman and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic wasted no time breaking down some of the leading candidacies this morning. Should the series end without a catastrophic implosion on Florida’s part, there are three leading finalists for the playoff MVP honor: captain Aleksander Barkov, defensive stalwart Gustav Forsling and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Bobrovsky is trying his hardest to pull away from the pack, allowing only four goals through three Cup Final games and posting a .953 SV%. He may be going so far as to solidify a spot in the Hall of Fame, let alone a Conn Smythe, but as Goldman and LeBrun dive into, it shouldn’t demerit the elite performances from Barkov and Forsling over the last two months that are more-than-deserving of recognition.
Other notes as the weekend (and end of the season) draws near:
- The Hurricanes’ recent confirmation of an extension for defenseman Jalen Chatfield was a long time coming. Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal reports Friday that the team tried to engage in contract discussions midseason, but Chatfield’s camp opted to delay talks in hopes of boosting his market value down the stretch. It worked out well for the blue liner, who still takes a slight discount on what he could have likely landed elsewhere in free agency but earns a nearly 400% raise over his previous average annual value with a large portion of the deal paid upfront via signing bonuses.
- Earlier this week, the Wild announced that Mike Snee is returning to the organization as their vice president of the Minnesota Wild Foundation and community relations. Snee was one of the first people hired by the team before their inception for the 2000-01 season, working in sales and sponsorship. A longtime member of the governing board for USA Hockey, Snee has spent the last 12 years as the executive director of College Hockey, Inc., working to develop several new NCAA hockey programs as well as landing a Canadian broadcasting rights agreement for the collegiate circuit.
Have to say that I didn’t realize how good Forsling was until these playoffs. Smooth and efficient.
Ya he’s awesome and might be the correct answer for most underrated player in the league. It’s crazy how he went from waiver claim, to 50 million dollar man, to potential Conn Smythe winner in such a short period of time.
We can see why Zito prioritized extending him over Montour. Younger & better & very likely got him signed for less than what Montour might get on open market.
My analysis of this Stanley Cup series was the Oilers were more talented but Florida had more depth so Florida had the edge but man I didn’t see a potential sweep in mind. I had Florida in 6..
Detective Bob. Case closed.
I’ve had a lot of caustic things to say about Bobrovsky over the last few years, and that Florida was saddled with the worst contract in hockey. With that being said, whatever the contribution of others, all season long he’s gotten the job done for the Panthers, and he’s been dazzling in the playoffs. No brainer here.