Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is (mostly) in the books, and as 16 teams are (almost) trimmed down to eight, we’ve seen plenty of standout performances prompting early Conn Smythe conversations.
Round 2 got underway Saturday night, with the Boston Bruins defeating the New York Islanders in Game 1. Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens extended Round One until Monday by forcing Game 7 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Here’s an early look at potential Conn Smythe contenders through the first round of post-season action.
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Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Few players can take their game to the level that the Avalanche forward reaches in the playoffs. In Game 1 against the Blues, the 25-year-old had two goals and an assist. Game 2 brought an even better performance, tallying a hat trick (including his second straight game-winning goal) for a four-point game. He’s playing at a 2.25 points per game pace, a scoring threat every time he’s on the ice.
One point behind MacKinnon is Gabriel Landeskog — the only other playoff performer whose points-per-game average starts with a two. The captain earned at least one point in all four games against St. Louis, tallying two goals, six assists, and eight points in just four games, and could have some Conn Smythe buzz as well.
Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning
Prior to these playoffs, the last NHL action Nikita Kucherov saw involved him hoisting the Stanley Cup. Now back in the post-season after missing the entire regular season while recovering from hip surgery, he hasn’t missed a beat and is already playing like he’s ready to ready to pick up another Cup.
He landed himself on the scoresheet in five of the Lightning’s six first-round games against Florida to defeat the Panthers, starting with a two-goal, three-point effort in Game 1 and topping that total with a four-point matchup three games later. He leads the league in playoff points with 11 (3G, 8A).
Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas Golden Knights
With every game of the Golden Knights’ first-round series against the Minnesota Wild, a new hero emerged for Vegas, capped by Mattias Janmark landing himself in Vegas Game 7 lore. But, just like he did throughout the regular season, Marc-Andre Fleury has provided a steady, strong presence all along with plenty of heroics of his own.
After putting up stellar numbers in the regular season — a 1.98 goals-against average, .928 save percentage, six shutouts in 36 appearances — he hasn’t missed a beat in the playoffs with his 1.71 GAA, .931 save percentage, and one shutout. Playing against a tough, persistent defence in Minnesota and opposite another hot goalie in Cam Talbot, Fleury kept Vegas strong even when the club struggled offensively.
David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins
Charlie McAvoy looked every bit the top defenceman he is in the Bruins’ first-round matchup against Washington, and while this Conn Smythe ranking is technically all about those Round 1 takeaways, the early start for Boston’s second-round series against New York cannot be ignored. In other words, David Pastrnak’s offensive outburst cannot be ignored. Hello, Conn Smythe contender. Pastrnak’s smart play and elite skill were on full display Saturday night.
Through six games, the dynamic winger and one-third of The Perfection Line now has five goals and nine points. Safe to say, Playoff Pasta has officially arrived.
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
In four straight wins to sweep the Edmonton Oilers in Round One, Hellebuyck faced a combined 159 shots (39 of which came off the stick of Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl) and let in only eight of them for an impressive .950 save percentage and 1.60 goals-against average. Winnipeg’s deep offence has found its stride after slumping down the stretch, but Hellebuyck’s presence has made it clear to his teammates that even when the goals don’t come, he can still get them the win. That was certainly the case in Game 2, a 38-save shutout in what was a low-scoring chess match of a game that ended 1-0 in overtime.
“He’s the reason we have a chance. He’s the reason we are a playoff team and the reason we have confidence every time we go out there,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler said of Hellebuyck after that Game 2 shutout against Edmonton. “You just can’t say enough about having a guy who you believe is going to stop every shot. And when one does go in, you just kind of say, ‘Well, that was lucky.’ It’s such a great confidence boost for the group where you don’t feel like you have to play perfect hockey.”
Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina’s deep roster has already brought a handful of MVP-like performances, from Jordan Staal leading by example and young Martin Necas scoring big goals to the dynamic duo of Dougie Hamilton and Jaccob Slavin flexing their offensive muscles and Alex Nedeljkovic’s strong performances behind them. But it’s Sebastian Aho who gets the nod here, thanks to his clutch first-round play against Nashville. He collected his points in bunches in Round One, and in the biggest game, he was at his best. Aho scored twice to send the Predators packing in Game 6, tallying two smart redirections to fool the phenomenal Juuse Saros. He leads the offensive powerhouse in goals (5) and points (7) and will be really fun to watch against Tampa Bay in Round Two.
William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
Prior to Saturday’s Game 6, Nylander had at least one point in every first-round game, including a goal in the first four. He’s been undoubtedly the best forward for Toronto, and at a time when the team’s other stars are struggling to produce, Nylander is doing all he can to carry this offence to Round 2.
Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens
The biggest reason the Montreal Canadiens climbed back from a 3-1 series deficit? His name is Carey Price. While Montreal’s young centres have been the heroes in overtime, Price has been the brick wall positioning them for success. If the Habs can complete the comeback and win Game 7, we’ll have ourselves a great goalie showdown between Price and Hellebuyck with the Jets.
Anthony Beauvillier, New York Islanders
On an offence that’s not exactly known for its high-scoring ways, Beauvillier has been the most productive forward for this defensive-minded group and was a major reason why they were able to outscore the Penguins. He put up three goals and seven points in six games against Pittsburgh, and got off to a strong start against Boston with another goal.
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