Who Wins The Conn Smythe Trophy?

[bobholly39]

Going into the finals:

McDavid was definitely the overall leader for smythe (with Drai/Bouchard closeby)
Barkov was definitely the overall Florida leader for smythe - with Bob #2

As of today I'd say the following:

Drai/Bouchard left in the dust. Unless Oilers win and one of those 2 is the hero of the comeback, they have no chance.
McDavid in my opinion has been the best Oiler - consistently generating chances - but overall still hasn't been good enough, and especially because their chances haven't landed. If Oilers lose - especially in 4 or 5 games - no chance he wins it. If Oilers win, or this somehow goes to 7 or maybe even 6 if McDavid goes crazy in next few games, he could possibly still win in a losing cause.

Barkov - Very solid in finals so far, so would be a worthy winner...b But I'd move him to #2 on Florida

Bobrosvky - he's been lights out in final, especially in game 1 that Florida didn't deserve to win, and again in game 2. He wasn't the favorite going into the final - but a strong enough final is enough to surpass Barkov. I thikn he's the favorite right now.

So I predict Bobrosvky wins, especially if this ends in 4, or even 5 games and Bob is very strong again in game 4/5.
If this went ~6 games or so, and Barkov continues to do well, good chance he wins.
Off-chance McDavid wins in a losing cause if he does a lot of damage and extends to 6 or 7 games.
And obviously if Oilers actually find a way to comeback and win - well it'll depend largely on who the hero is, but good chance McDavid, or one of Drai/Bouchard.

 

[Shocker]

Barkov, Bob or Forsling are all fine picks to me, got all the positions nicely in there, just a matter of opinion which you value the most.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Bob made too many big stops. It's gotta be him at this point IMO. The Oilers created plenty of high danger chances in game 3 and Bobrovsky came up big.

 

[Catscountry40]

If the Cats win and they give the Smythe to McMid. It would be the most Canadian media crap ever. Just pure anger that southern markets are simply better at all this then they are.

Houston Oilers would be perfect BTW

 

[Empoleon8771]

I was dismissive of Bobrovsky winning it last night, but I think I was looking too much at his performance relative to other goalies who have won the Conn Smythe rather than relative to his competition this year. Bobrovsky's performance is objectively not as good as what Thomas and Quick did in 2011 and 2012, but the criteria for that award isn't "similar performance to previous Conn Smythe winners". Some years just has a weaker performance out of the Conn Smythe, just like when Crosby won it in 2016.

I think Bobrovsky's performance in the finals has him as the frontrunner. He has a .953 save% in the finals and has done a terrific job at completely shutting down the Oilers offense. I've seen comments that the commonly used criteria for the Conn Smythe is 50% the Cup Finals and 50% overall, and I think Bob's terrific finals performance is enough to win him the Conn Smythe.

 

[pelderhostiga]

i wish there were two awards for skater and goalie

but its bob 100%
If barkov was out this game, you could say theres a chance panthers could pull it off, but it would be a lot harder. This is no slight on barky neither, guy has been his absolute best and locking down everyone, but even then they get their chances and it still falls upon bob.

If bob goes down i dont think they win at all.

Agree to disagree. I think there are many goalies in the league who could've done what Bob has done if they played for Florida, as evident with the fact that he wasn't even the best goalie in the previous rounds they played. There are not many players in the league, perhaps none, who could've replaced Barkov for the Panthers these playoffs, given his league-best 200ft game and contribution to game-winning goals.

Odds on the "worlds largest betting side" (as they claim, and it's probably true here in Europe at least) right now is 1.25 on Bob and 5.00 on Barkov, mcDavid 17.00, and a bunch of players , Forsling, Reinhart etc at 101.00

That means it probably already decided unless something miraculous happens.

Of course Conn Smythe is meant only to reflect THIS years playoff , but to be honest Bob pulled them to the finals last year and got no rewards at all for that.

And as I said, in the first match in the final series he was stellar , expected goals was something like 5.5 for Edmonton and 1.5 for Panthers but Bob stole that one !

And in the beginning of last game he made some superb saves that probably decided the outcome , so I don't see this going any other way than to Bob.

Sorry, I just don't see the logic. One and a half elite games just don't cut it for me when we're talking about the MVP for the whole playoffs. Florida has played 20 games already and they all should have equal weight per award criteria.

 

[LTIR]

The last name will start with a B ..
Book it

 

[VivaLasVegas]

Bob and Barkov are both correct answers. Flip a coin. Tkachuk seems perfectly happy to just be along for the ride and enjoy the experience, albeit with such a non-competitive finals there isn't much call for him to exert himself.

 

[Idiot Stick]

Agree to disagree. I think there are many goalies in the league who could've done what Bob has done if they played for Florida, as evident with the fact that he wasn't even the best goalie in the previous rounds they played. There are not many players in the league, perhaps none, who could've replaced Barkov for the Panthers these playoffs, given his league-best 200ft game and contribution to game-winning goals.



Sorry, I just don't see the logic. One and a half elite games just don't cut it for me when we're talking about the MVP for the whole playoffs. Florida has played 20 games already and they all should have equal weight per award criteria.

if swayman or shesterkin played for the panthers id have them for the CS too

im lil bit goalie biased

 

[Voight]

The last name will start with a B ..
Book it

 

[Idiot Stick]

Bob and Barkov are both correct answers. Flip a coin. Tkachuk seems perfectly happy to just be along for the ride and enjoy the experience, albeit with such a non-competitive finals there isn't much call for him to exert himself.

hes still broken from the kolesar hit tbh, and that hit he got crunched on vs the canes in march hurt it again im 100% sure

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Bob. That game 1 victory was the key to the series imo.

 

[RMF5630]

Award goes to the Most Valuable Player in the Playoffs.

Last years winner was Jonathan Marchessault.

Has to go to Bob. The guys has been lights out. If they pull this off, which all indications are it will be over on Sat, this puts him in the HOF. He really took advantage of FLA and is like a different player since taking over for Lyon. Have to say, I was wrong on Bob. Really, showed he deserves elite status.

 

[Magonus1703]

The last name will start with a B ..
Book it

Broberg?

 

[GarlicbreadTB]

Bob or Barkov.

Curveball: Rodrigues

 

[Voight]

Bob gets the con smythe but Barkov will raise the stanley its all that matters

Bob will get the cup third anyways after Okposo if they win.

 

[kihei]

Bob or I sob.

 

[LTIR]

I will go even bolder, the name will sound very russian!

 

[dalewood12]

Hypothetical:

Oilers make it a series and take them to 6 games, sort of like the Devils vs. Kings in 2012. Bob lets in 4 goals each game. Does he still win the Conn Smythe?

 

[jkrdevil]

For me, it's Bob and then Barkov but I didn't watch Florida's first 3 rounds so I could be wrong and a Panther fan can let me know. Those are the two I seem to be swearing at the most while watching my Oil get pummeled.lol

Because goalies pretty much have a 50% chance of winning the Conn Smythe vs a skater. Nature of the award.

In my opinion it should be Barkov. Bob had a great game 1 and good overall playoff (he would be my 2nd place vote), but I don’t think Florida has leaned on him all playoffs like Barkov. He has been a blanket over the best players in the game in the playoffs. The Athletic had a stat that Kucherov, Pasternak, Panarin and McDavid combined had 2 points going head to head vs Barkov at 5v5 in the playoffs.

The voting breaks down along the lines of 6-6-6, meaning 6 edmonton writers, 6 Florida writers and 6 national writers vote on the award. Bob will probably pick up Edmonton votes from guys who haven’t watched the Panthers until this series. My guess is Barkov picks up the rest.

 

[cliffclaven]

Bob and at this point it AINEC. Barkov a distant second and mcdrai (barring an impossible comeback) aren’t even in the conversation.

 

[MCR74]

If the Cats win and they give the Smythe to McMid. It would be the most Canadian media crap ever. Just pure anger that southern markets are simply better at all this then they are.

Houston Oilers would be perfect BTW

I wonder what the chances are of some homers actually doing this, slim to none I imagine.

 

[Mach2]

So far, the Conn Smythe Trophy is going to Bobrovsky with Barkov a close second. Yesterday, Knoblauch looked bewildered.
But, a lot can still happen IF Edmonton wins game 4 on Saturday.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Bob. His stats in the finals are at historic levels. Honestly it shouldn’t be that close despite how well Barkov has played. This performance by Bob is something special that you don’t see very often.

 

[Cup or Bust]

No one is even close to Bobrovsky right now. It could be the Oilers leading the series 2-1 right now if not for him.