Who Wins The Conn Smythe Trophy?

[Bank Shot]

Clearly gripping the stick. Missing the net on almost every single one timer it seems. His bread and butter has turned into his weak spot. If he's gained confidence from tonight it'll be a different story again.

Its probably his broken finger rather than his nerves,

 

[Dempsey]

Bobrovsky after this game is down to .909 save%. I don't have to even look it up to know that's nowhere close to where other goaltenders were when they won the award. Different seasons had different scoring numbers though.

He was amazing in games 1 - 3 but I do believe voters will take a step back and look at the actual overall numbers when making their choice.

 

[Grifter3511]

After this game, it feels like there isn't really a strong front-runner.

If Bobrovsky had gotten a shutout or held EDM to one goal tonight, I think he would have won it. Giving up five goals in less than half a game isn't a good look, but he was great in the first two games and two periods of Game Three.

Game five may determine the SC winner. If Barkov has a dominant performance, I can see him getting the award.

If McDavid continues to pile up points and the series goes Seven, then I think he might win the Smythe even in a losing cause.

Florida is such a well built team that it is really hard to single out one player who stands head and shoulders above the rest (which is ultimately a good thing and what you want, I guess). So the reason I lean Bobrovsky over Barkov currently is that if you replaced Barkov with pretty much any of the other team's in the playoffs #1 centers I think florida would still be where they are (except maybe capitals). And while Bobrovsky has not been the best goaltender in the playoffs or half of his series, there are significantly more goalies who would not have gotten their team past the last round if they were in Florida's net instead of bobrovsky.

That's how I see it. Doesn't mean Bobrovsky is better than Barkov. I just feel he's been more valuable to his team over the entire run.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Still Bob, as Barkov was not very noticeable tonight.

What helps Bob out a bit is that Stolarz played some minutes tonight, and was terrible.

 

[Grifter3511]

Still Bob, as Barkov was not very noticeable tonight.

What helps Bob out a bit is that Stolarz played some minutes tonight, and was terrible.

Did you change your Pic or am I confusing you with another poster with a similar name? Lol

 

[CashMash]

Barkov was a playoff bum before tkachuk came and Bob bounced back

Playoff choker like Huberdeau

He has never willed the panthers to a series win in his career.

It is frankly insulting to the sport of hockey that after all the years of Toews overrating and being talked as being better than Crosby due to more team success

The same is occurring with a tier better player than Crosby

Barkov is a non top 10 player in the league. Great 1C but hes on a stacked team that has incredible depth players to support him.

This is why people get schadenfreude when things don't go McDavid's way.

Barkov has been nothing but great these playoffs. His impact has been constant unlike Bob's. The fact that you sit there and call him a "non-top-10 player" when he is the clear leader of a team in the finals is ridiculous. Not ONLY does he lead his team in points, he is also adored in the locker room and great defensively. His teammates know him better than you do and say he inspires them. Trochek has said he switched to 16 because of Barkov.

I routinely acknowledge McDavid is the best player in the league and hope he wins his cup one day because it would be a shame if he went cupless, but posts like this *almost* makes me wish he doesn't.

"This happens all the time!"

Then maybe defensive forwards should stop winning the cup so much.

Kopitar
Toews
Bergeron
ROR
Datsyuk

And soon Barkov if all goes well.

Your "not top 10" won't change that.

-- Edit:

Oh! AND they were in the finals last year too! Consistency.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

Florida is such a well built team that it is really hard to single out one player who stands head and shoulders above the rest (which is ultimately a good thing and what you want, I guess). So the reason I lean Bobrovsky over Barkov currently is that if you replaced Barkov with pretty much any of the other team's in the playoffs #1 centers I think florida would still be where they are (except maybe capitals). And while Bobrovsky has not been the best goaltender in the playoffs or half of his series, there are significantly more goalies who would not have gotten their team past the last round if they were in Florida's net instead of bobrovsky.

That's how I see it. Doesn't mean Bobrovsky is better than Barkov. I just feel he's been more valuable to his team over the entire run.

Its Barkov easily.

Florida is a great defensive team without great defense men and that is the magic of Barkov.

Barkov was a playoff bum before tkachuk came and Bob bounced back

Playoff choker like Huberdeau

He has never willed the panthers to a series win in his career.

It is frankly insulting to the sport of hockey that after all the years of Toews overrating and being talked as being better than Crosby due to more team success

The same is occurring with a tier better player than Crosby

Barkov is a non top 10 player in the league. Great 1C but hes on a stacked team that has incredible depth players to support him.

Horrific take...

 

[VainGretzky]

Its Barkov easily.

Florida is a great defensive team without great defense men and that is the magic of Barkov.


Horrific take...

No it's really not Bob was the star 1st 3 games Barkov got all this credit from posts and great goaltending

 

[Grifter3511]

Its Barkov easily.

Florida is a great defensive team without great defense men and that is the magic of Barkov.


Horrific take...

I don't think a TEAM would have as good of defense as Florida did if it all relied on one forward playing 20-24 minutes a night. It's a system.

 

[Marioesque]

I just feel he's been more valuable to his team over the entire run.

I can honestly say I didn't see the whole TB series. I saw Bruins and Rangers series and Bob was 2nd best goalie on those.

How has he been more valuable over the entire run? I have seen better goalies in these playoffs playing against him. Should we give it to Shesterkin?


Are we to pretend Bob shutting down some half assed oilers chances is MVP stuff?

 

[Mathews28]

Skinner? Lol

 

[syz]

Only reason Barkov's name is in this discussion at all is because Bobrovsky was so good the first 3 games. This has pretty much always been true for forwards; their defensive ability or lack thereof has always relied largely on whether or not their goalie is making saves.

 

[Tmu84]

Only reason Barkov's name is in this discussion at all is because Bobrovsky was so good the first 3 games. This has pretty much always been true for forwards; their defensive ability or lack thereof has always relied largely on whether or not their goalie is making saves.

OK this is just stupid and clearly you don't know why h3 is the Selke winning player he is.

The team had an off night, including Bob. It happens.

 

[CashMash]

Only reason Barkov's name is in this discussion at all is because Bobrovsky was so good the first 3 games. This has pretty much always been true for forwards; their defensive ability or lack thereof has always relied largely on whether or not their goalie is making saves.

Lol.

 

[Grifter3511]

I can honestly say I didn't see the whole TB series. I saw Bruins and Rangers series and Bob was 2nd best goalie on those.

How has he been more valuable over the entire run? I have seen better goalies in these playoffs playing against him. Should we give it to Shesterkin?


Are we to pretend Bob shutting down some half assed oilers chances is MVP stuff?

I explained how. If you replace Bob with Silovs, Skinner, Thompson, Georgiev, talbot, varlamov orAndersen and Florida isn't in the finals. But I think if you replaced Barkov with Jt Miller, Horvat, Trochek, Kopitar, McDavid, or whoever you want to pick as the top forward on each team, and Florida is in the same spot.

That's how I would determine value as opposed to talent.

 

[syz]

OK this is just stupid and clearly you don't know why h3 is the Selke winning player he is.

The team had an off night, including Bob. It happens.

Weird how Barkov has an "off night" the same time Bobrovsky does, even though McDavid/the Oilers generated more chances in games 1 and 3 than they did tonight.

If Bob doesn't stand on his head, especially in game 1, that whole narrative about Barkov "shutting down the Oilers" vanishes into the ether.

 

[Felidae]

Barkov was a playoff bum before tkachuk came and Bob bounced back

Playoff choker like Huberdeau

He has never willed the panthers to a series win in his career.

It is frankly insulting to the sport of hockey that after all the years of Toews overrating and being talked as being better than Crosby due to more team success

The same is occurring with a tier better player than Crosby

Barkov is a non top 10 player in the league. Great 1C but hes on a stacked team that has incredible depth players to support him.

They were all underwhelming playoff performers for a time.. but acting like Tkachuk and Bobrovsky is the reason Barkov is playing well now is laughable.

Guess who was also underperformed in Calgary before joining the Panthers? I'll help you out a bit, it's not Bennett.

 

[Marioesque]

I explained how. If you replace Bob with Silovs, Skinner, Thompson, Georgiev, talbot, varlamov orAndersen and Florida isn't in the finals. But I think if you replaced Barkov with Jt Miller, Horvat, Trochek, Kopitar, McDavid, or whoever you want to pick as the top forward on each team, and Florida is in the same spot.

That's how I would determine value as opposed to talent.

But that's bullshit.

Bob didn't win the previous matchups. Swayman and Shesty best him head to head. He has been better than Skinner in the finals until today.

Conn Smythe is for playoffs. Not finals where you finally started watching.

Do those 2 games in the finals matter more than the rest of playoffs?

 

[CashMash]

Weird how Barkov has an "off night" the same time Bobrovsky does, even though McDavid/the Oilers generated more chances in games 1 and 3 than they did tonight.

If Bob doesn't stand on his head, especially in game 1, that whole narrative about Barkov "shutting down the Oilers" vanishes into the ether.

Now do Boston and New York.

Also, while you are at it, if defensive forwards have always been a product of their goaltending... Explain Nemo, Osgood and Binnington.

 

[syz]

But that's bullshit.

Bob didn't win the previous matchups. Swayman and Shesty best him head to head. He has been better than Skinner in the finals until today.

Conn Smythe is for playoffs. Not finals where you finally started watching.

Do those 2 games in the finals matter more than the rest of playoffs?

Worth considering imo that Bobrovsky's high danger save percentage was way higher than Swayman's in that series. He made more of the types of saves that win you games.

Shesterkin, yea, that guy was basically out there by himself.

 

[Grifter3511]

But that's bullshit.

Bob didn't win the previous matchups. Swayman and Shesty best him head to head. He has been better than Skinner in the finals until today.

Conn Smythe is for playoffs. Not finals where you finally started watching.

Do those 2 games in the finals matter more than the rest of playoffs?

Not being as good as an opponent is kind of irrelevant. The conn smythe trophy is not the 'best player on your team' trophy. It is the 'most valuable' to your team. You might say semantics, but to me there is a distinction there. Florida beats Rangers with any other #1 C in place of Barkov. Florida loses to Rangers with half of the playoff goaltenders in net instead of Bobrovsky. Therefore, imo, Bobrovsky is more valuable to his team on this playoff run.

Also, it's totally okay for you not to agree with me. These are all just incredibly subjective opinions. But feel free to keep reiterating your point about just the finals or Bobrovsky not being as good as some other goalies.

 

[Marioesque]

Not being as good as an opponent is kind of irrelevant. The conn smythe trophy is not the 'best player on your team' trophy. It is the 'most valuable' to your team. You might say semantics, but to me there is a distinction there. Florida beats Rangers with any other #1 C in place of Barkov. Florida loses to Rangers with half of the playoff goaltenders in net instead of Bobrovsky. Therefore, imo, Bobrovsky is more valuable to his team on this playoff run.

Also, it's totally okay for you not to agree with me. These are all just incredibly subjective opinions. But feel free to keep reiterating your point about just the finals or Bobrovsky not being as good as some other goalies.

I think panthers would be in the finals if they played the 2nd G all the way.

But they wouldn't be if Barkov wasn't playing. Lundell isn't ready for #1 quite yet. Bennett is a great 2C.

From what I have seen, the players and Maurice think it's Sasha leading the team.

I'm not gonna argue against that

 

[Grifter3511]

Now do Boston and New York.

Also, while you are at it, if defensive forwards have always been a product of their goaltending... Explain Nemo, Osgood and Binnington.

Using Barkov's performance against the Rangers as a pro and not a con is a take.

4 points, 1 ES point. -2. 0 points in 4 of 7 games.

Either he shut down the incredibly dangerous Rangers 5on5 or Rangers are a terrible 5on5 team carried by their goalie. Take your pick. It's not both. And the fact that Rangers are so bad 5 on 5 and all Barkov could muster was 1 measly point in 6 games is not a feather in his cap.

I think panthers would be in the finals if they played the 2nd G all the way.

But they wouldn't be if Barkov wasn't playing. Lundell isn't ready for #1 quite yet. Bennett is a great 2C.

Now that's an interesting take. But idk if they win those OT games against New York with their number 2 in net...but they may still win the series.

Edit: I realize my last paragraph here may have sounded sarcastic, but it wasn't. I really meant it is an interesting way to look at it. I've been swapping out players in my comparison, but if you just removed them what would happen? Food for thought.

 

[ijuka]

Worth considering imo that Bobrovsky's high danger save percentage was way higher than Swayman's in that series. He made more of the types of saves that win you games.

Shesterkin, yea, that guy was basically out there by himself.

Bobrovsky's high danger save% has been through the roof, yes.

His expected high danger save% 0.684 and his actual high danger save% 0.869 is an incredible number. While his performance against low danger shot attempts has been below expectations, we could indeed argue that the better the opponent, the more high danger chances you're likely to face, hence we could argue that Bob's been performing best when needed.

The other thing here is that, goaltending only matters in close games, and when it swings the results.

Panthers lost 1-8, yes. Bob had a terrible game, yes. But Panthers would also have lost if Bob had allowed only two goals instead.


This game's going to look bad on his numbers, but ultimately, it doesn't really matter. What matters is how he performs in games where different goaltending performances could actually meaningly affect the team's chances of winning.

Similarly to how scoring garbage goals at the end of blowout games doesn't matter at all.

 

[Marioesque]

Using Barkov's performance against the Rangers as a pro and not a con is a take.

4 points, 1 ES point. -2. 0 points in 4 of 7 games.

Either he shut down the incredibly dangerous Rangers 5on5 or Rangers are a terrible 5on5 team carried by their goalie. Take your pick. It's not both. And the fact that Rangers are so bad 5 on 5 and all Barkov could muster was 1 measly point in 6 games is not a feather in his cap.


Now that's an interesting take. But idk if they win those OT games against New York with their number 2 in net...but they may still win the series.

Stat watching obviously has some major drawbacks