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CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS VS. PHILADELPHIA
FLYERS
Likely Conn Smythe Trophy Candidates
by Gaby Martinez
Hockeytalk.biz
JUNE 9, 2010 -- All of these players have
played excellently for their teams in these playoffs and will be essential
to their teams in the remainder of the Stanley Cup finals. One of these
candidates will receive the Conn Smythe at the end of the series for their
performance in these playoffs.
 CHICAGO
BLACKHAWKS
Antti Niemi has been
excellent at times in net for the Blackhawks. He has out-played other elite
goalies like Roberto Luongo and Evgeni Nabokov. Niemi has 15 wins these
playoffs with a .911 save-percentage and 2 shutouts. He effectively handled
the first-time playoff pressure by stopping shots night after night. Niemi
will win this award because he has been the best playoff goalie by far,
although he can play better in the rest of the finals. He leads the league
with wins.
Blackhawks captain Jonathan
Toews has led his team by example these playoffs. Toews leads the NHL
in points with 27. Toews has seven goals, three of them game-winners, and
21 helpers in which he leads the NHL. Toews, along with his linemates
Patrick Kane and Dustin Byfuglien, were dynamic in the first three rounds,
although they have yet to meet these expectations in the finals. Toews has
been physical and a leader and will win the Conn Smythe because of this.
Toews must continue to play this way and contribute more offensively in Game
6 and 7 (if necessary).
Dustin Byfuglien has played
an essential role for Chicago scoring 10 goals. He has undertaken a new
role in front of the net where he has been a pest to goalies. I chose
Byfuglien over Kane because Byfuglien has five game-winners. Byfuglien will
win the Conn Smythe if he continues to score when it matters most.
Byfuglien’s physicality also makes him a viable prospect for the Conn Smythe.
Byfuglien played extremely well in game 5 scoring two goals and two assists
with five hits.
 PHILADELPHIA
FLYERS
Like Toews, Flyers Captain Mike
Richards leads his team by his example. In 22 playoff games, Richards
has seven goals and 16 assists for 23 points. With guidance from Chris
Pronger, Richards has evolved as a leader. Richards’ defensive duties and
competitive nature have also been essential in these playoffs for the
Flyers. Richards will win this award because of his offensive prowess and
his defensive abilities.
Right wing Danny Briere has
also dominated offensively these playoffs, leading his team with his 27
points. The defining factor in Briere’s game is his ability to score when
it counts and to change games with his play. He has 4 game-winners in these
playoffs. Briere has lost in three straight Eastern Conference finals and
this may be one of the few times he will have a chance to hoist a cup.
Briere has played very well in the finals, including three multiple point
performances in Games 1, 3 and 5. .
Chris Pronger’s ability to
shut down the opposing team’s top lines makes him an invaluable aspect for
the Flyers. In the finals, Pronger has completely shutdown Chicago’s top
line forcing coach Joel Quenneville to split them up. Although Pronger did
not play well in game 5, he has played well throughout the entire series.
Pronger is a huge presence on the ice especially in the helper category in
which he has 13 assists. Pronger’s physicality and leadership also make him
a viable Conn Smythe candidate. With two Stanley Cup finals under his belt,
Pronger knows how to perform under pressure and will certainly be considered
for the Conn Smythe.
MORE:
Stanley Cup
Final Preview
by Charles Smith
Plus:
Expert Picks
How the Cup
Finalists Were Built
by Chris Kober
On the surface the two teams seem quite similar. They each have three lines that
can score through pure skill or relentless grit; each boasts a stable of
stalwart defensemen and previously untested goaltending...however, the season
has seen them take very different paths to the Final.
(Photo: Marian Hossa, CHI)
What a Difference a Generation Makes
Bill, Rocky and the trip from '92 to '10
by Josh Brewster | NHL Quick Shots
(Bill
Wirtz was a) Shakespearian figure, a stubborn old patriarch with loving children
primed to succeed the old man...Like a modern-day King Lear, the Patriarch
clings to his views and wanders alone, his empire operating at diminished
capacity over the years, unable to achieve the success he craves.
(Photo: The late Bill Wirtz)
Hockeytalk's Preseason Prediction: Blackhawks for Cup
Since 1994: Want the Cup? Finish 1-4 in Conference
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