DENVER | Andrei Vasilevskiy engraved his name on the Conn-Smythe Trophy last year. In the event of a third Lightning coronation, the 27-year-old goalkeeper would find himself as one of the most serious candidates for this prestigious trophy.
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But Vasilevskiy is not alone in the race. Cale Makar will also receive his share of votes, especially in the event of the Avalanche winning the Stanley Cup. If Vasilevskiy and Makar stand out a bit from the group, there are other contenders for this trophy.
Hold Makar – Avalanche
“The best defender in the world. Nathan MacKinnon didn’t hesitate for a second to offer this compliment to Cale Makar. At only 23 years old, Makar is already one of the best in his profession. Without a doubt. Since the start of the playoffs, the fourth overall pick in the 2017 draft hasn’t just played a defensive role, he’s also been one of the Avalanche’s offensive engines.
Before the opening of the final, Makar found himself at the top of his team’s scorers with 22 points (5 goals, 17 assists). He had an excellent differential of +11. At five against five, he forms the best defense pair in the NHL with Devon Toews. In the Western final, Makar did a great job of slowing down Connor McDavid. Very few players can match McDavid in speed. Makar is one of this rare species.
Andrei Vasilevskiy – Lightning
The Lightning have the chance to write history with three consecutive Stanley Cup titles. Andreï Vasilevskiy could also lay a historic passage. If he were to lift the Conn-Smythe Trophy for a second straight year, he would become the first goaltender since Bernard Parent, with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1974 and 1975, to achieve this feat.
To date, only Parent (twice) and Patrick Roy (three times) have won this title more than once. Vasilevskiy has once again found a way to be at his peak in crucial matches. Since the start of the playoffs, number 88 has a record of 12 wins and 5 losses with a 2.27 average and a .928 save percentage.
Nathan MacKinnon – Avalanche
Jon Cooper has a gift for inventing perfect images. When he described MacKinnon, he said of the Avalanche center that he wielded two swords, that of speed and that of power. It was a nice way to describe MacKinnon. In the Western final, MacKinnon won his duel against the other giant, Connor McDavid. Statistically speaking, MacKinnon had five points (3 goals, 2 assists) in four games against the Oilers. We are not talking about huge numbers. But he was the best forward on the ice. He already has 18 points (11 goals, 7 assists) after 14 playoff games.
Steven Stamkos – Lightning
Stamkos wears the “C” for captain and that’s no coincidence. He is the soul of this team. Its impact cannot only be read on a score sheet. Yes, he has good statistics with 15 points (9 goals, 6 assists) in 17 games. But above all, he has shown a lot of courage since the start of the playoffs by sacrificing his body to block shots. He also brought a toughness card to his game with 45 hits. In the Eastern Final, Stamkos scored both goals for the Lightning in a 2–1 win over Rangers in Game 6. He inspires his teammates in many ways.
Nikita Kucherov – Lightning
Victor Hedman won the Conn-Smythe in 2020. Vasilevskiy followed in 2021. Kucherov has led the way in scoring the past two playoff seasons, but has yet to receive the honor. As of 2020, Kucherov had 34 points (7 goals, 27 assists) in 25 games. Last year, he was also dominant with 32 points (8 goals, 24 assists) in 23 games. With 23 points (7 goals, 16 assists) after 17 games, number 86 could reach the 30-point plateau. But he’ll need 32 points to edge the Oilers’ two-headed monster McDavid (33 points) and Draisaitl (32 points) at the top of the scoring this season.