May 20, 2010
Conn Smythe Watch
Toews Is Number One

by Tom Awad

The Puck Prospectus metric GVT (goals versus threshold) allows us to compare players at every position to determine who the true leaders are.

In the playoffs, Puck Prospectus uses GVT to measure the leaders in the Conn Smythe race for postseason MVP. This week we see some sweeping changes after former front-runner Jaroslav Halak has faltered in the Eastern Conference finals.

If you'd like to compare to the last edition -- filed on May 12, 2010 -- you can open that in a new window by going here.

Puck Prospectus: Player Power Rankings - Round 3

Legend:

OGVT: Offensive GVT

GGVT: Goaltending GVT

DGVT: Defensive GVT

GVT: Total GVT

Rank Player                     Last Week   OGVT/GGVT    DGVT    GVT
1.   Jonathan Toews, C, CHI      3           5.9         0.5     6.4 

Comment: The playoffs' top scorer is on fire and bringing his team along with him. After a slow start in the first three games against the Nashville Predators, Toews has 22 points in an 11-game point-scoring streak, during which the Blackhawks are 9-2.

2.   Michael Leighton, G, PHI    -           5.9         0.0     5.9   

Comment: Could there be a more rewarding story than Leighton? Unwanted with the Carolina Hurricanes, Leighton has made the most of his first career playoff games, stopping 124 of 128 shots for a phenomenal .969 save percentage.

3.   Jaroslav Halak, G, MON      1           5.5         0.0     5.5 

Comment: After being a wall throughout the first two rounds, Halak has been victimized for seven goals on 37 shots against the Flyers. He'll have to steal a few games, as he did in the first two rounds, if the Canadiens are to have any hope of advancing.

4.   Danny Briere, C, PHI        -           4.5         0.6     5.1   

Comment: In a good spring for small players, the 5-foot-10 Briere has been the best of the bunch, with 18 points in his last 11 games, including 11 at even strength. He's chosen quite a time to show he's worth the monster contract he was given three years ago.

5.   Michael Cammalleri, LW, MON -           5.1        -0.3     4.8  

Comment: Cammalleri's career playoff goal total prior to this season was one. Who thinks the Canadiens would be where they are had they resigned Alexei Kovalev instead of Cammalleri?

6.   Patrick Kane, RW, CHI       -           4.3         0.3     4.6

Comment: Always with a nose for the net, Kane now has 16 playoff goals over the past two seasons.

 
7.   Joe Pavelski, C, SJS        4           3.6         0.9     4.5  

Comment: After a monster stretch against Colorado and Detroit, Pavelski has gone quiet. He's still creating opportunities -- as his playoff-leading 59 shots demonstrate -- but he's pointless in his last four and may have only two more games to change that trend.

8.   Mike Richards, C, PHI      11           3.8         0.2     4.0 

Comment: One of the best two-way centers in the NHL, the Flyers always want Richards on the ice; he leads all playoff forwards with 22 minutes of ice time in the playoffs.

9.   Patrick Sharp, C, CHI       9           3.2         0.4     3.6  

Comment: The Hawks are the most dangerous penalty-killing team in the NHL, having scored 13 short-handed goals during the season and three more in the playoffs. Skilled penalty-killers like Sharp are the reason.

10.  Claude Giroux, RW, PHI      -           2.7         0.8     3.5 

Comment: Giroux is second on the team with six goals, third with 14 points, and second in +/- at plus-7. Not bad for a guy in his first full NHL season.

A version of this story originally appeared on ESPN Insider .

Tom Awad is an author of Hockey Prospectus. You can contact Tom by clicking here or click here to see Tom's other articles.