Staking an early claim on Conn Smythe

Add another name to the pile. It was after a 36-save win against the Washington Capitals in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final when Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy suddenly joined what is fast becoming a crowded Conn Smythe Trophy ballot.

Don’t worry, it will thin out soon enough.

That’s the thing about the playoff MVP award: you don’t win it in the first, second or even third round. No, you have to wait until the end of the Stanley Cup final. Even then, you normally have to actually win the Cup to win the award.

With that in mind, here are two players from each remaining team that could be crowned MVP. ALEX OVECHKIN, WASHINGTON

This is the first time that Ovechkin has made it past the second round of the playoffs. And with 10 goals and 20 points, he’s making the most of what might be an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Washington is 9-3 when Ovechkin lands on the scoresheet, something he has done in all but four games so far. As Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said earlier in this series, it’s as if he’s working out years and years of frustration on these playoffs.

CONNOR HELLEBUYCK, WINNIPEG

A Vezina Trophy finalist in the regular season, Hellebuyck has somehow been even better in the playoffs. He had two shutouts in the first round against Minnesota, but it was his work in the second round, where he outplayed Vezina Trophy finalist Pekka Rinne of Nashville, which put him in the conversation for playoff MVP. Against the Predators high-octane offence, Hellebuyck allowed just 2.5 goals per game. Not bad, considering that he won games in which he made 47, 38 and 36 shots.

EVGENY KUZNETSOV, WASHINGTON