Stanley Cup MVP race has plenty of contenders

The Stanley Cup will be in the house Thursday when the Pittsburgh Penguins can win their fourth championship in franchise history if they defeat the San Jose Sharks at home in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

The Cup, which spent Wednesday night at a Pittsburgh hotel, always draws attention, and rightfully so. The gleaming bands that list players and executives of each winning team make it unique, along with its cylindrical shape and bowl on top.

So is the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team during the playoffs, and that also will be at Consol Energy Center on Thursday. Who will take it home if the Penguins prevail Thursday?

A sixth game, if necessary, would be played Sunday at San Jose. Voting is conducted during each game that the series could end.

The Conn Smythe winner is chosen by a 16-person panel made up of members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Assn., and it includes writers who cover each team as well as writers whose teams didn’t get this far. (The Times does not allow its writers to vote).

There’s really no clear-cut leader for MVP honors and that makes sense because the Penguins’ success has been a true team effort. “We’re a team and we just focus on winning for each other,” said left wing Carl Hagelin, who has played a key role since he was traded by the Ducks to the Penguins in January.

Pittburgh’s Phil Kessel scores against San Jose goalie Martin Jones.

(Justin K. Aller / Getty Images )

“It doesn’t matter who gets the goals. It’s all about who’s doing the little things, and we’ve been doing a lot of good things when it comes to playing solid [defense]. Guys have stepped up on the offensive side as well.”

Rookie winger Conor Sheary agreed. “We’ve had guys step up all year and a lot of depth in our lineup, and I think that’s the key to our success,” he said. “We’ve been using that all year.”

Mario Lemieux won the Conn Smythe in each of the Penguins’ first two triumphs, in 1991 and 1992. Evgeni Malkin won it when the team triumphed in 2009.

In the 50 seasons that the Conn Smythe has been awarded, goalies have won it 16 times, centers 14 times, defensemen 10 times, right wings six times and left wings four times.

For argument’s sake, here’s a list of the most likely candidates among the Penguins this year:

Goaltender Matt Murray: One win would give him 15 in the playoffs, tying a record for rookie goalies in one playoff season. Overall, he’s 14-5 with a 2.09 goals-against average and .925 save percentage. That includes a record of 5-0 after losses. In the Cup Final alone, he’s 3-1 with a 1.65 goals-against average and .929 save percentage. His poise and calmness have had a profound impact on a team that has played 12 one-goal games during this playoff run.

Right wing Phil Kessel: He’s the Penguins’ top playoff scorer with 10 goals and 21 points in 22 games, including one goal and three points in the Final. He has meshed perfectly with Hagelin and center Nick Bonino, giving depth to the Penguins’ offense while also being responsible defensively. Primanti Brothers, a landmark local restaurant, created the limited edition “HBK sandwich” to honor the trio – a concoction of ham, bacon and kielbasa. If Kessel gets a chance to eat that out of the Cup, it would be a remarkable turnaround for a player who has been consistently productive but isn’t media-friendly and has been run out of Boston and Toronto in addition to being left off the Team USA roster for the upcoming World Cup of Hockey.

Center Sidney Crosby: Sid the Kid has six goals and 17 points in 22 playoff games, including two assists in the first four games of the Final. His faceoff win led to Sheary’s overtime goal in Game 2, and he has been a leader in the locker room. “I think Sid has been a force every game,” Coach Mike Sullivan said. “He may not have scored, but he certainly is a handful out there regardless of who they put out on the ice against him.”