Pucks On The 'Net: Conn Smith

Here's some Pucks on the 'Net as the second round of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs continue:

• If they handed out the Conn Smythe trophy as the playoffs Most Valuable Player right now, you would have to figure Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith would win it. This wily Coyote has Phoenix winning games they probably should not be. Philadelphia's Claude Giroux and Washington's Braden Holtby would also get serious consideration. But I'm sure Gary Bettman would make sure Smith wins for two reasons: 1) Bettman and friends own the Coyotes and 2) with every win Smith gets, the closer the Coyotes get to the break even point financially this season.
• One of Steve Yzerman and the Tampa Bay Lightning's big mistakes this past season was cutting Smith loose. Tampa had a disastrous season without quality goaltending. Who knows - maybe Yzerman will be inviting Smith back as part of Canada's 2014 Olympic team.
• Another mistake Yzerman made this season was rushing Brett Connolly into the NHL. After missing most of his final year of junior due to injury, Connolly barely played in the 2011/12 season. That's two  seasons where his development was seriously hampered. Plus with Connolly's concerning hip injury, expect Yzerman to make Connolly the centerpiece of any deal for Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo.
• Toronto and Florida are the other early favorites in the Luongo sweepstakes. But what about the Chicago Blackhawks? Given the Canucks/Hawks bitter rivalry, could such a trade really go down? On the other hand, Chicago is better positioned than the other teams to offer the assets needed to get the deal done. 
• One thing that Vancouver fans have not said enough to Roberto Luongo: Thank You. A case could be made that Luongo is the greatest player in Vancouver history, but it appears the fans have shamefully chased him out of town. The fans vilification of Luongo is both puzzling and embarrassing.  
• That being said, it is now in the best interests of both the team and Luongo to part ways.
• Alex Pietrangelo may be my favorite player in the NHL at this exact moment. By the 2014 Olympics he may be Canada's top defenseman. Kudos to Al MacInnis for helping him reach his potential at such an early age.
• His injury could be the difference maker in the St. Louis/LA series. He will not play in game 2 and is day to day beyond that. But the Kings really came on in game one with Pietrangelo out of the lineup. 
• Gary Bettman must be praying for a New York Rangers/Los Angeles Kings final, with the Knicks and Lakers long out of the NBA playoffs.
• I kind of like P. J. Stock on Hockey Night In Canada. But he will never live down his adult diapers commercial: