Is Tim Thomas an MVP candidate?

Besides being a lock for the Vezina at this point, what's holding him back from picking up some more hardware? After tonight's 3-0 Bruins victory, a game in which the B's dominated from start to finish despite not scoring till midway through the second stanza, Thomas's goals against average will sink back below 2.00, a return to where it was in January. He notched his 9th shutout on the season, and with one more will become the first Bruins netminder with 10 in a single season since Lord Byron Dafoe in 1999. Not only that, but he will move past Gerry Cheevers on the Bruins all-time shutout list and have sole possession of 4th place.

Since an 0-2-2 stretch in the middle of March, Thomas has rebounded with a 4-0-0 mark in his past four starts with two shutouts and a 0.50 GAA. And those four starts weren't against the Edmonton Oilers of the world. Try the previously scorching New Jersey Devils, the Montreal Canadiens, the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Flyers, and the defending Cup champs-Chicago Blackhawks. Throwing out February, Thomas hasn't had a single month with a GAA higher than 2.29 or a SV% lower than .929. Through it all, he continues to lead the NHL in both categories, while trailing only Henrik Lundqvist in shutouts.

So why Thomas for MVP over either Sedin bro?

Take Thomas away from the Bruins and replace him a league-average goaltender. Say, Tuukka Rask. Think the Bruins are in any position to win the Northeast Division? They're a fringe playoff team at best. Take a Sedin off of Vancouver and replace him with an average player, you still have the other Sedin and Ryan Kesler, not to mention Bobby Luongo between the pipes. The Bruins don't have anywhere near the elite scoring that the Canucks possess. Milan Lucic, who leads the B's with 58 points, would be just the fourth place man in Vancouver. Both Sedins could wind up with 100 points, and Kesler could clock in around 75. You can afford to take out one of those players and still be in great shape if you replace him with a league average player. This award should be given to the most valuable player. And I don't think there's any question Tim Thomas has been more valuable to the Bruins than any other player has been to their team in the entire NHL.