The Conn Smythe Trophy

The playoffs are obviously more important than the regular season, yet the playoff MVP always takes a back seat to the regular season MVP.  If we are of the belief (and many of us are) that this is where legends rise, the Conn Smythe Trophy, given annually to the best playoff performer should tell an accurate Hall of Fame tale.

The award is named after Conn Smythe, the longtime Owner, General Manager and Head Coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.  It was first awarded in 1965.

The results are as follows:

There are currently 38 former Conn Smythe winners who are Hockey Hall of Fame eligible with all 26 entering, yielding a percentage of 68.4.  

This covered 44 years of Hall-eligible winners, of which 32 of them saw a Conn Smythe winner enter the Hall.  This yields a percentage of 72.7.

The following are the past players who have won the Conn Smythe Trophy who are eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.

1965:  Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadians, Center.  8 Goals, 8 Assists, 16 Points, -1. 

This was Beliveau’s sixth of ten Stanley Cups, and while this was his only Conn Smythe, he would lead in Playoff Assists two more times.  He would score 172 Points in NHL Playoff hockey and has the most all time for the Montreal Canadians.  In regular season action, Beliveau is a two-time Hart, one-time Art Ross and six-time First Team All-Star.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.

1967:  Dave Keon, Toronto Maple Leafs, Center.  3 Goals, 5 Assists, 8 Points, +1. 

The last Stanley Cup for Keon (of four), is also currently the last one for the Maple Leafs.  His eight Points are the fewest of any Conn Smythe winner (Toronto’s Jim Pappin, led all skaters with 15), but it was the way he shut down the inaugural winner, Jean Beliveau, that pushed him to the win.    Previously, Keon won the Calder, twice won the Lady Byng and was a two-time Second Team All-Star.  Playoff-wise, Keon had 67 total Points.  

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.

1968:  Glenn Hall, St. Louis Blues, Goalie.  8 Wins, 10 Losses, 2.43 GAA, .916 Save Percentage.

Yes, this was a losing record but the hockey pundits knew that Hall was the reason that the Blues were as competitive as they were in the Finals.  Hall had already won the Stanley Cup before with Chicago, was a former Calder winner, and won his second Vezina and seventh First Team All-Star the year after season.  He played three more years before he retired.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975.

1969:  Serge Savard, Montreal Canadians, Defenseman.  4 Goals, 6 Assists, 10 Points +2.

A member of the Habs’ “Big Three” of their great defensive corps, Serge Savard would win seven Stanley Cups, with this being his second, and he became the first Defenseman to win the Norris.  In future playoffs (1976 & 1978), he would lead all skaters in Plus/Minus and overall score 68 Points in 138 Playoff Games.  

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.

1970:  Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins, Defenseman.  9 Goals, 11 Assists, 20 Points +24.

What a year!  Orr won not only his first Conn Smythe, but also his first Stanley Cup and Hart Trophy.  He also secured his third Norris, making him the first and only player to win the Norris, Hart and Conn Smythe in the same season.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

1971:  Ken Dryden, Montreal Canadians, Goalie.  12 Wins, 8 Losses, 3.01 GAA, .914 Save Percentage. 

Is this not one of the coolest facts in sports?  Ken Dryden won the Conn Smythe BEFORE he won the Calder Trophy!  Dryden was called up late in the 1970-71 season and played only 6 games but one the starting job.  Dryden’s overall playoff record is 80 and 32 with a 2.40 GAA and six Stanley Cups.  This was Dryden’s only Conn Smythe, but he put together much better statistical performances in later playoff years.  

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.

1972 (2):  Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins, Defenseman.  5 Goals, 19 Assists, 24 Points +20.

Orr accomplished the same sick feat that he did two years before, winning the Hart, Norris, Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe in the same year, while also becoming the first player to win the Conn Smythe twice.  The trailblazing Defenseman never won another Cup, but had an overall playoff total of 92 Points in 74 Games.  Orr is the first and only eight-time Norris winner, and hen his career was over, he was fast-tracked into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

1973:  Yvan Cournoyer, Montreal Canadians, Right Wing.  15 Goals, 10 Assists, 25 Points, +6.

Cournoyer was named a Second Team All-Star for the fourth and final time, and he had his best post-season in hockey, becoming the first player to score 25 Points in a playoff.  He won eight Stanley Cups, this year being his sixth, and scored 127 Points in total playoff action.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.

1974:  Bernie Parent, Philadelphia Flyers.  12 Wins, 5 Losses, 2.02 GAA, .933 Save Percentage. 

This is the year where Bernie Parent became a legend and a future Hockey Hall of Famer.  Parent would take the “Broad Steeet Bullies” to the promised land and cement his hockey legacy in this postseason.  

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.

1975 (2):  Bernie Parent, Philadelphia Flyers.  10 Wins, 5 Losses, 1.89 GAA, .924 Save Percentage. 

Parent became the second player to win two Conn Smythes, and the first to win it back-to-back.  In his two Conn Smythe winning years, Parent won the Vezina and was a First Team All-Star, but he was not the same Goalie afterward, and was no longer in the elite group of netminders, though he did enough to get into the Hall of Fame.  

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.

1977:  Guy Lafleur, Montreal Canadians, Right Wing.  9 Goals, 17 Assists, 26 Points, +20.

Guy Lafleur won five Stanley Cups over his career, this one being his third where he won his only Conn Smythe.  It was an incredible season for Lafleur, who also won the Hart, the Pearson and the Art Ross.   This may have been Lafleur’s only Conn Smythe, but he was in contention for the next two as he was the leading scorer in this playoff and the next two.  He would amass 134 Playoff Points in 128 Games.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.

1978:  Larry Robinson, Montreal Canadians, Defense.  4 Goals, 17 Assists, 21 Points, +21.

One of the best blueliners in Canadiens history, Robinson captured six Stanley Cups with Montreal, with the one in 1978 being his fourth.  He led all playoff skaters in Assists (17), Points (21) and Plus/Minus (+21), and the two-time Norris winner accumulated 144 Points in his playoff history.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.

1979:  Bob Gainey, Montreal Canadians, Defense.  6 Goals, 10 Assists, 16 Points, +4.

Bob Gainey earned a reputation as one of the best defensive forwards of his day, and fittingly he won the first four Frank J. Selke Awards (including his second this year) as the league’s best defensive forward.  Gainey won his fourth of five Stanley Cups this year, and this was his best performance, averaging a Point per Game.  He had 73 Points on 182 Playoff Games.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.

1980:  Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders, Center.  12 Goals, 17 Assists, 29 Points, +8.

It was appropriate that Bryan Trottier, who the year before brought the Islanders their first Hart and Art Ross, would be the man who in New York’s first Stanley Cup, took home the first Conn Smythe.  Trottier led the Isles to the titles in the next three years, and later was a supporting figure in Pittsburgh’s first two Cups.  Trottier accumulated 169 Points in 175 Playoff Games.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.

1982:  Mike Bossy, New York Islanders, Right Wing.  17 Goals, 10 Assists, 27 Points, +7.

In the third year of the Islanders dynasty, a third Conn Smythe winner emerged with their prime sniper, Mike Bossy.  The five-time First Team All-Star Right led all players in 17 Goals, the same amount he led in the year before and after.  He arguably had a claim to have won the Conn Smythe in 1981, as he was first in Goals (17), Assists (18) and Points (35), but as seen above he fell to goring.  This playoff, Bossy also had three Game-Winning Goals.  Overall, Bossy had 160 Playoff Points in 128 Games.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.

1983:  Billy Smith, New York Islanders, Goalie.  13 Wins, 3 Losses, 2.69 GAA, .913 Save Percentage.

Billy Smith won the last Conn Smythe of the Islanders dynasty, and became the first player to win the Smythe and William M. Jennings Trophy the year before.  A Vezina winner the year before, Smith was a member of all four New York Stanley Cup wins, Smith led all playoff Goalies in Save Percentage (.913), and for five years in a row (1980-84) had the most Wins in the playoffs.  His overall playoff record was 88-36. 

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

1984:  Mark Messier, Edmonton Oilers, Center.  8 Goals, 18 Assists, 26 Points, +9.

The Islanders dynasty passed the torch to the Oilers dynasty, and it was Mark Messier, the man who would have a leadership trophy named after him that won it first for Edmonton.  The Smythe was an intriguing win for Messier, who was converted from Left Wing to Center for the playoffs, and his end-to-end play was the engine that kickstarted it all.  Messier won five more Stanley Cups (four with Edmonton and one with the Rangers), and arguably, he had a case for the 1990 win, when he led all skaters in Assists (22) and Points (31), but that went to Goalie, Bill Ranford.  The two-time Hart winner had 295 career Points in the playoffs.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.

1985:  Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers, Center.  17 Goals, 30 Assists, 47 Points, +27.

Considering the number of awards that Wayne Gretzky won, the knowledge that he was not the first Conn Smythe winner in Oilers history is a little surprising, but when “The Great One” did win it, he did so epically.  Gretzky was not only the first Conn Smythe winner to break 30 Points, he broke 40, and still holds the record for Points in the post-season with 47.  

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.

1986:  Patrick Roy, Montreal Canadiens, Goalie.  15 Wins. 5 Losses, 1.93 GAA, .923 Save Percentage.

Patrick Roy followed into the Canadiens footsteps of Ken Dryden, who it felt like came out of nowhere to backstop Montreal to a Stanley Cup Title.  This year, Roy stood on his head to take a team to a championship, and usher in a new legend in Quebec-based hockey.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

1988 (2):  Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers, Center.  12 Goals, 31 Assists, 34 Points, +10.

Gretzky won his second Conn Smythe on his fourth and final Cup win, and he did so as the second player to have at least 40 Points in a playoff.  He won two more Cups with the Oilers, and tallied a whopping 382 Points in 208 Playoff Games.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.

1989:  Al MacInnis, Calgary Flames, Defenseman.  7 Goals, 24 Assists, 31 Points, +6.

The story of Calgary’s Stanley Cup was Lanny MacDonald winning it in his last year, but the best player was Defenseman, Al MacInnis.  This was MacInnis’s only Cup, but he would later win a Norris Trophy with the St. Louis Blues.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.

1991:  Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins, Center.  16 Goals, 28 Assists, 44 Points, +14.

Mario Lemieux’s Conn Smythe win was the culmination of his arrival in Pittsburgh years earlier, which saved the franchise from leaving Western Pennsylvania.  He became the second player after Gretzky to eclipse 540 Points in a playoff.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.

1992 (2):  Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins, Center.  16 Goals, 18 Assists, 34 Points, +6.

Lemieux is not the first multi-time winner of the Conn Smythe, but he is the first to do so back-to-back.  Not only did Super Mario lead the playoffs in Goals (16) and Points (8) while also topping the standings in Game-Winning Goals with 5.  He would total an outstanding 172 Playoff Points in 107 Games.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.

1993 (2):  Patrick Roy, Montreal Canadiens, Goalie.  16 Wins. 4 Losses, 2.13 GAA, .929 Save Percentage.

Roy again took a team that should not have won it all, but did so based mostly on their Goalie, who won a Vezina and four William M. Jennings Trophies in between the two Smythes. 

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

1994:  Brian Leetch, New York Rangers, Defense.  11 Goals, 23 Assists, 34 Points, +19.

Mark Messier received the most attention when the Rangers brought back the Stanley Cup in 1994, but it was their star Defenseman, that captured the Conn Smythe.  The two-time Norris winner led the playoffs in Assists (23), Points (34), Plus/Minus (+19) and Game-Winning Goals (4).  Over his playoff career (all but one appearance with the Rangers), he had 97 Points in 95 Games.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

1996:  Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche, Center.  18 Goals, 16 Assists, 34 Points, +10.

Sakic was dominant in Colorado’s first Stanley Cup win, leading the skaters in Goals (18), Points (34), Shots (98) and Game-Winning Goals (6), showing that he was money when it mattered most.  He did not win the Conn Smythe in 2001 (that went to Goalie, Patrick Roy), but Sakic against was first in Goals (13), Points (26) and Game-Winning Goals (3).  Sakic’s playoff career saw the Center have 188 Points in 172 Games.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.

1998:  Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings, Center.  6 Goals, 18 Assists, 24 Points, +10.

Yzerman was already a grizzled veteran at this stage, but the leader of the Red Wings was still a top player who led by example.  “Stevie Y” took Detroit to three Stanley Cups, with this year being his second.  He led all playoff performers in Assists (18) and Points (24), and in Detroit’s third Stanley Cup in 2002, he had 23 Points over those four series.  Yzerman amassed 185 Points in 196 Playoff Games.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

1999:  Joe Nieuwendyk, Dallas Stars, Center.  11 Goals, 10 Assists, 21 Points, +7.

Nieuwendyk won three Stanley Cups with three different teams, with 1999 in Dallas being his second (the others were Calgary in 1989 and New Jersey in 2003).  The veteran led all skaters in Goals (11), Even-Strength Goals (8) and Game-Winning Goals (6), and had 116 Playoff Points over his career.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.

2000:  Scott Stevens, New Jersey Devils, Defense.  3 Goals, 8 Assists, 11 Points, +9.

11 Points do not seem like much for a Conn Smythe winner, even a Defenseman, but the Devils strategy was all about lockdown defense, and Stevens could do that, as well as provide the necessary offensive rush.  Stevens was a member of New Jersey’s three Stanley Cups, all employing the same strategy, and in this win, his +9 was enough to lead all skaters in this dead-puck era. 

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.

2001 (3):  Patrick Roy, Colorado Rockies, Goalie.  16 Wins, 7 Losses, 1.70 GAA, .934 Save Percentage.

An awful lot happened from the second Conn Smythe to the third, as Roy, forced his way out of Montreal, was traded to Colorado, and backstopped them to a Stanley Cup in their first year after relocation.  He was at his best in this year’s playoff, leading all Goalies in Save Percentage (.934), Goals Against Average (1.70), and Shutouts (4), and over his playoff career had 151 Wins against 17 Losses with 23 Shutouts and a 2.30 GAA.  Roy is the only player to win three Conn Smythes. 

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

2002:  Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings, Defense.  5 Goals, 11 Assists, 16 Points, +6.

Lidstrom anchored Detroit to four Stanley Cups, and you had to know that the seven-time Norris winner would capture at least one Conn Smythe.  The Defenseman scored 183 Points in 263 Playoff Games, all with Detroit.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

2007:  Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim Ducks, Defense.  3 Goals, 8 Assists, 11 Points, +2.

Niedermayer, who won the Norris three years before, also was named a First Team All-Star for the third time this year, but it was the Stanley Cup win that was the biggest reward of all.  His defensive prowess and leadership took the Ducks over the hump, and he knew what it took to do this, as Niedermayer was a three-time Cup winner with New Jersey.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.

The following are the players who have won the Conn Smythe Trophy who are eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame and have not been selected:

1966:  Roger Crozier, Detroit Red Wings, Goalie.  6 Wins, 5 Losses, 10 Points +2.

It only took until year two for the Conn Smythe to go to a player on the losing side, as Crozier’s Red Wings fell to the Montreal Canadiens.  It was a gutsy performance by Crozier, who suffered a leg injury in Game 4 of the Finals, but did the best he could.  Crozier, who was a First Team All-Star and Calder winner the year before, never won another award, but he played until 1977, notably with the second half as a Buffalo Sabre.  He had a career record of 113-118-43.  

Eligible Since 1980.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

1976:  Reggie Leach, Philadelphia Flyers, Right Wing.  19 Goals, 5 Assists, 24 Points +14.

Leach won the Stanley Cup the year before, but despite the Conn Sythe win, the Flyers went down in the Finals to the Montreal Canadiens.  To date, he is the only skater to win the Conn Smythe on a losing team.  In this season’s playoffs, he led all players in Goals (24), Even Strength Goals (17) and Shot Percentage (31.1), and it ended his most successful year, where he was a Second Team All-Star, and was first in Goals with 61.

Eligible Since 1986.  Ranked #46 Notinhalloffame.com.

1981:  Butch Goring, New York Islanders, Center.  10 Goals, 10 Assists, 20 Points +6.

When the Islanders traded for Goring at last year’s trading deadline, he was viewed as the final piece of the puzzle, and he was, aiding New York in their first Stanley Cup win.  This year, Goring, was the playoff leader in Shooting Percentage (27.8), had two Short-Handed Goals, and in the next two Cup Titles for New York, Goring remained a strong performer, who would total 62 Points in the four playoff-winning years.  

Eligible Since 1988.  Ranked #34 Notinhalloffame.com.

1987:  Ron Hextall, Philadelphia Flyers, Goalie.  15 Wins, 11 Losses, 2.76 GAA, .908 Save Percentage.

It is always bittersweet to win the Conn Smythe on a losing team, and he became the second Flyer (the first being Reggie Leach) to do so.  Hextall logged the most time of any Goalie in this year’s playoff (1,542), and it ended the most dynamic rookie years of any non-Calder winner (he was second to Luc Robitaille of Los Angeles).  He also won the Vezina this year.  Hextall never equalled this success, nor did he ever win a Stanley Cup, but he had a nice long career.

Eligible Since 2002.  Ranked #50 Notinhalloffame.com.

1990:  Bill Ranford, Edmonton Oilers, Goalie.  16 Wins, 6 Losses, 2.53 GAA, .912 Save Percentage.

Ranford’s best moment in Pro Hockey came as Edmonton’s Goalie in their fifth Stanley Cup, a title they had to win one without Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey.  Ranford took over for the struggling Grant Fuhr, and won all of Edmonton’s 16 Wins, and might have won this over Messier as his contributions were unexpected.  He never won another Stanley Cup, or any other major award in the NHL.

Eligible Since 2002.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

1995:  Claude Lemieux, New Jersey Devils, Left Wing.  13 Goals, 3 Assists, 16 Points, +12.

Claude Lemieux is not likely to enter the Hocket Hall of Fame, but if there was a post-season Hall, Lemieux would be an early induction.  Winning the first Conn Smythe for New Jersey, Lemieux’s 13 Goals were playoff leading, as was his 13 in 1997.  He overall won 4 Stanley Cups, scoring 158 Points in 234 Playoff Games.

Eligible Since 2012.  Ranked #174 on Notinhalloffame.com.

1997:  Mike Vernon, Detroit Red Wings, Goalie.  16 Wins, 4 Losses, 1.79 GAA, .927 Save Percentage.

Vernon backstopped Calgary to their first Stanley Cup, but he was better this run with Detroit with his only playoff GAA under two.  This was his last year as a Red Wing, and he had a 77-56 playoff record with a GAA of 2.68.

Eligible Since 2005.  Ranked #11 on Notinhalloffame.com.

2003:  Jean-Sebastien Giguere, The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Goalie.  15 Wins, 6 Losses, 1.62 GAA, .945 Save Percentage.

If you win the Stanley Cup on a losing team, the chances are that you are a Goalie, and that is what we have in 2003 with Giguere, who took the Ducks further than they had any right to be this season.  He would, however, backstop Anaheim to a Cup in 2007.

Eligible Since 2017.  Ranked #276 Notinhalloffame.com.

2004:  Brad Richards, Tampa Bay Lightning, Center.  12 Goals, 14 Assists, 26 Points, +5.

The Lightning won their first Stanley Cup in 2004, and it was Richards, who also won the franchise’s first Lady Byng this year that won the Conn Smythe.  Leading all players with Points (26), Richards later won a second Stanley Cup as a Chicago Blackhawk in 2015.  He overall had 105 Playoff Points.

Eligible Since 2019.  Ranked #60 Notinhalloffame.com.

2006:  Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes, Goalie.  15 Wins, 8 Losses, 2.13 GAA, .920 Save Percentage.

Ward led the Hurricanes to their first Stanley Cup in his rookie year, but this did not usher in a Hall of Fame career.  The Goalie, who was outstanding in the '06 Playoffs, only had one more playoff appearance (2009), though he played in the NHL until 2019.

Eligible Since 2022.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

2008:  Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings, Left Wing.  13 Goals, 14 Assists, 27 Points, +16.

Zetterberg led the skaters in Goals (13), Points (27), Plus/Minus (+16) and Shots (116) and had 4 Game-Winning Goals.  A Red Wing for his entire career, Zetterberg had 120 Points across 137 Playoff Games.

Eligible Since 2021.  Ranked #25 on Notinhalloffame.com.

2011:  Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins, Goalie.  16 Wins, 9 Losses, 1.98 GAA, .940 Save Percentage.

Thomas came out of obscurity in his early 30s and was a Vezina Trophy winner in 2009 and in this season, which was obviously sweeter as it included a Stanley Cup ring and a Conn Smythe.  He led the playoffs in Save Percentage (.940) and Shutouts (4).

Eligible Since 2017.  Ranked #74 on Notinhalloffame.com.

 

The following are the players who have won the Conn Smythe Trophy in the NHL who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Hockey Hall of Fame:

2014:  Justin Williams, Los Angeles Kings, Right Wing.  9 Goals, 16 Assists, 25 Points, +13.

Williams had a long career scoring 797 Points over 19 NHL Seasons, but was never a superstar.  Already a two-time Stanley Cup winner (one with Carolina and one with L.A.), Williams had the best performance of his career in the 2014 Playoffs, leading the playoffs in Plus/Minus +13, and doing all the little things that help you win Games.  Williams won’t get into the Hall, but the Smythe is a nice consolation.

Eligible in 2023.

2015:  Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks, Defense.  3 Goals, 18 Assists, 21 Points, +16.

Chicago won three Stanley Cups in the 2010s, and they had three different Conn Smythe winners, all of whom played on all three winning teams.  Keith won two Norris Trophies before this Cup, would lead all players in the 2015 Playoffs in Assists (18) and Plus/Minus (+16).   

Eligible in 2025.

The following are the players who have won the Conn Smythe Trophy who are still active.

2009:  Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins, Center.  14 Goals, 22 Assists, 36 Points, +3.

Malkin was in his third NHL Season, and he won the Art Ross as well as his first Stanley Cup.  Three years later, he won the Hart, and is currently a three-time Stanley Cup champion.  

36 Years Old, Playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

2010:  Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks, Center.  7 Goals, 23 Assists, 29 Points, -1.  

Toews was the dynamic young Center on the Blackhawks team that won their first Stanley Cup in almost 50 years, and he was first in Assists (22) and Power Play Goals (5).  He would help lead Chicago to Cups in 2013 and 2015, and was the Selke winner in 2013, and the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2015.

34 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago Blackhawks.

2012:  Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings, Goalie.  16 Wins, 4 Losses, 1.41 GAA, .946 Save Percentage.  

Quick was a Second Team All-Star this season, and he led the Playoff Goalies in Save Percentage (.946) and Shutouts (3), and would backstop Los Angeles to another Title two years after.

37 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Kings.

2013:  Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks, Right Wing.  9 Goals, 10 Assists, 19 Points, +7.  

A member of all three Chicago Stanley Cup wins in the 2010s, this was the second, and only Conn Smythe win for Patrick Kane, who was first in Even Strength Goals (9).  Three years later, Kane won the Hart, Ted Lindsay Award and Art Ross.

34 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago Blackhawks.

2016:  Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins, Center.  6 Goals, 13 Assists, 19 Points, -2.  

Crosby enjoyed his second Stanley Cup with the Penguins and did so in a year that he was the Hart runner-up. 

35 Years Old, Playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

2017 (2):  Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins, Center.  8 Goals, 19 Assists, 27 Points, +4.  

Like the season before, Crosby was the second-place finisher in the Hart, but he won the Rocket Richard Trophy as the top Goal Scorer.  Crosby did not lead the playoffs in Goals, but did so in Assists (19), and became the third player to win the Conn Smythe is back-to-back years.

35 Years Old, Playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

2018:  Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals, Left Wing.  15 Goals, 12 Assists, 27 Points, +8.  

It is fitting that we go from Crosby to Ovechkin, as they have been rivals from day one.  Ovechkin finally took Washington to the promised land, and led all players in the post-season in Goals (15) and Shots (99), and this cemented the legacy of the two-time Hart winner.

37 Years Old, Playing for the Washington Capitals.

2019:  Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues, Center.  8 Goals, 15 Assists, 23 Points, +2.  

Glenn Hall won St. Louis’s first Conn Smythe, but the Blues lost in the Finals, and we finally have the Cup raised in St. Louis, in their 52^nd season.  O’Reilly, who won the 2014 Lady Byng, led all players in playoff scoring (23).

30 Years Old, Playing for the St. Louis Blues.

2020:  Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning, Defense.  10 Goals, 12 Assists, 22 Points, +13.  

Hedman won the Norris two years earlier, and would have three Game-Winning Goals in this playoff.

32 Years Old, Playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

2021:  Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning, Goalie.  16 Wins, 7 Losses, 1.90 GAA, .937 Save Percentage.  

Vasilevskiy was the runner-up for the Vezina this year, and led the NHL in Wins with 31.  In the playoffs, he faced the most Shots (699), but still had the highest Save Percentage (.937), while posting five Shutouts, which also led the post-season.

28 Years Old, Playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

2022:  Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche, Defense.  8 Goals, 21 Assists, 29 Points, +7.  

Makar also won the Norris this year, joining a club that was founded by Bobby Orr.

24 Years Old, Playing for the Colorado Avalanche.

The Conn Smythe can help put a good player over the Hall of Fame hump, but you have to be also lucky; i.e., be on a team good enough to make the Finals.