Connor McDavid didn’t get to raise the Stanley Cup after Game 7 on Monday night, but he did leave with an award. Even though his team lost, McDavid was named the 2024 Conn Smythe winner.
Some people might find this controversial, but it was the right decision. Unlike other sports, the NHL gives the Conn Smythe to the MVP of the entire playoffs, not just the championship round. Given his amazing postseason performance, McDavid was clearly deserving of this honor.
McDavid is now one of only six players to win the Conn Smythe without winning the Stanley Cup. The last time this happened was in 2003 with Jean-Sebastien Giguere and before that with Reggie Leach almost half a century ago. He scored 42 points in 25 playoff games—fourth highest ever—and set a new record for assists with 34 .
Fans might think it’s strange that he didn’t score in his team’s last two games, but McDavid still made history by being the first player to get four points in back-to-back Stanley Cup Final games. If not him, then who? Sergei Bobrovsky had a shot until his performance dipped. Despite playing well in Game 7’s third period, he allowed too many goals earlier on.
Choosing The Right MVP:
Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk from Florida also didn’t match up; their 22 points each were far behind McDavid’s total. Giving Bobrovsky or anyone else from Florida would have been unfair to what an MVP should represent.
Fans probably agree that while McDavid didn’t win what he wanted most—the Stanley Cup—he earned this recognition fair and square.
In conclusion, even though Connor missed out on lifting hockey’s biggest prize, getting awarded for his stellar play throughout all those intense games is something special too. What do you think about him winning this award?
