Who is gonna win the 2011 Conn Smythe trophy (playoff MVP)?

Take the poll and then let us know why you picked who you did


On a side note, i believe the Conn Smythe trophy is the very best individual award a player can win. IMO, its much better than the Hart, Art Ross, Rocket Richard etc. Oh and just so everyone knows, a losing teams player CAN win the Conn Smythe. It doesn't happen often but happens once in awhile. Most recently, JS Giguere in 2003 won MVP but his Ducks lost in the finals to the NJ Devils and then before that was Ron Hextall who stole away Wayne Gretzky's and Edmonton's Conn Smythe in 1987/

Anyone else agree with me on this? Anyone disagree and think there is a better individual award to win in the NHL?

The first winner of the award was centre Jean Beliveau of the Montreal Canadiens for his performance in the 1965 Stanley Cup playoffs. The first player to win it twice was Bobby Orr in 1972. Goaltender Bernie Parent and centres Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux also won it twice, and Patrick Roy is the only player who has won it three times. Roy is also the only player to win the trophy for more than one team. The trophy has been won nine times by Montreal Canadiens players, five times by Detroit Red Wings players, and four times by Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Islanders players.

The trophy has been awarded to members of a losing team five times, the most recent being Jean-Sebastien Giguere of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 2003, when his team lost to the New Jersey Devils in a seven-game series. The only non-goaltender to win the award in a losing cause is Philadelphia's Reggie Leach, who won it in 1976 when the Canadiens swept his Flyers.

With four exceptions, the winners of the Conn Smythe Trophy have all been Canadian. The four non-Canadian winners are American Brian Leetch, who won it in 1994, Russian Evgeni Malkin, who won it in 2009, and Swedes Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg, who won it in 2002 and 2008, respectively.

Only three players have won the Conn Smythe Trophy and the Hart Memorial Trophy for most valuable player during the regular season in the same year: Bobby Orr in 1970 and 1972, Guy Lafleur in 1977 and Wayne Gretzky in 1985.[1]

Tim Thomas wins it win or lose.

I went with Tim Thomas. He's always been a good to great goalie. But this year, he's been phenomenal. Whether Boston lifts the Cup in game 7 or the Canucks do in game 6 or 7, Thomas should win the Conn Smythe.

Tim Thomas hand down

Barring an 8-goal meltdown, anyone who isn't voting for Thomas is just a Vancouver homer. No one on that side has really stood out in any way individually (they've played strong team games - I'm not saying that they aren't playing well), and even the scoring on Boston's side has been spread out.

And who voted for Kesler, with 1 assist and a -3?

bungle77 said:

And who voted for Kesler, with 1 assist and a -3?

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The Conn Smythe is for the ENTIRE NHL playoffs and not just the Stanley Cup finals, unlike the NBA that does their award just for the finals.

G $MONEY$ said:

bungle77 said:

And who voted for Kesler, with 1 assist and a -3?

Click to expand...

The Conn Smythe is for the ENTIRE NHL playoffs and not just the Stanley Cup finals, unlike the NBA that does their award just for the finals.

Click to expand...

I know, but when the stage is the biggest, that's his stat line. He may have been in consideration before the Finals started (the Sedins as well), but he's played his way off the list. The Conn Smythe isn't really given for a great first two rounds...otherwise John Druce would have won it that one year.

Who voted for Luongo? Whoever you are, go punch yourself in the nuts. How do you justify voting for someone who has been pulled from several games and benched for a couple games as well???

mstng99tim said:

Who voted for Luongo? Whoever you are, go punch yourself in the nuts. How do you justify voting for someone who has been pulled from several games and benched for a couple games as well???

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:lol: :lol: :lol:

bungle77 said:

G $MONEY$ said:

bungle77 said:

And who voted for Kesler, with 1 assist and a -3?

Click to expand...

The Conn Smythe is for the ENTIRE NHL playoffs and not just the Stanley Cup finals, unlike the NBA that does their award just for the finals.

Click to expand...

I know, but when the stage is the biggest, that's his stat line. He may have been in consideration before the Finals started (the Sedins as well), but he's played his way off the list. The Conn Smythe isn't really given for a great first two rounds...otherwise John Druce would have won it that one year.

Click to expand...

ahhh gotcha. I wasn't in anyway sticking up for Kesler, just wasn't sure if you knew the Conn Smythe was for the entire playoffs or just the finals. Many people think its just for the finals, but you do make a good point about John Druce years ago, or who was that other guy a few years after Druce? Chris Kontos i believe!!! hahaha

BTW i voted for Thomas as well.

It's Thomas award no matter how game 7 goes.

bungle77 said:

G $MONEY$ said:

bungle77 said:

And who voted for Kesler, with 1 assist and a -3?

Click to expand...

The Conn Smythe is for the ENTIRE NHL playoffs and not just the Stanley Cup finals, unlike the NBA that does their award just for the finals.

Click to expand...

I know, but when the stage is the biggest, that's his stat line. He may have been in consideration before the Finals started (the Sedins as well), but he's played his way off the list. The Conn Smythe isn't really given for a great first two rounds...otherwise John Druce would have won it that one year.

Click to expand...

No I don't believe Kes will win, or should but keep in mind Toews was -4 with 1 goal and 3 assists in the 2010 SCF but he won because of his whole playoffs.

mstng99tim - My balls are now good and swollen. I voted Lou just to see if anyone would say anything. Your response, or one like it, is what I was expecting. Love it.

I agree with probably everyone that Tim should/will win it.

jarcar said:

bungle77 said:

G $MONEY$ said:

bungle77 said:

And who voted for Kesler, with 1 assist and a -3?

Click to expand...

The Conn Smythe is for the ENTIRE NHL playoffs and not just the Stanley Cup finals, unlike the NBA that does their award just for the finals.

Click to expand...

I know, but when the stage is the biggest, that's his stat line. He may have been in consideration before the Finals started (the Sedins as well), but he's played his way off the list. The Conn Smythe isn't really given for a great first two rounds...otherwise John Druce would have won it that one year.

Click to expand...

No I don't believe Kes will win, or should but keep in mind Toews was -4 with 1 goal and 3 assists in the 2010 SCF but he won because of his whole playoffs.

mstng99tim - My balls are now good and swollen. I voted Lou just to see if anyone would say anything. Your response, or one like it, is what I was expecting. Love it.

I agree with probably everyone that Tim should/will win it.

Click to expand...

Yeah, but 4 points in 6 games is still better than 1 point in 6 games, and Kesler's -3 (now -4) is worse because he's been lauded as a great two-way player, but he was on the wrong side of a highlight shorthanded goal. (And, by the way, I absolutely believe that he's injured and gutting it out right now).
And, maybe I'm forgetting something since I paid slightly less attention after the Bruins collapsed last year, but I don't remember there being one completely dominant figure the way there has been this year.

Kesler definitely should not be a goat in this series. He's missing practices due to being hurt and he's obviously gutting out every shift here and his line has at least controlled the tempo when out there. Aside from Luongo on the road, I think Canucks fans should also be disappointed with their twin superstars. They have been invisible and any points have come at meaningless junctures.

I voted Thomas. He's been consistently very good to exceptional through the entire playoffs. No other player in the series fits that description.

lumm0x said:

Kesler definitely should not be a goat in this series. He's missing practices due to being hurt and he's obviously gutting out every shift here and his line has at least controlled the tempo when out there. Aside from Luongo on the road, I think Canucks fans should also be disappointed with their twin superstars. They have been invisible and any points have come at meaningless junctures.

I voted Thomas. He's been consistently very good to exceptional through the entire playoffs. No other player in the series fits that description.

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Completely agree (and about the Kesler part, too, as he's obviously at less than 100%). Those points last night were the hockey version of A-Rod hitting a homer in a 7-0 game. And whichever one took the repeated pokes from Marchand and looked to the ref instead of trying to do something about it himself? Embarrassing.

timmy thomas... without him boston wouldnt have beat montreal