The NHL awards the Conn Smythe Trophy every year to the most valuable player to his team during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The award is presented at the last game of the Stanley Cup Finals. It was first presented at the conclusion of the 1965 Stanley Cup Finals and awarded to Canadiens' Jean Beliveau. It is a hard feat to not only win the Stanley Cup but, on top of that, also being the most dominant player in the NHL postseason. These ten players gave memorable playoff performances that live on in playoff lore.
1. Patrick Roy: 1986, 1993, and 2001Â
Patrick Roy is the only player in NHL history to win three Conn Smythe Trophies. He won four Stanley Cups with two different teams and was the backbone of each of those teams. Roy is the only player to win the award with two teams. He won his first two with Montreal and his third with Colorado. Roy's three Conn Smythe awards are one of the many reasons he is the best goaltender of all time.
2. Wayne Gretzky: 1985 and 1988Â
"The Great One" is widely regarded as the greatest player in NHL history. Two Conn Smythe Trophies helped the Edmonton Oilers win four Stanley Cups in the 80s. Gretzky's dominance in the postseason is what fans remember most from the Oilers dynasty.
3. Bobby Orr: 1970 and 1972Â
Bobby Orr is still recognized as the best defenseman in NHL history. He led the Boston Bruins to three Stanley Cups in the early 70s, winning two of them. In the years the Bruins were crowned champions, Orr was awarded to Conn Smythe Trophy both times. When he scored the goal in the 1970 finals to capture Lord Stanley, an everlasting image was captured that nearly every hockey fan recognizes.
4. Bernie Parent: 1974 and 1975Â
Bernie Parent led the Philadelphia Flyers to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975. It was one of the most dominant runs not only by a team in the NHL but also a goaltender. Two Conn Smythe awards cemented Parents status in NHL history. It is still considered one of the most dominant runs by a goaltender.
5. Mario Lemieux: 1991 and 1992Â
Lemieux and the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 1991 and 1992. Lemieux captured the Conn Smythe Trophy each year. What is equally impressive, was Lemieux's performance with an infected and herniated spinal disc in 1992. Lemieux battled many injuries during his career. His accomplishments on the ice show how dominant he could be when it mattered most.
6. Jonathan Quick: 2012Â
Jonathan Quick was the backbone of the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings were the 8th and final seed in the Western Conference playoffs. With Quick in the net, the Kings were hard to beat. The Kings were the first 8th seed to win the Stanley Cup, it was also the first in franchise history. Quick's performance was certainly one for the ages.
7. Brian Leetch: 1994Â
The Rangers had not won the Stanley Cup since 1940. Defensemen Brian Leetch was one of the cornerstones of the '94 Rangers who would bring the cup back to New York. Leetch led all defensemen in scoring during the postseason and finally won the Stanley Cup for the Rangers.
8. Tim Thomas: 2011Â
Tim Thomas' performance in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs is one of the most memorable in Bruins history. Thomas had 798 saves throughout the playoffs and led the Bruins to victory over the Canucks in the Stanley Cup Finals. His dominant goaltending is right up there with other great goaltenders.
9. Patrick Kane: 2013Â
The 2013 Chicago Blackhawks had many stars on their deep roster. The biggest star was forward Patrick Kane. Kane led the team in points in the 2013 postseason and had nine goals throughout the playoffs. He also had three goals in the finals, leading the Hawks to their second Stanley Cup in four seasons.
10. Sidney Crosby: 2016 and 2017Â
Sidney Crosby is arguably the greatest player of his generation. He has more than lived up to the hype since he entered the league. Crosby had led the Penguins to three Stanley Cups in his career. He has also won back-to-back Conn Smythe Trophies in the process. The future hall-of-famer has plenty of accolades on his hockey resume.
Winning the Stanley Cup requires guts and perseverance. Any player who wins the Conn Smythe Trophy as well as both attributes. The NHL postseason is a long and backbreaking one. But potentially bringing home the Conn Smythe and Lord Stanley is a thrill for players and fans.
