A Different Oilers Team Gives a Better Shot Against the Panthers
Oh, what a difference a year can make, as they say. It was about a year ago that the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers met in the Stanley Cup Final…
Monthly Archives: June 2025
St. Louis Blues 2025 Draft Target: Malcolm Spence
Throughout the last five or so NHL Drafts, the St. Louis Blues have built a fairly balanced selection of first-round prospects, grabbing some talented forwards and selecting some outstanding defensemen.…
NHL Rumor Roundup: The Latest On Sabres' JJ Peterka And Predators' Jonathan Marchessault
Most of the recent rumors regarding the Buffalo Sabres focused on Bowen Bryam, with recent reports claiming they're gauging the 23-year-old RFA defenseman's value in the trade market.
Some believe the Sabres would put the cap savings from shipping out Byram to re-sign forwards like JJ Peterka.
However, recent reports suggest the Sabres could face some difficulty signing Peterka. The 23-year-old right winger is completing his entry-level contract and lacks arbitration rights.
Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli has Peterka atop his latest NHL Trade Targets Board. He claims multiple teams made significant offers to the Sabres for Peterka at the trade deadline, but GM Kevyn Adams considers him part of his club's core. However, Seravalli believes they have less of a choice with the threat of an offer sheet when free agency begins on July 1.
Chris Johnston of The Athletic includes Peterka among his list of off-season trade candidates and also mentioned the possibility he receives an offer sheet if unsigned on July 1. Johnston also noted that Adams considers Peterka to be among his young core, but it's unclear if the player will make that commitment to the Sabres.
The offer sheet threat could be overblown because the Sabres have over $23 million in cap space this summer. That's more than enough to match an offer from a rival club, especially if they trade Byram.
If Peterka isn't willing to sign a long-term deal, it could change their mind about moving Byram. However, Adam Proteau believes moving on from a rising star like Peterka could be disastrous for the Sabres.
Meanwhile, Seravalli's report last week that Jonathan Marchessault might welcome a trade from the Nashville Predators raised conjecture over possible landing spots for the 34-year-old right winger. The Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils were mentioned, along with a reunion with his former club, the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Tennessean's Alex Daugherty examined what a Marchessault trade might look like, pointing out Marchessault's contract is a significant stumbling block. He's signed through 2028-29 with an average annual value of $5.5 million. Daugherty indicated Marchessault has a full no-movement clause, but if the Predators approach him about a trade, he can submit a 15-team no-trade list.
If the Predators find a suitable trade partner for Marchessault, Daugherty doubts they'll get much of a return. He speculates it would be a low draft pick or low-range prospect at best, plus they might have to add a draft pick with Marchessault to make the deal work.
Everything to know about the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to NHL playoff MVP
Everything to know about the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to NHL playoff MVP originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Lord Stanley isn’t the only piece of hardware that will be awarded in the Stanley Cup Final.
One player from the Edmonton Oilers or the defending champion Florida Panthers will be honored as the most valuable player in the 2025 NHL playoffs with the Conn Smythe Trophy. And the rare Cup Final rematch could see a repeat award winner.
Oilers star Connor McDavid earned the 2024 Conn Smythe in a losing Cup Final effort, and the three-time Hart Trophy winner enters this year’s NHL championship round with a playoff-high 26 points (6 goals, 20 assists). McDavid’s co-star, Leon Draisaitl, is also a Conn Smythe Trophy contender as he sits second in points with 25 (7 goals, 18 assists).
The one-time champion Panthers, meanwhile, could have their first Conn Smythe Trophy winner in franchise history. Captain Aleksander Barkov (17 points), forward Matthew Tkachuk (16) and center Sam Bennett (16) lead 10 Florida skaters with at least 10 points entering the Cup Final. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is putting together a strong Conn Smythe Trophy resume as well, as he sports a 2.11 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.
So, how is the Conn Smythe Trophy winner determined? And has there ever been a back-to-back winner? Here’s everything to know about the NHL playoff MVP award:
What is the Conn Smythe Trophy and when was it first awarded?
The Conn Smythe Trophy is a postseason award given to the most valuable player in the playoffs. It debuted in the 1965 postseason.
Historically, most Conn Smythe Trophy winners have come from the team that also won the Stanley Cup. Though, there have been a handful of instances where a player who lost in the Cup Final was awarded the trophy.
The award is named after former Toronto Maple Leafs owner, president, general manager and coach Conn Smythe. It was under Smythe’s ownership that the Leafs changed their name from the St. Pats and that the Maple Leaf Gardens arena was constructed. A mini replica of the venue and a Maple Leaf are among the trophy’s features.
How is the Conn Smythe Trophy winner determined?
The Conn Smythe Trophy is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Seventeen PHWA members were included in the 2024 vote.
When is the Conn Smythe Trophy winner announced?
The winner is both selected and announced following the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Final.
Who won the first Conn Smythe Trophy?
Hall of Fame center Jean Béliveau won the inaugural Conn Smythe Trophy in 1965. Béliveau tallied eight goals, including four game-winners, and eight assists over 13 games as the Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup.
Who won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2024?
Connor McDavid was a near-unanimous Conn Smythe Trophy winner in 2024 despite Edmonton falling to Florida in the Cup Final. McDavid earned 16 of 17 first-place votes after racking up the most assists (34) and points (42) in the postseason. He was also the leading scorer in the Cup Final with 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists).
McDavid is one of only a handful of players to ever take home the Conn Smythe Trophy without also winning the Stanley Cup.
Who has won the most Conn Smythe Trophies?
Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy owns the most Conn Smythe Trophies with three. Roy won two with the Canadiens (1986, 1993) and one with the Colorado Avalanche (2001).
There are five other multi-time Conn Smythe Trophy winners: defenseman Bobby Orr (1970, 1972), goalie Bernie Parent (1974, 1975), center Wayne Gretzky (1985, 1988), center Mario Lemieux (1991, 1992) and center Sidney Crosby (2016, 2017).
Have there been a back-to-back Conn Smythe Trophy winner?
Parent, Lemieux and Crosby were all back-to-back winners, and McDavid has a chance to do the same this year.
How many Conn Smythe Trophy winners have come from the losing team?
There have been six instances where the Conn Smythe Trophy recipient was on the team that lost in the Cup Final.
Who are the Conn Smythe Trophy winners from losing teams?
Four of the six Conn Smythe winners from non-champions were goalies:
- 2024: Connor McDavid, center, Edmonton Oilers
- 2003: Jean-Sebastien Giguere, goalie, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
- 1987: Ron Hextall, goalie, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1976: Reggie Leach, winger, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1968: Glenn Hall, goalie, St. Louis Blues
- 1966: Roger Crozier, goalie, Detroit Red Wings
How many goalies have won the Conn Smythe Trophy?
The Conn Smythe Trophy has gone to a goalie 17 total times,with Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning being the position’s most recent winner in 2021.
List of Conn Smythe Trophy winners by year
Here’s a full look at every Conn Smythe Trophy winner:
- 2024: Connor McDavid, center, Edmonton Oilers*
- 2023: Jonathan Marchessault, center, Vegas Golden Knights
- 2022: Cale Makar, defenseman, Colorado Avalanche
- 2021: Andrei Vasilevskiy, goalie, Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2020: Victor Hedman, defenseman, Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2019: Ryan O’Reilly, center, St. Louis Blues
- 2018: Alex Ovechkin, winger, Washington Capitals
- 2017: Sidney Crosby, center, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2016: Sidney Crosby, center, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2015: Duncan Keith, defenseman, Chicago Blackhawks
- 2014: Justin Williams, winger, Los Angeles Kings
- 2013: Patrick Kane, winger, Chicago Blackhawks
- 2012: Jonathan Quick, goalie, Los Angeles Kings
- 2011: Tim Thomas, goalie, Boston Bruins
- 2010: Jonathan Toews, center, Chicago Blackhawks
- 2009: Evgeni Malkin, center, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2008: Henrik Zetterberg, center, Detroit Red Wings
- 2007: Scott Niedermayer, defenseman, Anaheim Ducks
- 2006: Cam Ward, goalie, Carolina Hurricanes
- 2004: Brad Richards, center, Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2003: Jean-Sebastien Giguere, goalie, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
- 2002: Nicklas Lidstrom, defenseman, Detroit Red Wings
- 2001: Patrick Roy, goalie, Colorado Avalanche
- 2000: Scott Stevens, defenseman, New Jersey Devils
- 1999: Joe Nieuwendyk, center, Dallas Stars
- 1998: Steve Yzerman, center, Detroit Red Wings
- 1997: Mike Vernon, goalie, Detroit Red Wings
- 1996: Joe Sakic, center, Colorado Avalanche
- 1995: Claude Lemieux, winger, New Jersey Devils
- 1994: Brian Leetch, defenseman, New York Rangers
- 1993: Patrick Roy, goalie, Montreal Canadiens
- 1992: Mario Lemieux, center, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 1991: Mario Lemieux, center, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 1990: Bill Ranford, goalie, Edmonton Oilers
- 1989: Al MacInnis, defenseman, Calgary Flames
- 1988: Wayne Gretzky, center, Edmonton Oilers
- 1987: Ron Hextall, goalie, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1986: Patrick Roy, goalie, Montreal Canadiens
- 1985: Wayne Gretzky, center, Edmonton Oilers
- 1984: Mark Messier, winger/center, Edmonton Oilers
- 1983: Billy Smith, goalie, New York Islanders
- 1982: Mike Bossy, winger, New York Islanders
- 1981: Butch Goring, center, New York Islanders
- 1980: Bryan Trottier, center, New York Islanders
- 1979: Bob Gainey, winger, Montreal Canadiens
- 1978: Larry Robinson, defenseman, Montreal Canadiens
- 1977: Guy Lafleur, winger, Montreal Canadiens
- 1976: Reggie Leach, winger, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1975: Bernie Parent, goalie, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1974: Bernie Parent, goalie, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1973: Yvan Cournoyer, winger, Montreal Canadiens
- 1972: Bobby Orr, defenseman, Boston Bruins
- 1971: Ken Dryden, goalie, Montreal Canadiens
- 1970: Bobby Orr, defenseman, Boston Bruins
- 1969: Serge Savard, defenseman, Montreal Canadiens
- 1968: Glenn Hall, goalie, St. Louis Blues
- 1967: Dave Keon, center, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1966: Roger Crozier, goalie, Detroit Red Wings
- 1965: Jean Beliveau, center, Montreal Canadiens
Today in Hockey History: June 3
One of the most memorable penalties in Stanley Cup Final history was called on this date. Also, June 3 was a hectic day for the front office in Motown and…
4 Players the Fleet Should Protect Ahead of the 2025 PWHL Expansion Draft
The PWHL just ended their second season by awarding the Walter Cup to the Minnesota Frost, who remain the only team in PWHL existence to win the Walter Cup. They…
In Hindsight, Maybe The Maple Leafs Are Even Further Away From Winning A Championship
Now that the dust has cleared and everyone's had time to calm down, what is the perception of how things ended for the Toronto Maple Leafs?
Was that Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers as bad as we initially thought? Or did the fact that the defending Cup champions rolled past the Carolina Hurricanes change anyone's opinion?
In hindsight, maybe the Leafs should not blow things up. Maybe fans should take solace in the fact that the Leafs took a (baby) step forward in the playoffs went further than they have in the past two decades.
Maybe they should re-sign not only Matthew Knies, but also Mitch Marner and John Tavares. Maybe they should roll things back.
That is what Toronto Sun columnist suggested, arguing that the current Leafs might be the third-best team in the NHL. But if it is what GM Brad Treliving is also thinking on the eve of the Stanley Cup final between the Panthers and Edmonton Oilers, then he isn’t the right man for the job.
Which teams, right now, are better than the Toronto Maple Leafs?-
You can start with the Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers, then move to the Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers.
But after that, who? The Carolina Hurricanes? No. The Washington Capitals? No. The Tampa Bay Lightning? No. The New Jersey Devils? No. The Ottawa Senators? No. The Montreal Canadiens? No. You move to the Western Conference and you can’t feel good about how the Dallas Stars played against the Oilers. You can’t feel good about the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets or the ease with which Vegas lost to Edmonton in the second round of the playoffs.
Who's better than the Leafs?
Florida and Edmonton are. Same goes for Washington, Tampa Bay, Montreal, Vegas, Colorado and even St. Louis.
Why? Because those teams actually went all the way to the final in recent years. And in most cases, they won. That's something that the Leafs haven't done. They haven't even reached the third round.
Yes, the Maple Leafs got closer to winning a Cup than they have in the Auston Matthews-era. But they are still so far, far away when it comes to getting the job done.
After all, there is a difference between getting close to beating an opponent and actually beating that opponent and then winning another two rounds for a championship.
What Could Morgan Rielly's Next Year With The Maple Leafs Look Like?The Toronto Maple Leafs need to look deeply at who’s bringing the team closer to success and who isn’t.
Roll things back? Isn’t that what they’ve done for the past nine years.
This wasn’t the first time that the Leafs lost to a team that reached the Stanley Cup final. In 2019, they lost in the first round to Boston, which then lost to St. Louis in the final. In 2021, they lost in the first round to Montreal, which then lost to Tampa Bay in the final. A year later, they lost in the first round to Tampa Bay, which won in the final. The next year, they lost in the second round to Florida, which then lost in the final to Vegas.
Rinse. Wash. Repeat.
This year, they did it again. After losing to the Panthers, the Leafs then watched as the defending champs beat Carolina in five easy games. So, of course, the thinking is that had Toronto won Game 7 then the Leafs could have been looking at a Stanley Cup final match-up against the Oilers.
Except for one thing: the Leafs didn’t beat the Panthers in Game 7. They lost. And like their previous close calls, they lost big.
Stanley Cup champions don’t get embarrassed at home, as they Leafs did in Games 5 and 7 to the Panthers. Their superstars don’t go MIA when the team needs them the most. They don’t point fingers or make excuses. They don’t blame the media, the fans and their opponents.
They just win.
NHL Rumor Roundup: McDavid's Future With Oilers, And Marner To The Golden Knights?As hockey fans await the start of the Stanley Cup final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers, some pundits are pondering Connor McDavid's future in Edmonton.
That’s why the Leafs need to change their DNA, as Treliving put it in last week's season-ending news conference. That means breaking up the core and making the kind of significant change that could in theory cause the Leafs to take a step backwards in order to take a step forward.
Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.
Sam Laurila – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
Sam Laurila 2024-25 Team: Fargo Force (USHL)Date of Birth: Sep. 2, 2006Place of Birth: Moorhead, MinnesotaHt: 6-foot-1 Wt: 187 poundsShoots: LeftPosition: DefenceNHL Draft Eligibility: 2025 second-year eligible Rankings Every year,…
Oilers Must Beat the Panthers Their Way – Not Florida’s Way
As the Edmonton Oilers prepare for their second consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final, the buzz isn’t just about matchups or stats — it’s about identity. In a revealing…
Hurricanes Should Target Cullen Potter From Arizona State with 29th Overall Pick
While most of the hockey world will be focused on the upcoming 2025 Stanley Cup Final, the other 30 teams have, or will have, their focus set on the upcoming…