Conn Smythe Trophy 2024: Oilers’ Connor McDavid Wins over Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky
Andrew PetersJune 25, 2024
Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
For the first time since 2003, the Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded to a member of the losing team.
After the Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 to win the Stanley Cup on Monday, Oilers star Conor McDavid was given the award for an outstanding performance in the playoffs.
McDavid finished the postseason with 42 points—eight goals and 34 assists—across 25 games played.
TSN @TSN_SportsMcVP 🏆
Connor McDavid has won the Conn Smythe Trophy!
He had 42 points (8G, 34A) in 25 games played#StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/jYDVstfNi9
In front of a Panthers crowd, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was met with a rain of boos from fans after he announced McDavid had won the coveted award. The three-time Hart Trophy winner did not come out to the ice to accept the award.
Sportsnet @SportsnetConnor McDavid is the 2024 Conn Smythe Trophy Winner. đź‘Ź pic.twitter.com/Rz20amQU3d
It was a bit surprising for McDavid to win the trophy given the rarity of a member of the losing team winning it. The last winner from a losing team was Jean-Sebastien Giguere of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in 2003.
While Florida fans were disappointed to see McDavid win the award over Sergei Bobrovsky or another member of the Panthers, it’s hard to deny that McDavid was the most impressive player throughout the playoffs.
His 42 points in the postseason were the fourth-most in NHL history, trailing only Wayne Gretzky (43, 47) and Mario Lemieux (44).
The Athletic @TheAthleticConnor McDavid takes home the Conn Smythe after recording the fourth most points in a single NHL postseason in league history:
47 — Wayne Gretzky (1984-85)
44 — Mario Lemieux (1990-91)
43 — Wayne Gretzky (1987-88)
42 — Connor McDavid (2023-24)
40 — Wayne Gretzky (1992-93)… pic.twitter.com/V5KkeAc0JK
After McDavid was awarded the Conn Smythe, there were mixed reactions from fans on social media.
Josh Yohe @JoshYohe_PGHMany will disagree. But I have a real problem with the MVP vote.
McDavid is one of the best players of all time. He was brilliant. But he had no points in the last two games, was particularly quiet in perhaps the biggest NHL game of this century, and…his team lost.
JFresh @JFreshHockeyI’m not gonna go so far as to say he didn’t deserve it but seeing McDavid win the Conn Smythe after being shut down in game 6 and 7… it’s a tough one
Drew Livingstone @ProducerDrew_Connor McDavid deserves and will win the Conn Smythe trophy BUT totalling 0 points in Games 6 & 7 is not a good look for the leagues best player.
Alex Kirshner @alex_kirshnerMcDavid winning the Conn Smythe in a losing effort clinches this as one of the great NHL seasons ever. There’s something cool about it. Anything that Jean-SĂ©bastien Giguère has also done is cool
Being awarded the Conn Smythe is a nice boost to McDavid’s resume, but the star likely would have rather walked away with the Stanley Cup Trophy. The Oilers put together an impressive stretch of games to come back from a 3-0 deficit, but they didn’t have enough to complete the historic comeback.
McDavid has now experienced his first Stanley Cup Finals and even was named the best player of the postseason, but he’ll be looking to come back next season and win it all.
