2026 Conn Smythe Winner is: Jordan Staal

[Puckstop40]

I don’t mind it. He was absolutely clutch in the finals.

 

[Dave92]

Paul Marner trying to climb over the glass RN.

 

[LaPlante94]

The lowest point total for a Conn Smythe winning forward, and by a lot.

When you score like 5 goals in 6 games in the Cup finals I'm sure it jumps you up a few spots.

 

[Zalos]

How did Staal win with fewer points than Cole Caufield?

Stankoven, Blake, and Hall all deserved it more. Marner has more than double his points.

I guess this was a Conn Smythe for this specific series.

 

[ORRFForever]

If it was an award for just the Final, sure. But it's not, so it should have been Marner without question.

I agree.

 

[Crazy Monkey]

Obviously should have been Marner, but Staal can thank the silly belief that the Conn Smythe winner should only come from the team that wins the cup.

Until Marner shows that he doesn't disappear when it ACTUALLY counts, he will never win this award.

It goes to true warriors, like the Staal brothers

 

[Zirakzigil]

Well deserved

 

[Miami Wice]

Congrats. 37 years old. And very consistent stats too. Both reg season and playoffs. Here's his reg season stats.

View attachment 1254244

He had so much hype after rookie season with 30 goals, but never built on that in big way. probably because playing 3rd line C too much

 

[Zirakzigil]

Until Marner shows that he doesn't disappear when it ACTUALLY counts, he will never win this award.

It goes to true warriors, like the Stall brothers

The who?

 

[LeProspector]

Weakest smyth winner ever.

Was going to be anyway, but giving it to Staal pushes that further over the edge.

 

[Slayer97]

Marner had as many points in one series as Staal did all playoffs

Like wtf NHL why do you continue doing this

 

[ORRFForever]

How did Staal win with fewer points than Cole Caufield?

Stankoven, Blake, and Hall all deserved it more. Marner has more than double his points.

I guess this was a Conn Smythe for this specific series.

Well said. His faceoff % was likely the tipping point.

 

[syz]

Got a Pride Month power up.

 

[tabness]

retiring on top?

 

[Hale The Villain]

Until Marner shows that he doesn't disappear when it ACTUALLY counts, he will never win this award.

It goes to true warriors, like the Stall brothers

One of the lowest IQ takes out there is that production early in a series or earlier in the playoffs doesn't matter.

If Marner wasn't fantastic for Vegas in rounds 1-3 they might not have even beat Utah or Anaheim.

 

[Crazy Monkey]

The who?

Fixed

 

[CapsSkins]

Good way to go out, if that’s what he does

He's got a year left and guys don't usually voluntarily give up millions of dollars. Plus they'll have basically everyone coming back next year. $11M in cap space and the only guy they need to sign is Nikishin. Andersen is gone and they have plenty of space to bring back Deslauriers if they decide they want to for whatever reason.

 

[Miami Wice]

Nobody from Carolina stood out much to really claim Conn Smythe. Very much a team win.

Curious to see what the voting ballot ends up being.

I am also surprised how little chatter there was around Ehlers for Conn Smythe- thought he would be in more conversations amongst the hockey media.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Marner had as many points in one series as Staal did all playoffs

Like wtf NHL why do you continue doing this

Mitch had a great playoffs overall but was terrible in the last half of the finals. Had he still been good for them he likely wins it.

 

[ricky0034]

I don't think i'll ever be able to take this award seriously again

 

[banks]

Totally deserved. Great final.

 

[Leonardo87]

I’ve said it before, if your team loses, you should not be winning the Conn Smythe unless it’s breaking record or some kinda historic run.

 

[Slayer97]

Mitch had a great playoffs overall but was terrible in the last half of the finals. Had he still been good for them he likely wins it.

And Staal was like the 5th best player on his own team

 

[kp61c]

should be bus

 

[Dave92]

What an absolute robbery to Marner. He was so far and above all his peers for the entire playoffs.

Staal feels like another send-off story, and shit like this makes it hard to take it serious. This is worse than Crosby in '16

Would the entire playoffs include tonight, where he was the only -3 player and tipped the gwg into his own net?