2026 Conn Smythe Winner is: Jordan Staal

[SympathyForTheDevils]

Let's not forget that not scoring is the main reason why the Canes didn't lift the Cup during the past few years. The unexpected scoring of the second line was the main difference between winning the cup and coming up short yet again, and the main reason why Staal got to play in the finals in the first place.

Sure, in the same sense that the difference between Tampa cratering in the first round and Tampa winning the Cup was the addition of a couple strong depth forwards. But that doesn't mean they should have given Blake Coleman the Smythe over Vasilevskiy.

The difference between a solid contender and a Cup winner is pretty minor in the grand scheme of things. But that difference is not "more valuable" to the team than the players who formed the foundation of that contender.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I'm a Pens fan. We drafted Staal and he won a Cup here. I love him.
But this is a travesty. Marner had 17 more points and extremely good defense himself.
The NHL should just permanently make the Smythe for winning teams only, if it's gonna be this biased towards winners.
Just make it official.

 

[Armourboy]

Gratz to him. It may be an award for the entire playoffs but the SCF has always had more weight than earlier rounds. He did everything you could ask a player to do and I have zero issue with him winning it.

 

[Jay26]

What a weird playoffs. Nobody except Marner was really that impressive. Staal had a great final and I guess that's a good tiebreaker for a team that won by committee more than anyone in recent memory.

But among all teams in general, nobody was really that great. Again, except for Marner, but even he went MIA in the last 3 games.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Gratz to him. It may be an award for the entire playoffs but the SCF has always had more weight than earlier rounds. He did everything you could ask a player to do and I have zero issue with him winning it.

This is not how it should be. Sometimes the Final is easier than other rounds. It was for the Pens in 2016 and 2017, for example.
The hardest was the 2nd round.
Nothing should be weighted. Sometimes you beat Presidents Trophy winners in the 1st round en route.
Should all be equal, round 1 to SCF.

 

[Armourboy]

I'm a Pens fan. We drafted Staal and he won a Cup here. I love him.
But this is a travesty. Marner had 17 more points and extremely good defense himself.
The NHL should just permanently make the Smythe for winning teams only, if it's gonna be this biased towards winners.
Just make it official.

He was horrible in the SCF. You aren't winning the Conn Smythe with that performance, I don't care how many points you put up in earlier rounds.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I don't care how many points you put up in earlier rounds.

That attitude is the problem among voters. Disregarding R1 to R3 is and always has been ridiculous. Vegas swept the Avalanche for example. Is that meaningless too?

 

[Borsig]

MVP's usually arent for losing teams.

 

[Clark Gillies]

To those who think Staal does not deserve the Con Smythe, hockey is more than offense.
What was Carolina’s PK percentage for the entire playoffs? Who do you think is the main reason why?
What was his face off win rate for the entire playoffs?
How many goals did the stars of the 4 opponents score against the Canes?

Mariner scored goals in 1 period in the entire finals, Stankoven had more goals in the playoffs than Marner.

 

[Armourboy]

This is not how it should be. Sometimes the Final is easier than other rounds. It was for the Pens in 2016 and 2017, for example.
The hardest was the 2nd round.
Nothing should be weighted. Sometimes you beat Presidents Trophy winners in the 1st round en route.
Should all be equal, round 1 to SCF.

That's how it's always been. Yall act like this is new or something. You don't show up in a losing effort they aren't handing you squat.

 

[Miami Wice]

Taylor Hall, with 2nd most points for Carolina (1 behind Blake) in the playoffs and the game winning goal in the cup winning game?

I think he was too quiet in the finals.

He had good case coming in, but only getting 3 pts in 6 games probably cost him Conn Smythe. Curious to see how voting ballots ended up being.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

That's how it's always been. Yall act like this is new or something. You don't show up in a losing effort they aren't handing you squat.

I have always had a problem with this bs. Even when my Penguins won in 2016 I felt Couture deserved it over Crosby. Actually I know he did.

If there's that strong of a bias towards winners, despite losing players often showing more value (the definition of the trophy) then change the definition.
Make it winning team players only. Stop deceiving people into thinking losers have a chance.

 

[paul9kariya]

Lots of frustration over not being able to dunk on the Leafs.

Marner's last few games sunk him. Hall, Staal and arguably Bussi were all more deserving.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Marner's last few games sunk him. Hall, Staal and arguably Bussi were all more deserving.

Why should two games sink him when he was dominant early in the series and in 3 other rounds? Because those happened at the end and were more dramatic?
As if game 1 doesn't count the same as game 6?
That makes no sense. This isn't a movie. Reward players for their efforts.

 

[PensandCaps]

I'm a Pens fan. We drafted Staal and he won a Cup here. I love him.
But this is a travesty. Marner had 17 more points and extremely good defense himself.
The NHL should just permanently make the Smythe for winning teams only, if it's gonna be this biased towards winners.
Just make it official.

You dont get the CS if you lose in 6. Gotta go 7 atleast.

Also he was a ghost in the last 3 games, no way you can give him that trophy after doing nothing in the biggest games of the season.

Staal showed up when it mattered.

 

[cptjeff]

That attitude is the problem among voters. Disregarding R1 to R3 is and always has been ridiculous. Vegas swept the Avalanche for example. Is that meaningless too?

The Finals are almost always the hardest round to win. You're facing the best, most battle hardened other team in the league. Beating up on a few teams that wouldn't have made the playoffs in the East isn't as valuable as being able to do it against the other best team in the league.

The Smythe will always be an award that goes to a player on the winning team who was excellent in the Finals unless somebody on the other team does something truly extraordinary. That is how it has always been, and that is correct.

 

[Armourboy]

I have always had a problem with this bs. Even when my Penguins won in 2016 I felt Couture deserved it over Crosby. Actually I know he did.

If there's that strong of a bias towards winners, despite losing players often showing more value (the definition of the trophy) then change the definition.
Make it winning team players only. Stop deceiving people into thinking losers have a chance.

It's not about being on the losing team, it's about being on the losing team and also being that bad in the Finals. McDavid won it in a losing effort, but he didn't fall apart in the finals either.

I don't care what professional sport it is, you fall apart in the Finals or Championship game they aren't handing you the MVP.

His performance in the SCF cost him the Con Smythe, not Vegas losing.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

You dont get the CS if you lose in 6. Gotta go 7 atleast.

Also he was a ghost in the last 3 games, no way you can give him that trophy after doing nothing in the biggest games of the season.

Staal showed up when it mattered.

It always mattered. Every round. Every game.
You need 16 to win, not 4.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

It's not about being on the losing team, it's about being on the losing team and also being that bad in the Finals. McDavid won it in a losing effort, but he didn't fall apart in the finals either.

I don't care what professional sport it is, you fall apart in the Finals or Championship game they aren't handing you the MVP.

His performance in the SCF cost him the Con Smythe, not Vegas losing.

Marner had 8 points in these Finals. It was just front-loaded.
Besides, like I said all rounds are equal. You can't win the Cup unless you win 4 of them. You don't just magically skip to the Finals.
Everything counts. Everything matters.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

If I had a vote. He was my vote for a Canes W.

Shutdown lines and scored 5 big goals this series.

 

[PensandCaps]

It always mattered. Every round. Every game.
You need 16 to win, not 4.

Yes every game mattered, thats why Marner being Manti Teo's GF in the final 3 games disqualified him from winning. You can't only show up in half the final games and expect to win.

half his points came in one game of the finals.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

I have always had a problem with this bs. Even when my Penguins won in 2016 I felt Couture deserved it over Crosby. Actually I know he did.

If there's that strong of a bias towards winners, despite losing players often showing more value (the definition of the trophy) then change the definition.
Make it winning team players only. Stop deceiving people into thinking losers have a chance.

Couture did not deserve it. There's a difference between playing well and putting up points

 

[Armourboy]

Marner had 8 points in these Finals. It was just front-loaded.
Besides, like I said all rounds are equal. You can't win the Cup unless you win 4 of them. You don't just magically skip to the Finals.
Everything counts. Everything matters.

Finals have always been weighted more. This is not new. Like it or not that will never change.

 

[Divine]

Why should two games sink him when he was dominant early in the series and in 3 other rounds? Because those happened at the end and were more dramatic?
As if game 1 doesn't count the same as game 6?
That makes no sense. This isn't a movie. Reward players for their efforts.

He wasn't the highest scoring player this series - Ehlers was on a winning team.
He wasn't the highest scoring player this series + last series combined - Ehlers was on a winning team.

Essentially the argument for Marner's Conn Smythe is he lit up Anaheim and Utah who were 92 point teams - neither would make the playoffs in the East. Carolina didn't get to play teams that weak despite winning the East and you're going to take the Conn Smythe away from them on a 16-3 team for it? Makes zero sense.

 

[the valiant effort]

So which fairly mediocre 27 year-old ~40 pt guy from this season is going to win the Conn Smythe in 2036?