Conn Smythe Tournament (Post 2000's) Final Round: 2003 Giguere vs 2009 Malkin

[blundluntman]

MATCHUP (Final Round): Jean Sebastien Giguere (2003) vs Evgeni Malkin (2009)

Jean Sebastien Giguere (2002-03):
21 GP 15 W 6 L 1.62 GAA .945 Sv%

Evgeni Malkin (2008-09):
24 GP 14 G 22 A 36 Points

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[HarryLime]

JSG. It's the most memorable playoff run since I started watching in 2002. I'm not sure where it ranks on here but it was magical. Malkin was awesome that playoffs too.

 

[blundluntman]

As a voter, I'm gonna have to go with Giguere by a hair, but it's definitely close. I'd say from rounds 1-3 was a tier above Malkin and just as good as him in the Finals despite what his totals may reflect.

Malkin had 8 points in those 7 games but was held scoreless in 3 of them. Giguere had 3 games where he got lit up a bit but in his other 4 games, he was pretty close to a .940 sv%. He also had a much tougher hill to climb than Malkin (given Datsyuk missed half of that Detroit series).

I'd be open to hearing the argument for Malkin however

 

[tabness]

As a voter, I'm gonna have to go with Giguere by a hair, but it's definitely close. I'd say from rounds 1-3 was a tier above Malkin and just as good as him in the Finals despite what his totals may reflect.

Malkin had 8 points in those 7 games but was held scoreless in 3 of them. Giguere had 3 games where he got lit up a bit but in his other 4 games, he was pretty close to a .940 sv%. He also had a much tougher hill to climb than Malkin (given Datsyuk missed half of that Detroit series).

I'd be open to hearing the argument for Malkin however

Spoke in detail about why I'm not with Giggy in the poll against Thomas so not going to rehash all of it (short version: pads + trap moreso than any uniquely outstanding goaltending) but for something along the lines of what you are going for, the game 5 of the finals in 2003 is what tells it all, that's the pivotal game, and the Ducks were playing quite well, and well...

 

[blundluntman]

Spoke in detail about why I'm not with Giggy in the poll against Thomas so not going to rehash all of it (short version: pads + trap moreso than any uniquely outstanding goaltending) but for something along the lines of what you are going for, the game 5 of the finals in 2003 is what tells it all, that's the pivotal game, and the Ducks were playing quite well, and well...

Yeah that's one of the 3 games I was referring to. Definitely not a great game but I wouldn't say his performance cost them the series. In the first 3 goals, one goes off Ozolinsh's stick, one is an easy tap in because a Devil was left right in the slot by himself, and one was a cross-crease that shouldn't have gotten through traffic. I don't think any goalie is stopping those from going in. Goal 4 is kinda unlucky but Goals 5 and 6 are definitely ones you'd want back. If Anaheim's defense doesn't blunder away 3 goals that game tho, it's much closer than the boxcore suggests. I wouldn't say Giguere deserves any more blame for that game than their defense but he didn't exactly shut the door either.

 

[Hisch13r]

Geno over oversized pillow pads

 

[goonybird]

Damn that Minnesota team was gassed/lucky to be there in that 03 series lol. Still Giggy for the mythos

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

Brodeur was robbed of that 2003 conn smythe. Not voting.

 

[blundluntman]

Brodeur was robbed of that 2003 conn smythe. Not voting.

The poll's asking which winner (regardless of whether they deserved it or not) had the better performance though. It doesn't really matter if Brodeur deserved it or not

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

The poll's asking which winner (regardless of whether they deserved it or not) had the better performance though. It doesn't really matter if Brodeur deserved it or not

that's why i didn't vote. my vote would be tainted. just being snarky

 

[blundluntman]

that's why i didn't vote. my vote would be tainted. just being snarky

Fair enough lol

 

[I am not exposed]

Malkin

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Both are fine winners

Went with Giguere as his team was nothing special at all. Holding one bad game against him is kinda ridiculous in a run that was filled with utterly dominant goaltending clinics.

 

[Caps8112]

this is really as close as it gets. hit malkin at first then switched it to Giguere. Really not sure. Gigueres team was much weaker and Malkin had Crosby. But Pens dont beat the caps in round 2 without Malkin also being as dominant as Crosby. He had 10 pts while shooting 5.1% with the most shots on the pens. Imagine if it was just a little better that series. Ducks highest scorers for the entire playoffs tied for 13 pts. Between Detroit and Minny series he allowed 7 goals. Insane. That Detroit team had Shannahan, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Yzerman, Fedorov, Lidstrom, Robitaille, Hull according to hockey reference.

 

[GoldenKnight]

Close, but Malkin for me.

I thought Brodeur was better in the Finals than Jiggy.

 

[Janvonpobben]

Both are fine winners

Went with Giguere as his team was nothing special at all. Holding one bad game against him is kinda ridiculous in a run that was filled with utterly dominant goaltending clinics.

Didnt that team had kariya in it

 

[DitchMarner]

Didnt that team had kariya in it

Yes, but he wasn't at his best in those playoffs. Only six goals and 12 points.

 

[JackSlater]

As a voter, I'm gonna have to go with Giguere by a hair, but it's definitely close. I'd say from rounds 1-3 was a tier above Malkin and just as good as him in the Finals despite what his totals may reflect.

Malkin had 8 points in those 7 games but was held scoreless in 3 of them. Giguere had 3 games where he got lit up a bit but in his other 4 games, he was pretty close to a .940 sv%. He also had a much tougher hill to climb than Malkin (given Datsyuk missed half of that Detroit series).

I'd be open to hearing the argument for Malkin however

I agree with that thinking. Narrowly Giguere, but Malkin was great and it's fine to vote for him too. Detroit also put its resources into stopping Crosby more than it did Malkin, with a relatively injured group outside of Zetterberg. Malkin still had the better final series.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Didnt that team had kariya in it

Look at that team and then go ahead and look at the teams they faced. One man carried a bang average roster to the cup finals.

 

[Voight]

Brodeur was robbed of that 2003 conn smythe. Not voting.

Whether its fair or not, he was never going to win the Smythe playing behind Stevens and Niedermayer.

Tho this is the first time ive seen someone say Brodeur should've won it.

 

[Johnny Tomala]

Malkin.

 

[bobholly39]

Great poll series OP - I hope you have another lined up after this one.

I voted Malkin....for the most boring reason of all. He actually won the cup, whereas Giguere did not.

I had these as the clear top 2 runs in this series, and I'm honestly not sure which way to lean, so I used the cup as that differentiator. It's hard to compare goalie to forward.

 

[blundluntman]

Great poll series OP - I hope you have another lined up after this one.

I voted Malkin....for the most boring reason of all. He actually won the cup, whereas Giguere did not.

I had these as the clear top 2 runs in this series, and I'm honestly not sure which way to lean, so I used the cup as that differentiator. It's hard to compare goalie to forward.

Greatly appreciated man. I'm thinking of doing either a Hart Trophy or Conn Smythe tournament for 1977-2000 (or maybe starting from 1985).

I'd prefer to do the Smythe one first since the Hart one will be littered with so many Gretzky seasons lol