Conn Smythe Trophy

sports award

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Last updated

June 24, 2026

Quick Summary

The Conn Smythe Trophy is an annual award given to the most valuable player in the National Hockey League's (NHL) Stanley Cup playoffs. It was created in 1964 by the Maple Leaf Gardens in honor of Conn Smythe, a prominent figure in Canadian ice hockey who founded the Toronto Maple Leafs.12

The trophy is awarded based on a player's performance throughout the entire playoff series, not just the Stanley Cup Final. Notably, a player from the losing team has won the award multiple times, including Connor McDavid in 2024.3

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ice hockey
National Hockey League
…high degree of skill; the Conn Smythe Trophy, for the playoffs’ outstanding performer; the Frank J. Selke Trophy, for the best defensive forward; the Jack Adams Award, for the coach of the year; the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, for the player who best exemplifies sportsmanship, perseverance, and dedication to hockey;…
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…high degree of skill; the Conn Smythe Trophy, for the playoffs’ outstanding performer; the Frank J. Selke Trophy, for the best defensive forward; the Jack Adams Award, for the coach of the year; the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, for the player who best exemplifies sportsmanship, perseverance, and dedication to hockey;…
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