For the first time since 2003, the Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded to a member of the losing team.
McVP ????<br><br>Connor McDavid has won the Conn Smythe Trophy!<br><br>He had 42 points (8G, 34A) in 25 games played<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/jYDVstfNi9">pic.twitter.com/jYDVstfNi9</a>
In front of a Panthers crowd, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was met with a rain of boos from the crowd after he announced McDavid had won the coveted award. McDavid did not come out to the ice to accept the award.
Connor McDavid is the 2024 Conn Smythe Trophy Winner. ???? <a href="https://t.co/Rz20amQU3d">pic.twitter.com/Rz20amQU3d</a>
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 take home the Conn Smythe, 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).
Connor McDavid takes home the Conn Smythe after recording the fourth most points in a single NHL postseason in league history:<br><br>47 — Wayne Gretzky (1984-85)<br>44 — Mario Lemieux (1990-91)<br>43 — Wayne Gretzky (1987-88)<br>42 — Connor McDavid (2023-24)<br>40 — Wayne Gretzky (1992-93)… <a href="https://t.co/V5KkeAc0JK">pic.twitter.com/V5KkeAc0JK</a>
After McDavid was awarded the Conn Smythe, there were mixed reactions from fans on social media.
Many will disagree. But I have a real problem with the MVP vote. <br>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.
McDavid winning the Conn Smythe in a losing effort clinches this as one of the great NHL seasons ever. There's something cool it. Anything that Jean-Sébastien Giguère has also done is cool
