Players that should have Won the Conn Smythe?
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norrisnick
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Reds4Life
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TheDevilMadeMe
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Niedermayer in 2003.
Giguere in 2007.
Funny how that works.
That aside, I would say Fedorov in 1997 was the biggest snub. I really don't understand how Vernon won it. Did the voters just give it to the goalie by default because the Wings were such a great team? Was there still lingering resentment against Russian players?
Also, Brindamour should have gotten it in 2006. He was the man who made that Canes team work. Staal would have been a better pick than Ward too. Seems like the main reason they gave it to Ward was that Gerber was so bad.
Giguere in 2007.
Funny how that works.
That aside, I would say Fedorov in 1997 was the biggest snub. I really don't understand how Vernon won it. Did the voters just give it to the goalie by default because the Wings were such a great team? Was there still lingering resentment against Russian players?
Also, Brindamour should have gotten it in 2006. He was the man who made that Canes team work. Staal would have been a better pick than Ward too. Seems like the main reason they gave it to Ward was that Gerber was so bad.
Big Phil
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Here's just some for me that can irk me sometimes:
Potvin could/should have won in '81 (although Goring did have a remarkable playoff)
Gretzky in '84 (you have to wonder how Messier was picked over him. Maybe the voting was done before the final game when Gretzky scored two key goals? Even though Gretzky was better)
Sakic in '01 - he carried the team when Forsberg went down. Roy was unspectacular in the first two rounds
Yzerman in '02 - Arguably you could say they intentionally gave it to a European I can remember Cherry saying afterwards that they "have to accomodate everyone" just thought Yzerman explemplified everything a leader should be that year
Staal in '06, or BrindAmour
Giguere, Getzlaf, Selanne or Pronger were all better than Niedermayer in '07
BTW could all of the homers quit it with the whining about Giguere in '03? I have never seen a playoff year where a person had the Smythe wrapped up after three rounds regardless of what he did in the finals. I have said before that unless Giguere crapped the bed in the finals he would win it, win or lose. Remember, he helped stretch it to a 7 game series. The '03 Ducks rode his coattails the whole playoffs.
Potvin could/should have won in '81 (although Goring did have a remarkable playoff)
Gretzky in '84 (you have to wonder how Messier was picked over him. Maybe the voting was done before the final game when Gretzky scored two key goals? Even though Gretzky was better)
Sakic in '01 - he carried the team when Forsberg went down. Roy was unspectacular in the first two rounds
Yzerman in '02 - Arguably you could say they intentionally gave it to a European I can remember Cherry saying afterwards that they "have to accomodate everyone" just thought Yzerman explemplified everything a leader should be that year
Staal in '06, or BrindAmour
Giguere, Getzlaf, Selanne or Pronger were all better than Niedermayer in '07
BTW could all of the homers quit it with the whining about Giguere in '03? I have never seen a playoff year where a person had the Smythe wrapped up after three rounds regardless of what he did in the finals. I have said before that unless Giguere crapped the bed in the finals he would win it, win or lose. Remember, he helped stretch it to a 7 game series. The '03 Ducks rode his coattails the whole playoffs.
Dark Shadows
Registered User
Why? Niedermayer was the best Devil that year. But nobody was more valuable to his team than Giguere was to the Ducks.
lol. I agreeNiedermayer in 2003.
Giguere in 2007.
Funny how that works.
That aside, I would say Fedorov in 1997 was the biggest snub. I really don't understand how Vernon won it. Did the voters just give it to the goalie by default because the Wings were such a great team? Was there still lingering resentment against Russian players?
Also, Brindamour should have gotten it in 2006. He was the man who made that Canes team work. Staal would have been a better pick than Ward too. Seems like the main reason they gave it to Ward was that Gerber was so bad.
Heck yes. YES!
Potvin was just a machine in those playoffs. I would have taken him over Goring.
Ugh. Messier was a monster, and was crucial to victory(Especially game 3 in the finals), but I agree.
Again, I agree.
And did it all on one leg. I love Lidstrom, but I thought Yzerman was just magnificent.
Most Definitely.
if the Devils had lost one of Brodeur or Niedermayer(Not both), they still would have put up a great fight against the Ducks. The ducks without Giguere would have been a 4 game sweep for the Devils.
He wasn't great against Vancouver, but he posted a .943 SV% against Los Angeles. Colorado would never advance past the second round if it wasn't for Forsberg and Roy.
norrisnick
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The thing with '02 is it could have gone to one of three guys.
Yzerman was insane early but as his leg got weaker he faded a bit. Can't fault him at all and I wouldn't say a peep if he got it.
Fedorov took over up front as Yzerman faded (Stevie was constantly whispering at him telling him he needed him to step up because he couldn't do it himself). Sergei was exceptional in the final two series. Again, I wouldn't say a peep if he got it.
Lidstrom was steady from beginning to end. Scotty said it was the closest he ever got to having a perfect player. Obviously I'm not questioning the decision at all.
That's part of why the '97 Conn Smythe going to Vernon bugs me. As much as he meant and he was great that spring, it should have gone to Fedorov and it would have neatly capped off Conn Smythes to the three pillars of that Red Wing era. Yzerman, Lidstrom, and Fedorov.
Yzerman was insane early but as his leg got weaker he faded a bit. Can't fault him at all and I wouldn't say a peep if he got it.
Fedorov took over up front as Yzerman faded (Stevie was constantly whispering at him telling him he needed him to step up because he couldn't do it himself). Sergei was exceptional in the final two series. Again, I wouldn't say a peep if he got it.
Lidstrom was steady from beginning to end. Scotty said it was the closest he ever got to having a perfect player. Obviously I'm not questioning the decision at all.
That's part of why the '97 Conn Smythe going to Vernon bugs me. As much as he meant and he was great that spring, it should have gone to Fedorov and it would have neatly capped off Conn Smythes to the three pillars of that Red Wing era. Yzerman, Lidstrom, and Fedorov.
Psycho Papa Joe
Porkchop Hoser
The 1966 Conn should have gone to JC Tremblay, not Crozier. Perhaps if he gets that reward he would be in the HOF right now, a spot he surely deserved.
The 1981 Conn should have gone to Potvin or Bossy, not Goring.
Was never quite happy with Hextall winning in 87. I would have given it to Gretzky or Messier.
The 1981 Conn should have gone to Potvin or Bossy, not Goring.
Was never quite happy with Hextall winning in 87. I would have given it to Gretzky or Messier.
seventieslord
Student Of The Game
2003 was a terrible example. Brodeur would be my third choice.
Generally I think they get this trophy right, with a few exceptions... I think it should have been Pahlsson in 2007. 2006 should have been about 5 other players before Ward. And how Gretzky doesn't win the Smythe in all 4 of his cups is beyond me.
Generally I think they get this trophy right, with a few exceptions... I think it should have been Pahlsson in 2007. 2006 should have been about 5 other players before Ward. And how Gretzky doesn't win the Smythe in all 4 of his cups is beyond me.
Psycho Papa Joe
Porkchop Hoser
IMO he and Gainey were equally deserving. You could also make a good argument for Robinson or Lafleur. It was probably a close vote between the 4.
Gainey was better in the finals though and IMO that's why he won it.
Dennis Bonvie
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Big Phil
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You have to look beyond the numbers a bit. He let in an overtime goal from Glen Murray that was un-Roy like. I agree he did still have a very good playoff and maybe his shutout in Game #6 of the finals gave him the edge but Sakic was just always there for 4 rounds no matter what and was huge in Game #7 of the finals
Big Phil
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See that's the thing, no Oiler stood out like a bad rash in those playoffs. They were all good, dont get me wrong, but Gretzky "only" had 34 points, and he didnt rack up his usual 40+ mark. Messier was good, but was probably better in '84, '90 or even '94 with the Rangers. Fuhr was just his usual solid self. Kurri had only 25 points and had a better playoff in other years. And Coffey had an unusually normal playoffs.
Hextall wasnt a bad choice, even if his GAA wasnt among the top 5 in the playoffs. I guess stumping the Oilers gave the voters enough reason.
Gretzky wouldnt have been bad either to pick but if there was ever a year to pick Anderson this was it. 14-13 for 27 points. Scored an overtime winner in Round 2, scored the clutch insurance goal in Game #7 of the finals to put the nail in the coffin of the Flyers. I wouldnt have lost sleep at night picking him
in 06 it should have been Chris Pronger, The guy was third in the playoffs in scoring as a d man, (compared to Lidstrom in 2002 who barely cracked the top 10), He was tied for third in plus/minus, second in ice time (the next nearest cane was 7 minutes less). The guy WAS the reason the Oilers made it that far and if it came to the fact they had to give it someone how about a guy who was dominating not someone who was the third best goalie of the four that were used in the finals.
seventieslord
Student Of The Game
There was also Pisani, who scored some huge goals, and Roloson, who was really the best goalie in the playoffs that year. On the canes, I'd go with brind'Amour for sure, and possibly Staal too, before Ward. Although he was good overall, he was often shaky.
Kyle McMahon
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2006 was Brind'Amour's Conn Smythe; it's a joke he didn't win. 12 goals, a very strong two-way presence, and tremendous leadership. That might have been the easiest choice of the last few years and the voters blew it completely.
Giguere was pretty much a no-brainer for 2003. While the final is the most important round, it's not the only round. Giguere was simply invincible in the first three rounds, and merely good in the final. A 1.62 GAA and .945 save %, he must have been the first star in half of Anaheim's wins that year. New Jersey just methodically dispatched of their opponents that year, nobody managed to stand out enough to take the Smythe from Giguere.
Giguere was pretty much a no-brainer for 2003. While the final is the most important round, it's not the only round. Giguere was simply invincible in the first three rounds, and merely good in the final. A 1.62 GAA and .945 save %, he must have been the first star in half of Anaheim's wins that year. New Jersey just methodically dispatched of their opponents that year, nobody managed to stand out enough to take the Smythe from Giguere.
The One Who Knocks
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Did you even watch the Canes throughout their Playoff run? Stillman was good, yes, but both Staal and Brind'Amour did amazing things that Playoff year that Stillman is just not capable of accomplishing. Stillman could put up some nice points, and that's really about it. Brind'Amour was 2nd in the league in goals while playing amazing defensively, and Staal led the league in points and you could see the first glimpses of his leadership abilities and clutch play.
As someone who watched Ward the entire Playoffs, I think he gets a lot of crap around here that's undeserved. However, I don't think he gets as much consideration for the Smythe if he wasn't a rookie. I'd say the Conn Smythe voting should have been: Brind'Amour - Pronger - Staal - Ward - Pisani
Psycho Papa Joe
Porkchop Hoser
Never thought of Anderson, but you're right, he would have been a great pick in 1987. The guy was always a great clutch scorer, and he took it up another notch in 87. My guess is that the Flyers had a clear cut MVP in Hextall, and there was a vote split amongst Gretzky, Messier, Anderson and Fhur allowing Hextall to take it.
As an aside, I never quite liked a player from a losing team winning the Conn. The only exception might be Leach in 1976, since his performance was far better than any Hab that year. The Habs played really well as a team in 76, but nobody had a performance that really stood out. People might site Giguere's performance in 2003, but IMO he wasn't that much better than Brodeur. Amongst loser winners, IMO, Leach was the only really clear cut, far and away best player in the playoffs.
Wings4Life
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Dennis Bonvie
Registered User
Well, yes. I watched every Canes game. You saw what I saw. Did you notice how many goals were scored against the Canes while Staal was spectating in the defensive zone? Did you notice that Stillman had a +12 for the playoffs? Same as Brind'Amour with 8 more points. Two less points than Staal, who was even (+/-) for the playoffs.
