Should Frank Mahovlich have won the '71 Conn Smythe?

[DannyGallivan]

Just tossing it out there. Here are some numbers:

Most Goals
Frank with 14 (breaking Espo's record of 13), three more than Hull

Most even strength goals
Frank with 11

Most Points
Frank with most points with 27 (two more than Hull and five more than Beliveau)

Meanwhile, here are Conn Smythe winner Ken Dryden's numbers

Goals Against

Dryden: 61 (a whopping 19 more than Tony O despite only playing two more games)

Save Percentage

Dryden was second to Tony O, with a save percentage of 9.14

Goals Against Average

Dryden was third with a 3.01 goals against (Tony O was first and Giacomin was second)

A guess you can say that Dryden's numbers would have been lower if he didn't have to face the highest scoring juggernaut in NHL history in the first round. However, he was fishing the puck out from behind him a fair amount while the Big M set a record for most goals in the playoffs, and led the playoffs in points too.

It's just something to think about.

Click to read more...

 

[Big Phil]

I hear ya, and Mahovlich can join Gretzky in 1984 and even Esposito in 1970 as some of the best postseasons that didn't win the Conn Smythe.

However, keep in mind that Dryden had just a handful of games going into the playoffs under his belt and he was playing the highest scoring juggernaut in NHL history in the 1st round. To this day, only the Oilers have scored more goals in a season than the 1971 Bruins. Not to mention they were defending Cup champs, Espo and Orr both smashed some records that year so it was almost a given they were going to win.

Dryden is the reason they won that series though. And while his numbers weren't as sexy as other years that was a big monumental moment. Then he outclasses a gem in Tony Esposito in the final. This is just supposed to be a college kid who is replacing Rogie Vachon. He really stood on his head.

 

[Canadiens1958]

No, throughout the playoffs Frank Mahovlich and his brother were weak defensively:

1970-71 Montreal Canadiens Roster and Statistics | Hockey-Reference.com

 

[double5son10]

No. Dryden well deserved that Conn Smythe. This is a case where the aggregate #s don't tell the whole story.
Dryden was at his best when the chips were down. Facing elimination in both games 6 & 7 against Boston Dryden stopped 75 of 80 shots, for a 93.75 Sv%, including a scintillating performance in game 7 in Boston Garden, stopping 46 of 48.
After Minnesota shocked everyone and tied the 2nd round series Dryden shut the door in games 5 & 6, stopping 56 of 59 shots, a 94.9 Sv%.
Against Chicago, again facing elimination in both games 6 & 7 Dryden stopped 58 of 63 shots, for a 93.56 Sv%. Compare that to Esposito, who melted down in the Forum in Game 6, giving up 4 goals on only 16 shots, as the Hawks badly outplayed the Canadiens, and then his gaff on home ice against Lemaire from center in game 7. Dryden didn't surrender a third period goal in either game. Esposito's #s might be a tad better, but when it counted most Dryden was the superior performer.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

I hear ya, and Mahovlich can join Gretzky in 1984 and even Esposito in 1970 as some of the best postseasons that didn't win the Conn Smythe.

However, keep in mind that Dryden had just a handful of games going into the playoffs under his belt and he was playing the highest scoring juggernaut in NHL history in the 1st round. To this day, only the Oilers have scored more goals in a season than the 1971 Bruins. Not to mention they were defending Cup champs, Espo and Orr both smashed some records that year so it was almost a given they were going to win.

Dryden is the reason they won that series though. And while his numbers weren't as sexy as other years that was a big monumental moment. Then he outclasses a gem in Tony Esposito in the final. This is just supposed to be a college kid who is replacing Rogie Vachon. He really stood on his head.

we all know this but i always like to type it out just to remind myself how insane this was—

that team invented the 60 goal plateau, 70 goal plateau, 90 assist plateau, 100 assist plateau, 130 point plateau, 140 point plateau, and 150 point plateau.

phil esposito: 76 goals, beat the previous record by 18, nobody but himself could come within 15 goals of this number until bossy in 1979

bobby orr: 102 assists, beat the previous record (his own) by 15, in the next ten years nobody but himself could come within 12 of that number, until a twerp named gretzky came along

orr: 139 points, a record that still stands

esposito: 152 points, shattered his own already unfathomable record of 126 points

no team had ever had two 50 goal scorers before (espo and bucyk); no team had ever had two 100 point scorers before and boston had four (espo, orr, bucyk, and hodge).

1st, 2nd, 4th, and 8th place goal scorers
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th place in assists
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 8th, and 9th place in points

dryden's rookie conn smythe is like if glenn healy had followed up his pittsburgh victory by outdueling '93 roy, then shutting down 40 point gretzky in the finals. that's how scary good that boston team was.

 

[MXD]

Non.

 

[DannyGallivan]

No. Dryden well deserved that Conn Smythe. This is a case where the aggregate #s don't tell the whole story.
Dryden was at his best when the chips were down. Facing elimination in both games 6 & 7 against Boston Dryden stopped 75 of 80 shots, for a 93.75 Sv%, including a scintillating performance in game 7 in Boston Garden, stopping 46 of 48.
After Minnesota shocked everyone and tied the 2nd round series Dryden shut the door in games 5 & 6, stopping 56 of 59 shots, a 94.9 Sv%.
Against Chicago, again facing elimination in both games 6 & 7 Dryden stopped 58 of 63 shots, for a 93.56 Sv%. Compare that to Esposito, who melted down in the Forum in Game 6, giving up 4 goals on only 16 shots, as the Hawks badly outplayed the Canadiens, and then his gaff on home ice against Lemaire from center in game 7. Dryden didn't surrender a third period goal in either game. Esposito's #s might be a tad better, but when it counted most Dryden was the superior performer.

Well illustrated points.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

we all know this but i always like to type it out just to remind myself how insane this was—

that team invented the 60 goal plateau, 70 goal plateau, 90 assist plateau, 100 assist plateau, 130 point plateau, 140 point plateau, and 150 point plateau.

phil esposito: 76 goals, beat the previous record by 18, nobody but himself could come within 15 goals of this number until bossy in 1979

bobby orr: 102 assists, beat the previous record (his own) by 15, in the next ten years nobody but himself could come within 12 of that number, until a twerp named gretzky came along

orr: 139 points, a record that still stands

esposito: 152 points, shattered his own already unfathomable record of 126 points

no team had ever had two 50 goal scorers before (espo and bucyk); no team had ever had two 100 point scorers before and boston had four (espo, orr, bucyk, and hodge).

1st, 2nd, 4th, and 8th place goal scorers
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th place in assists
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 8th, and 9th place in points

dryden's rookie conn smythe is like if glenn healy had followed up his pittsburgh victory by outdueling '93 roy, then shutting down 40 point gretzky in the finals. that's how scary good that boston team was.

some more perspective on how dominant the Bruins were that year:

399 goals...2nd place had 291. They scored 108 goals more than anyone else (37% more), or 1.38 more GPG than anyone.

to put it another way, their 294 ES goals were more than any other teams total goals scored

+192 goal differential...next best was +82. Theyre differential was +110 better than anyone else

what Dryden did that series would be like a pitcher shutting down the '27 Yankees in consecutive games

 

[rfournier103]

My post won’t be as lengthy as some of the others.

It is my understanding that the Conn Smythe trophy is awarded to the MVP of the ENTIRE playoffs. So, using that criteria, it should be Dryden. Do the Canadiens get by the Bruins in ‘71 without him? He stunted the best offense ever seen up to that time, and by every account I’ve ever heard, was the difference in that series.

I think the ‘71 Smythe went to the right man.

 

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

Yeah, and there are some on this forum who write off Dryden, as in recent threads: "anyone could've had his spot!" NOT A CHANCE.