The Conn Smythe Trophy, also known as the Trophée Conn Smythe in French, is an annual award presented to the most valuable player (MVP) of their team during the Stanley Cup playoffs in the National Hockey League (NHL). The trophy is named after Conn Smythe, who served as the longtime owner, general manager, and head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Since the 1964–65 NHL season, the Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 54 times to 47 players. Following the conclusion of the final game of the Stanley Cup Finals each year, members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association cast their votes to determine the player deserving of the trophy. The NHL Commissioner presents the trophy before the Stanley Cup is awarded, and unlike most other NHL awards, only the winner is announced, without naming finalists. The vote tallies for the Conn Smythe Trophy have been released since 2017.
Notably, the Conn Smythe considers a player's performance throughout the entire NHL postseason, distinguishing it from MVP awards in other major professional sports leagues that often focus on the championship game or series.
Conn Smythe Trophy Winners List
As of 2024, centers have been awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy 19 times, goaltenders 17 times, defensemen 12 times, and right-wingers eight times. Left-wingers have secured the award only twice, with Bob Gainey of Montreal in 1979 and Alexander Ovechkin of Washington in 2018. The Montreal Canadiens lead with the most Conn Smythe Trophies, having players receiving the honor nine times. The Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins follow closely with five each, while the Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Islanders have earned four apiece.
Shown below is a list of players who have won the Conn Smythe Trophy:
| Year | Winner | Team | Position |
| 1965 | Jean Beliveau | Montreal Canadiens | C |
| 1966 | Roger Crozier | Detroit Red Wings | G |
| 1967 | Dave Keon | Toronto Maple Leafs | C |
| 1968 | Glenn Hall | St. Louis Blues | G |
| 1969 | Serge Savard | Montreal Canadiens | D |
| 1970 | Bobby Orr | Boston Bruins | D |
| 1971 | Ken Dryden | Montreal Canadiens | G |
| 1972 | Bobby Orr | Boston Bruins | D |
| 1973 | Yvan Cournoyer | Montreal Canadiens | RW |
| 1974 | Bernie Parent | Philadelphia Flyers | G |
| 1975 | |||
| 1976 | Reggie Leach | Philadelphia Flyers | RW |
| 1977 | Guy Lafleur | Montreal Canadiens | RW |
| 1978 | Larry Robinson | D | |
| 1979 | Bob Gainey | LW | |
| 1980 | Bryan Trottier | New York Islanders | C |
| 1981 | Butch Goring | C | |
| 1982 | Mike Bossy | RW | |
| 1983 | Billy Smith | G | |
| 1984 | Mark Messier | Edmonton Oilers | C |
| 1985 | Wayne Gretzky | ||
| 1986 | Patrick Roy | Montreal Canadiens | G |
| 1987 | Ron Hextall | Philadelphia Flyers | G |
| 1988 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | C |
| 1989 | Al MacInnis | Calgary Flames | D |
| 1990 | Bill Ranford | Edmonton Oilers | G |
| 1991 | Mario Lemieux | Pittsburgh Penguins | C |
| 1992 | C | ||
| 1993 | Patrick Roy | Montreal Canadiens | G |
| 1994 | Brian Leetch | New York Rangers | D |
| 1995 | Claude Lemieux | New Jersey Devils | RW |
| 1996 | Joe Sakic | Colorado Avalanche | C |
| 1997 | Mike Vernon | Detroit Red Wings | G |
| 1998 | Steve Yzerman | C | |
| 1999 | Joe Nieuwendyk | Dallas Stars | C |
| 2000 | Scott Stevens | New Jersey Devils | D |
| 2001 | Patrick Roy | Colorado Avalanche | G |
| 2002 | Nicklas Lidstrom | Detroit Red Wings | D |
| 2003 | Jean-Sebastien Giguere | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | G |
| 2004 | Brad Richards | Tampa Bay Lightning | C |
| 2005 | — | ||
| 2006 | Cam Ward | Carolina Hurricanes | G |
| 2007 | Scott Niedermayer | Anaheim Ducks | D |
| 2008 | Henrik Zetterberg | Detroit Red Wings | C |
| 2009 | Evgeni Malkin | Pittsburgh Penguins | C |
| 2010 | Jonathan Toews | Chicago Blackhawks | C |
| 2011 | Tim Thomas | Boston Bruins | G |
| 2012 | Jonathan Quick | Los Angeles Kings | G |
| 2013 | Patrick Kane | Chicago Blackhawks | RW |
| 2014 | Justin Williams | Los Angeles Kings | RW |
| 2015 | Duncan Keith | Chicago Blackhawks | D |
| 2016 | Sidney Crosby | Pittsburgh Penguins | C |
| 2017 | |||
| 2018 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | LW |
| 2019 | Ryan O'Reilly | St. Louis Blues | C |
| 2020 | Victor Hedman | Tampa Bay Lightning | D |
| 2021 | Andrei Vasilevskiy | G | |
| 2022 | Cale Makar | Colorado Avalanche | D |
| 2023 | Jonathan Marchessault | Vegas Golden Knights | RW |
Note: There was no winner in 2005 due to NHL lockout.
Players With The Most Conn Smythe Trophies
The Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 54 times to 47 players since the 1964-65 NHL season. Very few players have been able to win it on multiple occasions. Patrick Roy stands as the only individual to win the trophy thrice in its history. While five players have won this trophy twice in their careers.
Shown below is a list of players with the most Conn Smythe Trophies:
| Players | Teams | No. of Trophies |
| Patrick Roy | Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche | 3 |
| Sidney Crosby | Pittsburgh Penguins | 2 |
| Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | 2 |
| Bobby Orr | Boston Bruins | 2 |
| Mario Lemineux | Pittsburgh Penguins | 2 |
| Bernie Parent | Philadelphia Flyers | 2 |
FAQ's On List of NHL Conn Smythe Trophy Winners
A. The Conn Smythe Trophy, also known as the Trophée Conn Smythe in French, is an annual NHL award presented to the most valuable player (MVP) of their team during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
A. The trophy is named after Conn Smythe, a prominent figure who served as the longtime owner, general manager, and head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
A. The Conn Smythe Trophy was introduced in 1964 to honour the NHL's playoff MVP.
A. Goaltender Patrick Roy is the only three-time Conn Smythe winner, achieving victories with two different teams and in two different decades.
A. Unlike MVP awards in other major professional sports leagues, the Conn Smythe considers a player's performance throughout the entire NHL postseason, rather than focusing solely on the championship game or series.
