Conn Smythe Trophy – Professional Hockey Writers Association

LAS VEGAS — Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault was the overwhelmingly choice for 57th winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup playoffs by a panel of Professional Hockey Writers Association members on Tuesday night.

Marchessault, 32, became the first undrafted player since Wayne Gretzky in 1988 to collect the Conn Smythe Trophy. By scoring 13 clutch goals over Vegas’ playoff run – 10 of which either tied the game or gave the Golden Knights the lead – Marchessault earned 13 of 18 possible first place votes.

Vegas teammates Jack Eichel and Adin Hill finished second and third in voting, respectively, while Golden Knights captain Mark Stone and Florida forward Matthew Tkachuk also garnered votes. Eichel, who paced the postseason in points, earned the other five first place votes.

Over the course of the Golden Knights’ 59-day quest for hockey’s holy grail, Marchessault tied for the postseason lead in goals (13) and finished second in points (25). He registered at least one point in all five of the Stanley Cup Final games, bridging a total 10-game point streak that spanned the last five games of the Western Conference Final. One of the original six Golden Misfits still remaining with the Golden Knights since the 2017 Expansion Draft, Marchessault has appeared in every playoff game in Vegas franchise history.

Marchessault is one of only 10 wingers to win the Conn Smythe, joining Alex Ovechkin (2018), Justin Williams (2014) and Patrick Kane (2013) in the NHL’s salary cap era. The 5-foot-9 native of Cap-Rouge, Quebec, played for three different teams in his first four years in the NHL before being castoff alongside Reilly Smith by the Florida Panthers in the Expansion Draft. Marchessault lifted the Conn Smythe while Smith netted the Cup-clinching goal against their former team in the Final.

In the interest of full transparency, the PHWA has once again revealed each individual ballot for all 18 Conn Smythe voters:

2023 Conn Smythe Trophy ballots from Professional Hockey Writers Association members.

Voting Point Totals
Jonathan Marchessault, Vegas: 80 points (13 first place votes)
Jack Eichel, Vegas: 56 points (5 first place votes)
Adin Hill, Vegas: 17 points
Mark Stone, Vegas: 8 points
Matthew Tkachuk, Florida: 1 point

Points were awarded on a 5-3-1 basis and the deadline to submit ballots to the NHL occurred with 10 minutes remaining in Game 5.

TAMPA, Fla. — Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar was unanimously selected as the 56th winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup playoffs by a panel of Professional Hockey Writers Association members on Sunday night.

Makar became just the third defenseman in NHL history to collect both the Conn Smythe and Norris trophies in the same season, both voted upon by the PHWA, joining Boston’s Bobby Orr (1970 and 1972) and Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom (2002). He nabbed all 18 first place votes, the first time there has been a unanimous winner since the PHWA began releasing Conn Smythe tabulations five seasons ago.

Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon finished second, while teammate Mikko Rantanen edged out six other vote getters for third place.

Over the course of Colorado’s 56-day climb to the Stanley Cup summit, Makar posted 29 points, the fourth-most by a blueliner in a single postseason in league history. At age 23, Makar became the youngest defenseman in 52 years to win the Conn Smythe (Orr) and is the youngest player since Chicago Blackhawks Jonathan Toews to be named playoff MVP.

Over the 100-plus year history of the NHL, only six defensemen have led the Stanley Cup champion in scoring in the postseason: Makar (2022), Brian Leetch (1994), Al MacInnis (1989), J.C. Tremblay (1966), Tim Horton (1962) and Pierre Pilotte (1961).

In the interest of full transparency, the PHWA has once again revealed each individual ballot for all 18 Conn Smythe voters.

2022 Conn Smythe Trophy ballots from Professional Hockey Writers Association members

Voting point totals:

Cale Makar, Colorado: 90 points (18 first place)
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado: 47 points
Mikko Rantanen, Colorado: 7 points
Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay: 4 points
Nazem Kadri, Colorado: 3 points
Ondrej Palat, Tampa Bay: 3 points
Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay: 3 points
Valeri Nichushkin, Colorado: 3 points
Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado: 2 points

Points were awarded on a 5-3-1 basis and the deadline to submit ballots occurred with 10 minutes remaining in Game 6.

Tag: Conn Smythe Trophy

PHWA Ballots: Marchessault’s 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy win

PHWA Ballots: Cale Makar unanimous 2022 Conn Smythe Trophy winner