Insider reveals Connor McDavid won Conn Smythe 'in case' the Oilers won

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Josh Tupper
June 26, 2024 (1:16 PM)

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Some behind-the-scenes details about why Connor McDavid might have taken home the Conn Smythe as the NHL's MVP of the postseason have been revealed by an insider.

There was substantial discussion about whether or not the decision to award Connor McDavid the Conn Smythe trophy in the Stanley Cup final was correct, given that he had not produced in the previous two games of the series but had lost in game seven.

Now, an insider has provided some explanation for why McDavid took home the medal. It would be an understatement to suggest that the NHL operates an embarrassing procedure.

Michael Traikos of The Hockey News speculates that the fact that votes for the Conn Smythe trophy were due with ten minutes remaining in the game's final period may have had more of an impact on McDavid's victory than the game's conclusion.

Voters were awkwardly placed in this situation: what if McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers returned and won the Stanley Cup?

To anyone complaining about McDavid winning the Conn Smythe, please realize that the votes have to be in by the 10-min mark of the 3rd period. At that time, it was a one-goal game. And if Edmonton had won and McDavid wasn't the MVP, think about what the reaction would have been.

Even though McDavid had an incredible postseason run and probably still deserved the trophy, it's incredible that the NHL still operates with such antiquated procedures that votes are cast prior to the result of the championship game.

Does Sergei Bobrovsky earn extra credit if the votes were cast after the last whistle? Or do the outcomes remain the same? Whatever the case, selecting your postseason MVP is an absurdly poor method for a top-3 league in North America.

Source: Blade of Steel
Insider reveals the embarrassing process the NHL uses to decide MVP