5 Times An Unexpected Star Stole The Conn Smythe Trophy

Over the years, the Conn Smythe Trophy has usually been given to some of the best and most well-known players in the game, like Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Sidney Crosby. Also, the trophy will sometimes go to defensemen and goaltenders who really keep things in check, especially in critical moments.

Now, sometimes, it will go to the player who reaches star status at just the right time. These guys were usually talented players during the regular season, but not the stars of the team, before elevating at the best possible time.

Now let's take a look at some of these unexpected Conn Smythe Trophy winners.

In the 1980s, the New York Islanders were building a dynasty. Some of their best players were Mike Bossy and Denis Potvin. In the late 1970s, this team fell short in the playoffs, and general manager Bill Torrey made a huge trade in March 1980, getting forward Butch Goring from the Los Angeles Kings. He was a respected two-way player, but not at the same level of talent as his top teammates.

Goring fit in with the guys instantly, and New York won their first Stanley Cup in 1980. The next year, Goring took his game to another level, and in the 1981 playoffs, he was great in the faceoff circle and could produce offense. During that playoff run, he scored 10 goals and had 10 assists in 18 games. His performance and leadership won him the Conn Smythe. He still wasn't the most talented Islander, but for one series, he was the most valuable.

Claude Lemieux was all about being the player that his opponents hated, but his teammates loved him. He loved getting under someone's skin and was also a clutch goalscorer. In 1995, Lemieux was a member of a New Jersey Devils team headlined by Martin Brodeur in goal. New Jersey was not among the favorites to win in the playoffs, but shut opponents down through the controversial playing style of the defensive "trap." This system basically frustrated opposing offenses, while Lemieux, typically an agitator, spearheaded the offense out of nowhere.

In 20 playoff games, Lemieux scored 13 goals and doubled his regular-season output of just six goals in 41 games. His goals usually came at critical moments, and picking on other players was just the spark the team needed. The Devils ended up sweeping the Detroit Red Wings in the finals, and Lemieux won the Conn Smythe.

Joe Nieuwendyk enjoyed a decorated NHL career, including a prior Stanley Cup win with the Calgary Flames in 1989, and he would eventually get into the Hall of Fame. However, his 1999 Conn Smythe win for the Dallas Stars was something of a surprise because of the wealth of elite talent around him. Dallas was built on tough defense under head coach Ken Hitchcock, and leaned on Ed Belfour in goal. Up front, dynamic centerman Mike Modano was the face of the franchise, and they had brought in prolific sniper Brett Hull to bolster their offensive output.

In the 1999 playoffs, Nieuwendyk was all about consistency. He ended up leading the Stars in scoring with 11 goals and 10 assists in 23 games. He was incredibly reliable on both ends of the ice and was an outstanding all-around player, the kind that wins in the playoffs. Nieuwendyk's run with the Stars showed how big it is to have a dependable two-way center in a title run.

Throughout his career, Justin Williams was a solidly productive top-six winger, but he topped 70 regular-season points only once and earned only a single All-Star selection. But for the 2014 Los Angeles Kings, he got to play on the top line with team legend Anže Kopitar. Los Angeles had a tough path to the Stanley Cup. They played in 26 games, three of those Game 7's. Williams would elevate his performance this time of year, earning the nickname "Mr. Game 7."

Williams finished the playoffs with nine goals and 16 assists while playing all 26 games. It wasn't just the pure point total that won him the Conn Smythe Trophy, but his knack for scoring at the most important times. That Cup run, and 102 career playoff points, earned Williams the reputation as one of the most clutch scorers of his generation.

Jonathan Marchessault was an afterthought from his previous team before heading to the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 expansion draft. He was a productive forward with a solid two-way game, but no one would rank him among the league's elite players. But in the 2023 playoffs for Vegas, Marchessault took his game to another level, racking up points and doing the little things needed to win at that time of year.

In that playoff run, Marchessault scored 13 goals and 12 assists, for 25 points in 22 games. He enjoyed being on a line with star center Jack Eichel and winger Ivan Barbashev and even scored in the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers. Eichel led the league in points in the playoffs, but it was Marchessault's consistent production and big-time final series that won him the Conn Smythe. It was an inspiring journey from an expansion player to MVP.

These five players showed that the playoffs are played at an extremely high level compared to the regular season. Talent is still very important in a title run, but playing with heart and coming up big in critical moments can turn a middle-ground player into a playoff legend. Earning this trophy means that the athlete stood out among the best players in the world during hockey's ultimate test and created an unexpected legacy.