Why Connor McDavid won the Conn Smythe Trophy after the Oilers lost the 2024 Stanely Cup Final

Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid wasn’t able to hoist the Stanley Cup on Monday night but winning the 2024 Conn Smythe Trophy is a pretty good consolation prize.

Per NHL analyst Frank Seravalli, McDavid became the first NHL player since 1976 to win the trophy without his team taking home the Stanley Cup, as Reggie Leach of the Philadelphia Flyers accomplished the same feat nearly a half a decade ago.

While the Oilers went home without the series win, the Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded to the player with the best performance over the entire playoffs, not just the Stanley Cup Final.

McDavid pretty easily was the best player on the ice throughout this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs, which paved the way for his earning the trophy.

It’s just the tough luck of the draw that his team wasn’t able to totally match what he was able to accomplish.

#Oilers Connor McDavid is the 2024 Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoffs MVP.

He is the first skater to win the Conn Smythe in a losing fashion since #Flyers Reggie Leach in 1976.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 25, 2024

McDavid will have more time in his career to push for a Stanley Cup, but adding the Conn Smythe to his record is nothing to shake a hockey stick at.

We’ll see in the future if the elite hockey star is able to win both the Conn Smythe and the Stanley Cup in one fell swoop.