Best playoff performer to not win the Conn Smythe?

[Dennis Bonvie]

Originally Posted by zeus3007

Brodeur should have won it in 2003 instead of Giguere. Giguere carried his team, but so did Marty, while he broke goaltending records that playoff.

I recall an article in a Canadian newspaper after the first 2 games of the finals in 2003. A local TV sports anchor asked his staff to get him 30-45 seconds of Brodeur highlight film from the first 2 games, which were both shutouts. They came back and said they couldn't get 15 seconds because there wasn't any. The writer's point was that that's how dominant the Devils defensive game was. Certainly Brodeur's stick handling was part of it, but there is no way Brodeur was carrying the Devils.

[I Hate Chris Butler]

Originally Posted by jack mullet

excellent points. i hate that myth that a goalie is only good because he played for a certain team. and oddly enough, no one ever mentions Patrick Roy in those talks. look at how many hall of famers he had in front of him every night. Roy never played for a bad team, well, ok he played for one bad team, and what happend? he whined and asked to be traded...to Colorado...a team once again filled with all star talent.

Roy isn't included and rightfully so. Roy won 3 Smythes out of the 4 Cups he won.

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Potvin and Fedorov come to mind immediately.

Forsberg is just a tad behind.

I honestly think Esposito is a lot like Jagr in that, while he played at a high level in the playoffs, it actually was a little disappointing compared to his lofty regular season standards.

[craigcaulks*]

Originally Posted by jkrx

There is no such thing. Being a goalie is always the toughest assignment and no matter how good your team is defensively, you will have to be sharp to get anywhere.

A goalie who makes 50 saves a game obviously have a harder time than the goalie who makes 20 but they are doing the same job for their team. There is a much bigger importance in how a goalie performs when the game is on the line and on the quality of shots.

People like to call out names like Brodeur and Osgood in these kinds of discussions and I find it pretty weak. If Detroit or New Jersey won the cup with someone like Corey Hirsch in net then it would be valid but the list of goalies who "failed" on those Detroit teams contains Legace, Joseph and Ranford (and some prospects like Maracle and Hodson).

Surely if Detroit made their goalie look so much better then Joseph would have a Vezina and a cup by now, right?

You can find it weak if you like, but Martin Brodeur spent his career playing goal behind a team that played defence first, second and third. Clearly he is a great goalie, but he has benefitted greatly from his situation, statistically.

[craigcaulks*]

Originally Posted by jack mullet

excellent points. i hate that myth that a goalie is only good because he played for a certain team. and oddly enough, no one ever mentions Patrick Roy in those talks. look at how many hall of famers he had in front of him every night. Roy never played for a bad team, well, ok he played for one bad team, and what happend? he whined and asked to be traded...to Colorado...a team once again filled with all star talent.

A pretty MASSIVE leap you've taken. Nobody has said Brodeur is good "because of his team". But it would be ignorant not to concede that his numbers haven't been greatly assisted from playing for a team that was happy winning 1-0 and didn't care if a single fan showed up to watch. Either some of you aren't old enough to remember the pre lockout Devils (especially) and what they did to hockey. While no doubt their fans enjoyed the winning, it was dreadful to watch. Not only did Brodeur not face many shots on many nights, he saw very little quality shots.

To be clear, he isn't mediocre or anything even close. But if the team he played for doesn't affect your admiration of the numbers, then we'll have to agree to disagree.

[Fred Taylor]

Potvin, Hasek, Fedorov and Forsberg. Those four players were unbelievable in the playoffs yet never won the Conn Smythe.

[Hardyvan123]

Originally Posted by JackSlater

Potvin, Esposito, Fedorov, and Coffey stick out to me. There wasn't much Esposito or Coffey could do given who they played with, while Potvin and Fedorov each lost the award when they should have won it.

Potvin and Federov stick out in my mind as well and the other 2 guys well it's hard when they played with what is considered the top 2 players of all time.

Potvin is probably the most important NYI in the entire 4 year run but gets no Conn Smythe.

Dido Federov with the Red Wings in his 4 year stretch from 95-98 but the wings only won the SC in the last 2 years.

[Dennis Bonvie]

Originally Posted by craigcaulks

A pretty MASSIVE leap you've taken. Nobody has said Brodeur is good "because of his team". But it would be ignorant not to concede that his numbers haven't been greatly assisted from playing for a team that was happy winning 1-0 and didn't care if a single fan showed up to watch. Either some of you aren't old enough to remember the pre lockout Devils (especially) and what they did to hockey. While no doubt their fans enjoyed the winning, it was dreadful to watch. Not only did Brodeur not face many shots on many nights, he saw very little quality shots.

To be clear, he isn't mediocre or anything even close. But if the team he played for doesn't affect your admiration of the numbers, then we'll have to agree to disagree.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.