The most prestigious individual award?

[redwinger4747 6]

Which individual NHL award do you hold in the highest regard? It's easy to quickly say the Hart, but when I really think about it, I actually hold the Conn Smythe in the highest regard. Being the most valuable player in the playoffs while leading your team to playoff success is the greatest accomplishment in my opinion. I think its the hardest trophy to win. I know the Hart is great, but I think the Conn Smythe is the best. Here's a simply question to test your opinion: what is more impressive, Hasek's 2 straight Hart trophies, or Roy's 3 Conn Smythe's? I know we all hate Roy, but 3 Conn Smythe's is more impressive IMO. Thoughts?

Edited June 13, 2008 by redwinger4747

[DanZ 0]

Conn Smythe is the best. And yes, 3 Conn Smythes is better than 2 straight Harts.

[CanadaBoy 151]

Hmmm I think you need to look at all the awards won by both goalies. Hasek's list is more impressive.

In terms of CS versus HM, 3CS > 2HM

Roy:

3 Conn Smythe Trophy

5 William M. Jennings Trophy

3 Vezina Trophy

versus

Hasek:

2 Hart Memorial Trophy

3 William M. Jennings Trophy

6 Vezina Trophy

2 Lester B. Pearson Award

Edited June 13, 2008 by CanadaBoy

[nkuehnl 0]

Aside from the Conn Smythe, I would say the Pearson is the most prestigious. Being named the MVP of the league by your peers is much better than being named MVP by sports journalists.

Vezina would be number 2 simply because being named the best goalie in the league is essentially another MVP award. Goalies also seem to be overlooked a lot for the Hart and Pearson.

So, in my opinion, I'd rank it like this:

1. Conn Smythe

2. Pearson

3. Vezina

4. Hart

[thedisappearer 291]

Roy:

3 Conn Smythe Trophy

5 William M. Jennings Trophy

3 Vezina Trophy

versus

Hasek:

2 Hart Memorial Trophy

3 William M. Jennings Trophy

6 Vezina Trophy

2 Lester B. Pearson Award

Man, that's tough.

I'll take Hasek, but only because I know he's won 2 Cups.

[David 2]

Being named the league's MVP by the players and writers twice each, as a goalie, is particularly impressive.

[puckloo39 5,686]

Being named the league's MVP by the players and writers twice each, as a goalie, is particularly impressive.

I also think it's unlikely (to say the least) that any other goalie will win the Hart and Vezina in in back to back seasons. Ask Jose Theodore is it's easy to do that.

[mpitts 0]

The Conn Smythe obviously is the most prestigious award, as it is the only individual award that is given away based on playoff performance.

As for the regular season, I think the Pearson means more to the players. To have the people that you play with say that you are the best means the most.

[David 2]

I also think it's unlikely (to say the least) that any other goalie will win the Hart and Vezina in in back to back seasons. Ask Jose Theodore is it's easy to do that.

Agreed, Dom was unprecedented and likely will not be passed. (Only 6 goalies have won the Hart in its 84 years of being handed out. Had to look that one up ).

Edited June 13, 2008 by David

[Dano33 41]

Man, that's tough.

I'll take Hasek, but only because I know he's won 2 Cups.

I'm a bit confused by your statement. Roy did win 4 cups, so does that mean you didn't know he had four?

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Aside from the Conn Smythe, I would say the Pearson is the most prestigious. Being named the MVP of the league by your peers is much better than being named MVP by sports journalists.

Vezina would be number 2 simply because being named the best goalie in the league is essentially another MVP award. Goalies also seem to be overlooked a lot for the Hart and Pearson.

So, in my opinion, I'd rank it like this:

1. Conn Smythe

2. Pearson

3. Vezina

4. Hart

Agreed. I'm not totally sure on Hart versus Vezina, but definitely Conn Smythe first then the Pearson. As you said, being picked by your peers is much more meaningful than by journalists.

[CrossoverThrash 0]

Conn Smythe means your pretty much the best player in the league because ultimately youve won the cup and were the best player on that team, unless you have enorumus pads like giguere

[egroen 384]

Roy's Conn Smythe's are incredibly impressive. Easily ensures he is a top 4 goalie of all time. However, Hasek is actually older than Roy and dominated Roy in almost every area once he became a starter.... he could not come over to the NHL being from the Eastern Block. Roy did not win a single Vezina once Hasek became a starter.

I strongly feel Hasek is the best modern day goalie, and IMO the best goalie ever. Brodeur has carried a bad New Jersey to the playoffs, but Hasek carried an abysmal Buffalo team to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Anyways, on-topic -- I think a lot of Hart or Pearson winners would give those up for a Conn Smythe. So it is definitely the most rewarding trophy. But it is awfully dependant on having a good team, so it may not be the most prestigious award... because you are not exactly competing against the entirety of the NHL, individually, for it... as you would for some of the other awards.

Edited June 13, 2008 by egroen

[betterREDthandead 58]

I would actually put the Hart above the Pearson because of the age of the award. I tend to think of the awards as having a top 6 - Smythe, Hart, Vezina, Adams, Norris, Calder - and then another tier below that: Pearson, Selke, Byng, Masterton, Jennings, Ross. And then whatever's left.

However, if I were somebody with every one of those awards on my shelf (ignoring the fact that nobody's eligible for them all), I'd probably like the Smythe and Masterton the best.

[Spinner 6]

What about the Lifetime Achievement. I thought Gordie was great last night. Of course the award will lose it's significance next year when they give it to Crosby. (I'm kidding) Aside from that I would choose

1) Conn Smythe

2)Pearson

3) Selke & Norris I chose these 2 over the Hart, imo you have to be a better all round player to win these.

[egroen 384]

If you take a moment to look at the history of the Lady Byng.... it is pretty incredible.

Dating back to 1925, the second oldest trophy with some of the greatest names to ever play the game on it. It is really a shame so many look down on it.

[Reds4Life 51]

Hart trophy is the most prestigious..no contest.

Conn Smythe is for best player from the winning team..not always the best player overall.

Hasek's 2 Harts AND 2 Pearsons is far more impressive than Roy's Conn Smythe trophies.

[Yzerman191 37]

You also have to remember that one must be on a winning team (not necessarily win the Cup, but get pretty close) to be up for the Conn Smythe; Hasek really didn't have as many opportunities.

To me, I think the Pearson carries more prestige than the Hart; the thought of your peers voting you to be the league's MVP is really something. The Hart may have more history, but if I had to pick, I'd rather win the respect and vote of my peers than a bunch of journalists.

Edited June 13, 2008 by Yzerman191

[Opie 308]

Conn Smythe, ask the Patroits, a great regular season means nothing unless you take care of business in the post season!

[Probert 5 For Fighting 0]

Conn Smythe means your pretty much the best player in the league because ultimately youve won the cup and were the best player on that team, unless you have enorumus pads like giguere

Huh? The Conn Smythe just means you were one of the many contributing players to a winning team based on a sample size of about 22-24 playoff games. Considering half the league can't make the postseason, saying the Smythe winner is the best player in the league is hogwash. Winning the Cup is a team effort, and I don't care how cliche it is.

The Hart is still, by far, the most prestigious award. Don't tell me the Smythe goes to the best player in the league when Richards, Nieuwendyk, Claude Lemieux, Bill Ranford, Ron Hextall, Butch Goring, etc have won it. And Considering Cup losers have won it as well, that kind of throws a wrench in the "best player on the best team" argument, which was already porous in the first place.

[Opie 308]

How many players have ever said, I am sure glad I won the Hart trophy instead of the Cup.

Post season is what matters and post season awards are a on a grander scale than regular season awards.

The Year Lemieux won the Conn Smythe he deserved it, regardless of what he did as an Avalanche, in 95 he had 13 gaols and 3 assists in the 20 playoff games he played, he deserved it and his team won the cup.

[Reds4Life 51]

How many players have ever said, I am sure glad I won the Hart trophy instead of the Cup.

post season is what matters and post season awards are a on a grander scale than regular season awards.

Except for the fact that you have to be on winning team. Hart trophy is by far recognized as the most prestigious trophy.

[Probert 5 For Fighting 0]

Except for the fact that you have to be on winning team. Hart trophy is by far recognized as the most prestigious trophy.

Thank you.

And when did the Cup become an individual honor? Did I miss the memo? Is Dallas Drake a better player now than Jarome Iginla because he won a Cup? Do you think he'd switch placed with Drake, have an average NHL career, win a Cup - as opposed to being an all-world player whose just fallen short of the Cup and could very well get another chance to win soon enough?

Don't play that game, opie. A player can only control his own destiny. Not an entire teams.

[Opie 308]

You are telling me that if Z had won both the Hart and Conn Smythe that the Hart would mean more or be more prestigious, NO!!

The Hart maybe more prestigious for someone who doesn't or can't win the Smythe, but if you have them both or are in contention for both I would have to assume that winning the Conn Smythe would be a much more heralded award.

Hart trophy is by far recognized as the most prestigious trophy.

Really by whom, because if that is the case this OPINION Based thread would have no barring because you would post a link to a site or a quote where all NHL players, or a majority would have said that, however you can't so please don't go around posting you opinion as widely accepted facts!

Probie for 5,

When did I say anything about the cup being an individual honor? I don't see it, I reread my posts and nope I can not find it. If the Hart means so much more than why don't kids growing up everywhere dream of winning it. BECAUSE IT IS A REGULAR SEASON AWARD!!!

Why if a player never wins a championship are they not considered as great as players who have? If the Cup has nothing to with individuals, why does it resonate so soundly over their career achievements?

Because players are made and broken in the post season, therefore if you receive and honor like Best player in the NHL's post season, wouldn't that mean just a little more than in the regular season.

Is the Post season not the league's biggest stage, so wouldn't the awards given out for post season play carry more weight.

Plus you say winning the Hart makes you an all-world player, really because I am pretty sure that is not what Jose Three or four is, Lindros, All world? Really, maybe in the Special Olympics (exaggeration be careful).

[egroen 384]

As I stated earlier, the Conn Smythe is more rewarding, but the Hart is more prestigious... it's all semantics

Looking back over hockey history, great players are judged more by Harts than by Conn Smythes. That is a fact.