Ranking the top 5 worst Conn Smythe Trophy winners in NHL history

5. Claude Lemieux (1995)

Claude Lemieux, for those who don’t remember him, was the precursor to Brad Marchand. He was a skilled pest who everyone hated to play against. Lemieux’s antics even helped start the NHL’s most intense, over the top rivalry in league history.

But before he became public enemy numero uno in Detroit, he had a heck of a postseason in 1995. His 13 goals led the postseason and Jaromir Jagr was the only other player who even scored 10 goals.

However, there were three more deserving winners on the Devils. First of all, what about Neal Broten, whose four game-winning goals were tied for the most in the postseason? Broten also had more points (19) than Lemieux (16). Secondly, there was Stephane Richter, whose 21 points were the second-most in the postseason, trailing only Sergei Fedorov’s 24.

But the most deserving candidate was Martin Brodeur. Brodeur never won a Conn Smythe Trophy, which is a shame. There were only eight total shutouts during the 1994-95 Stanley Cup Playoffs and Brodeur had three of them. No one else had more than one. He also had a 16-4 record and allowed just 1.67 goals against per game.