1. Butch Goring (1981)
Butch Goring was a darn good player. Very underrated part of the New York Islanders dynasty, which won four straight Stanley Cups in the 1980s. Goring won the Conn Smythe in 1981 after putting up 20 points in 18 postseason games. On paper, this looks pretty strong.
However, a deeper dive shows us there were some more deserving candidates. For starters, Goring ranked third on the Islanders in postseason goals and four in postseason points. He was very good in 1981, but not Conn Smythe Trophy good.
Secondly, there were at least three stronger Conn Smythe contenders on the Islanders. The first is Mike Bossy, who led the team with 35 points in 20 games. He scored 17 goals, which is nearly a goal per game. Remember, Goring had 20 points overall. Bossy nearly had more goals than Goring had points.
There’s also Bryan Trottier, who had 29 points in 18 games. As usual, he was the heart and soul of the Islanders. The Islanders followed his lead. When he stepped up his game, his teammates did as well.
However, the real winner should have been Denis Potvin. Surprisingly, he never won a Conn Smythe in his career. Which is odd if you consider how terrific Potvin was in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Potvin was the Islanders best player in just about each one of the Islanders 18 games.
Again, Goring had some huge moments in the 1981 postseason. His hat trick against the Minnesota North Stars in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final was clutch. But the Conn Smythe goes to the playoff MVP and it’s really hard to argue anyone, except maybe Bossy, was more valuable to the Islanders in 1981 than Potvin.