25 Worst award snubs in NHL history: 4. Martin Brodeur – Conn Smythe 2003
Martin Brodeur was lights out in 2003. He led the New Jersey Devils to the Stanley Cup. There are some who thought he was lifted by the likes of Scott Stevens and Scott Niedermayer, but in 2003 they were lifted by him. The Devils weren’t letting up the 18 shots they were in the trap days of Jacques Lemaire. There were a few low shot counts, but there were also multiple games where Brodeur had to make 30+ saves to win the game.
Brodeur had seven shutouts throughout the playoffs. There is no goalie in the history of the league that had this many shutouts in one playoff season. He literally broke a record for most games where he allowed zero goals in a game. He had three shutouts in the Stanley Cup Final against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. That includes a shutout in Game 7 of the Final.
Yet, the losing goalie was the one to win the Conn Smythe. Jean-Sebastian Giguere was great up until the Final. He helped get the Ducks to Game 7. However, it’s not like there wasn’t a great player on the other side. Brodeur had one of the best goaltending performances in the history of the playoffs. And yet, the Devils netminder didn’t get the award for the best player in the playoffs.
Giguere was great, but the Devils won and the Ducks didn’t. Brodeur was the better goalie in the Final when the two were facing off. There’s a reason this is the last player from a losing team to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. It should go to the best player in the playoffs, and that player has to be someone who wins it all.