LAS VEGAS -- Jordan Staal was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Staal, a center, was voted the winner after he helped the Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2006 with a 3-0 victory against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the Final at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday.
The Hurricanes captain led all players with six goals in the Final, including scoring at least one in each of the first five games of the best-of-7 series. That tied the record for the longest goal streak in a Final, matching Yvan Cournoyer (1973), Jean Beliveau (1956), Maurice Richard (1951) and Cyclone Taylor (1918).
Staal (37 years, 277 days) is the oldest Conn Smythe Trophy winner in NHL history, surpassing Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas (37 years, 61 days), who won the award in 2011. Staal, who previously won the Stanley Cup as a 20-year-old with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, also set the record for the longest gap between championships, surpassing Chris Chelios, who went 16 years between winning with the Montreal Canadiens in 1986 and the Detroit Red Wings in 2002.
Staal finished the Stanley Cup Playoffs with an NHL-career high 12 points (eight goals, four assists) in 19 games, including seven (six goals, one assist) in the Final. Forward Nikolaj Ehlers was Carolina’s only player with more points in the series (four goals, five assists).
“It's not necessarily you're expecting him to put up those kind of numbers, (but) when he does, that’s an added bonus,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “And he deserves it."
Staal’s standout performance in the playoffs followed a regular season in which he had 36 points (20 goals, 16 assists) in 75 games. His 20 goals were his most since he also scored 20 in 2015-16.
A two-way centerman adept at containing the opposition's top offensive players, Staal finished fifth in the voting for the Selke Trophy, which is awarded to the NHL’s top defensive forward.
“That guy is incredible,” forward Jordan Martinook said. “We don’t need to talk about how old he is, just because he’s a premier center in this League, and I’m so happy he got recognized because people don’t talk about him. I mean, he should win the Selke every year. Obviously, when Patrice Bergeron was in the mix, sure.
“But you talk to every first-line center that we played throughout this playoffs, and I bet you they say they hate playing against Jordan Staal. And then for him to come out and do what he does in the Cup Final, you can’t put into words what he means to this team. He’s been through the lows here and now he’s lifting (the Cup) above his head.”
Staal is the second Hurricanes player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, joining goalie Cam Ward, who won it as a 22-year-old rookie in 2006, when Carolina captured its first championship.
