The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the most valuable player of the NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs. The award gets its name from former Toronto Maple Leafs owner Conn Smythe, who owned the franchise from 1927 to '61.
The trophy has been awarded to a player each season since its inception in 1965. Thus far, there have been 47 players to win the coveted trophy.
The award is doled out based on voting from members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, and a player's performance throughout the entire postseason—rather than just the Stanley Cup Final—goes into consideration.
