Goaltender Sergey Bobrovsky finished the post-season in third place
In the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League (NHL), Russian goalie Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers snagged third place in the Conn Smythe Trophy voting, presented to the tournament's outstanding player.
In the NHL Players' Association ballot, Bobrovsky racked up 10 points. During the playoffs, he tended goal in 23 matches, averaging 2.2 goals conceded per game and saving 91.4% of shots. He kept the opposing team scoreless in three of these games.
However, it was Canadian forward Sam Bennett of the St. Louis Blues who took home the prestigious Conn Smythe Trophy, earning a colossal 76 points. He was the playoffs' leading scorer, tallying 15 goals (with five in the final series), and contributing seven assists throughout the tournament, including one in the final series.
Boston Bruins' Brad Marchand finished second with 68 points, striking 20 points (10 goals and 10 assists) during the entire Stanley Cup playoffs, including six (two game-winning) goals in the final series.
While these figures aren't the stats for the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs' top three most valuable players, I've uncovered annual NHL playoff records from past seasons. Here's a quick recap of the 2021 MVP and key players:
- Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning) won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs' top player, leading the Lightning to their second consecutive Stanley Cup. He posted a remarkable playoff record of 18 wins, a goals-against average (GAA) of approximately 1.96, and a save percentage around .932.
- Victor Hedman, another Tampa Bay Lightning stalwart, shone as a dominant defenseman, significantly contributing to both offense and defense. He netted five goals and had 10 assists, resulting in 15 points in the playoffs.
- Steven Stamkos was another offensive powerhouse, scoring 10 goals and adding 8 assists for a total of 18 points during the playoffs.
These players were crucial to Tampa Bay's successful defense of their 2021 Stanley Cup title.
Hockey in the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs featured numerous standout players, including Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers who earned 10 points in the NHL Players' Association ballot. In addition, the National Hockey League (NHL) awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy to Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who showcased his skills as a goalie with a remarkable playoff record, including 18 wins, a GAA of approximately 1.96, and a save percentage around .932.
