History of Conn Smythe Winners in Losing Efforts & Sabres Best Draft Steals
Also, some "Today in Hockey History", revisiting the Brent Burns trade that sent him to the Sharks, the Lightning's top draft picks from the Yzerman era, and more.
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Today in Hockey History: June 26
If you are a fan of the draft, then June 26 is a huge day for you. Five separate NHL Entry Drafts were held on this date, bringing some Hall of Fame talent into the league. There was even an expansion draft held, a Stanley Cup celebration, and one of the greatest defensemen to ever play called it a career.
History of Conn Smythe Winners in Losing Efforts
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded to the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. Of the 59 recipients in the award’s history, 53 played for teams that won the Stanley Cup. The other six recipients established a true novelty in the NHL that has only happened once in each of the three other major professional sports leagues. They earned the trophy as the MVP of the entire playoffs, leading up to and including the Stanley Cup Final, which each of the six players’ respective teams lost.
Revisiting the Brent Burns Trade
On June 24, 2011, the Minnesota Wild and San Jose Sharks made a blockbuster trade on the 2011 NHL Draft floor. The Sharks acquired Brent Burns, who was one of the top offensive defensemen in the league, while the Wild got assets that they hoped would quickly turn around their franchise. It was a gamble for Minnesota however, as they were giving up a developed all-star for still-developing youngsters.
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Today in Hockey History: June 25
June 25 has been an important date for the National Hockey League and its growth from six to the soon-to-be 32 teams. Also, this date brought us some important rule changes, a new postseason award, and a whole slew of new stars. So let’s hop aboard the THW time machine and enjoy all the best moments.
Buffalo Sabres’ Best Draft Steals
Every team has been able to find a few gems in the later rounds of the NHL Draft. The Buffalo Sabres are no different and have had some outstanding late-round picks that produced a potential Hockey Hall of Famer and a Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender. Ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft, let’s take a look at the top five picks the Sabres have hit on in the fifth round and beyond.
Lightning: 5 Best Yzerman-Era Draft Picks
Throughout his tenure with the Tampa Bay Lightning, general manager Steve Yzerman found great success at the draft. Even if he struggled at times with first-round picks, his team of scouts consistently pulled top talent out of all levels of the draft.