Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal was named the 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy winner following the Hurricanes 3-0 Stanley Cup clinching win over Vegas Sunday night. The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded to “the most valuable player to his team in the playoffs." Staal was selected the winner in a vote by a panel of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Playing in his third Stanley Cup Final and first in 17 years, Staal tied the NHL record for longest goal streak in a Stanley Cup Final (5 GP) and became the first player in 70 years to score in each of the first five games of the Final. Staal (8-4—12 in 19 GP) collected more than half of his playoff point total during the Final, posting 6-1—7 (6 GP) to set a franchise record for goals in any series and equal the League benchmark for goals by a player age 37 or older in a single Final.
Staal became the second captain in the past 105 years to score at least six goals in a Stanley Cup Final, joining Wayne Gretzky with the 1985 Edmonton Oilers (7 in 5 GP). Overall, two-thirds of Staal’s points came either on game-tying goals (2-2—4; tops on Carolina) or go-ahead goals (3-1—4). Staal, the longest-tenured player in team history (since 1997-98), also led the entire NHL with 235 face-off wins in these playoffs including a series-high of 83 in the Final – nearly double the closest player. Staal’s 68.0% face-off percentage in the Final was the highest on record (since 1998; min. 100 FO).
At 37 years, 277 days, Staal is the oldest Conn Smythe Trophy winner and just the second to be named playoff MVP at age 37, following goaltender Tim Thomas with the 2011 Boston Bruins (37 years, 61 days). The previous mark for oldest forward to win the Conn Smythe was set the first year it was presented: Jean Beliveau (33 years, 243 days) with the 1965 Montreal Canadiens.
This is the first individual award of Staal’s 20-season NHL career. That matches the longest wait in NHL history for a player to win his first individual award (min. 1 GP in regular season or playoffs), equaling Doug Weight (2010-11 King Clancy Trophy).
Staal became the first player in NHL history to go 17 years from one Stanley Cup to the next, adding to a championship he won with the 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins. The previous mark of 16 years was held by Chris Chelios (1986 to 2002).