Who won the Conn Smythe? Why Panthers center Sam Bennett won NHL’s playoff MVP

The Panthers have done it again, defeating the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year. Florida’s 5-1 victory on Tuesday night clinched the series for the Panthers, making them the latest NHL team to repeat as champions.

While this is Florida’s second-ever championship, it is the first time that a Panther will win the Conn Smythe Award. Although the Panthers won it all last year, Oilers’ star Connor McDavid took home the award for being the best player throughout the playoffs.

So, which player received the honor of being this year’s Conn Smythe winner? Here’s the latest.

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Who won the Conn Smythe?

Panthers forward Sam Bennett is this year’s Conn Smythe winner, largely thanks to his scoring prowess this postseason. Bennett had 22 points and 15 goals in the postseason, both of which led the team. Bennett got 11 of the 18 first-place votes for the award, per Frank Seravalli.

BENNETT IS THE CONN SMYTHE WINNER! 👏

After leading the League with 15 goals through the postseason, Sam Bennett has been crowned the MVP of these #StanleyCup Playoffs. pic.twitter.com/2qzd8MwhmK

— NHL (@NHL) June 18, 2025

Bennett becomes the first Panthers player ever to win a Conn Smythe. The forward has been with Florida since the 2020-21 season and is coming off a year where he had career-high totals with 26 goals and 51 points.

In the Stanley Cup Final specifically, Bennett played a huge role for Florida by scoring five goals, which was second to Brad Marchand for most by a Panther in the series. While Marchand also had a case for the award, voters ultimately went with Bennett.

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Full list of Conn Smythe winners

While the Panthers won their second Stanley Cup title this year, Bennett/Marchand is the first Conn Smythe winner in franchise history. Last year, Connor McDavid won the award despite being on the losing team due to his outstanding performance throughout the playoffs.

Here’s a full list of all the Conn Smythe winners in NHL history.