Erik Karlsson Receives Conn Smythe Vote Despite Not Making Stanley Cup Final

Players on the losing team in the NHL‘s Stanley Cup Final often receive votes and even occasionally win the Conn Smythe award given to the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

However, it’s nearly unheard of for a player like Erik Karlsson, who failed to even make the final round of the postseason, to earn a vote.

Voting totals for the Conn Smythe Trophy as voted on by members of @ThePHWA: pic.twitter.com/klT8D0hE1Q

— PHWA (@ThePHWA) June 12, 2017

But the Ottawa Senators defenseman, who did everything for his team in the playoffs and did it all while playing with a fracture in his foot, truly deserved it.

Karlsson to Crosby in the handshake line: “At least I lose to the best, eh? Go get another one, I hope you’re healthy. Go get em.”

A post shared by Pittsburgh Penguins NEWS ? (@pittsburghpenguinsnews_) on May 27, 2017 at 8:43pm PDT

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby took home his second consecutive Conn Smythe award, but it’s hard to fault the one third-place vote cast for Karlsson after his incredible effort this postseason.