Bryan Reflects:

Quite a humbling honor when it happens. ( To be the recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy, aka CST, in 1980.)

At that moment, I was so amazed and so excited and yet so honoured to be selected as the playoff MVP because many of my Islander teammates were MVP’s in my mind….all the players had performed so well against such strong opposition LA Kings, Boston Buffalo and Philly. Key goals or plays or saves, it could have been any one of the group.

Somehow, there I was, feeling this incredable Stanley Cup champion joy and then this added bonus, “On national TV being presented the playoff mvp trophy”. Wow! .me??? Really??? Amazing!”

I hoped my Mom and Dad were watching… And they were…I called to share all the excitement.

I remember holding the Conn Smythe Trophy for like an hour and walking around with it…protecting it as if it was fragile and irreplaceable…how perfect it resembled maple leaf gardens, the polish and shine that seems synonimous with the HHOF, what it historically represented with all the previous CST winners names aglow on individual name plates….Lord Stanley’s time took a short back seat while I had my time with Conn Smythe.

It was quite historical… We had just won out teams first ever Stanley Cup… for our fans and ownership and management it was our franchises first ever Stanley Cup… and for a lot of us it was our first ever stanley cup as a player… Then to be chosen as the MVP of the playoffs, I almost still don’t believe it…
a very unique and special feeling because as I reflect, somehow I end up as one of 3 players ever to have won the Conn Smythe, Hart, Ross and Calder….my kids get a big kick out of this!

I knew the name Conn Smythe and some of the history surrounding his ownership/directorship of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Maple Leaf Gardens…Wikapedia today is a quick hit and much better up to date history of stuff I didn’t know about his life and how he came to purchase the St Pat’s and changed the name to the Toronto Maple Leafs and changed the colors of the team from green and white to the blue and white they are today reflecting the colors of his truck and gravel business…the building of Maple Leaf Gardens on Carlton Street.. Quite an impressive hockey legacy…a terrific blend of business savy and passion for sport…

October 8th, 2010