Jean-Sébastien Giguère has mixed memories of the 2003 final.
He would much rather have won the Stanley Cup than the Conn-Smythe Trophy. But 20 years later he is proud of it.
“You go to war as a team for two months for the big trophy, not for an individual trophy. Today I’m proud to have won the Conn-Smythe, but I would trade it for the Stanley Cup at any time. It’s a lot more satisfying to win it,” the former goalkeeper-turned-TVA Sports analyst said on the JiC show on Wednesday.
“It was mixed feelings. We were in New Jersey and everyone in the arena booed when they called me. It was really special…my teammates were already in the dressing room and didn’t know I had won the Conn-Smythe.
Giguère recalls feeling intimidated by the other goalkeeper in front of him: a certain Martin Brodeur.
“It was inevitable that there would be a fight between him and me and he had the advantage. He’d been through this before. For me it was my first experience. I felt it. I was intimidated by Martin Brodeur. I was also intimidated by the devils. They were a better team than ours.”
Giguère’s wish was granted four years later.
“In 2007 it was the opposite, I had an advantage over Ray Emery. I knew what it was like to play in the final. I knew how to behave. I knew we had a better team. We knew what to expect.”
Is it Marchessault’s turn?
He’s now hoping Vegas Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault will be the lucky winner this year. No Quebecer has won the Conn-Smythe Trophy since Giguère 20 years ago.
“It is certain that in Quebec we want him to win. We feel his passion. You can’t love a player like him. I hope he will win it.
“I like both clubs, there are good stories from both sides, but I want the Golden Knights to win the trophy. It would be fun to see the parade down the Strip in Las Vegas.”
Watch the full interview with Jean-Sébastien Giguère in the video above.