Who won the first Conn Smythe Trophy awarded as the NHL playoff MVP?

Jean Béliveau won the first Conn Smythe Trophy awarded as the NHL playoff MVP, receiving it in 1965.

The trophy was introduced for the 1964–65 season and was named after Conn Smythe, the former Toronto Maple Leafs owner, coach and general manager. Béliveau won the inaugural award after leading the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup, defeating the Chicago Black Hawks in the Final.

Béliveau scored eight goals and 14 points in 13 playoff games during that championship run. He was captain of Montreal and a central figure in the club's success during the 1960s. The award is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.

The Conn Smythe Trophy is presented after the playoffs, not after the regular season. Bobby Orr later became the first defenseman to win it, taking the honor in 1970, while Patrick Roy became the first goaltender to receive it twice.