Hart Memorial Trophy | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Hart Memorial Trophy

The Hart Memorial Trophy (originally the Hart Trophy) is awarded annually to the player determined to be the “most valuable” to his National Hockey League (NHL) team during the regular season. The winner is chosen through a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.

Background

The Hart Trophy was donated to the NHL in 1923 by Dr. David A. Hart, father of Cecil Hart, who would become manager and coach of the Montreal Canadiens. The oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey, it was retired to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1960 and replaced by the Hart Memorial Trophy.

Notable Winners

Several players have won the award twice, including Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull, Guy Lafleur, Mark Messier, Dominik Hasek and Sidney Crosby. Howie Morenz, Bobby Clarke, Bobby Orr, Mario Lemieux, Alex Ovechkin and Connor McDavid have each won the award three times. Eddie Shore won it four times, and Gordie Howe won it six times. Wayne Gretzky was awarded the Hart Trophy an unprecedented nine times, eight in succession from the start of his career (1980–87).

Hart Memorial Trophy Winners

Year Player Team
1924 Frank Nighbor Ottawa Senators
1925 Billy Burch Hamilton Tigers
1926 Nels Stewart Montreal Maroons
1927 Herb Gardiner Montreal Canadiens
1928 Howie Morenz Montreal Canadiens
1929 Roy Worters New York Americans
1930 Nels Stewart Montreal Maroons
1931 Howie Morenz Montreal Canadiens
1932 Howie Morenz Montreal Canadiens
1933 Eddie Shore Boston Bruins
1934 Aurel Joliat Montreal Canadiens
1935 Eddie Shore Boston Bruins
1936 Eddie Shore Boston Bruins
1937 Babe Siebert Montreal Canadiens
1938 Eddie Shore Boston Bruins
1939 Toe Blake Montreal Canadiens
1940 Eddie Goodfellow Detroit Red Wings
1941 Bill Cowley Boston Bruins
1942 Tom Anderson Brooklyn Americans
1943 Bill Cowley Boston Bruins
1944 Babe Pratt Toronto Maple Leafs
1945 Elmer Lach Montreal Canadiens
1946 Max Bentley Chicago Blackhawks
1947 Maurice Richard Montreal Canadiens
1948 Buddy O’Connor New York Rangers
1949 Sid Abel Detroit Red Wings
1950 Chuck Rayner New York Rangers
1951 Milt Schmidt Boston Bruins
1952 Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings
1953 Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings
1954 Al Rollins Chicago Blackhawks
1955 Ted Kennedy Toronto Maple Leafs
1956 Jean Béliveau Montreal Canadiens
1957 Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings
1958 Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings
1959 Andy Bathgate New York Rangers
1960 Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings
1961 Bernie Geoffrion Montreal Canadiens
1962 Jacques Plante Montreal Canadiens
1963 Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings
1964 Jean Béliveau Montreal Canadiens
1965 Bobby Hull Chicago Blackhawks
1966 Bobby Hull Chicago Blackhawks
1967 Stan Mikita Chicago Blackhawks
1968 Stan Mikita Chicago Blackhawks
1969 Phil Esposito Boston Bruins
1970 Bobby Orr Boston Bruins
1971 Bobby Orr Boston Bruins
1972 Bobby Orr Boston Bruins
1973 Bobby Clarke Philadelphia Flyers
1974 Phil Esposito Boston Bruins
1975 Bobby Clarke Philadelphia Flyers
1976 Bobby Clarke Philadelphia Flyers
1977 Guy Lafleur Montreal Canadiens
1978 Guy Lafleur Montreal Canadiens
1979 Bryan Trottier New York Islanders
1980 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers
1981 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers
1982 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers
1983 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers
1984 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers
1985 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers
1986 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers
1987 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers
1988 Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh Penguins
1989 Wayne Gretzky Los Angeles Kings
1990 Mark Messier Edmonton Oilers
1991 Brett Hull St. Louis Blues
1992 Mark Messier New York Rangers
1993 Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh Penguins
1994 Sergei Fedorov Detroit Red Wings
1995 Eric Lindros Philadelphia Flyers
1996 Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh Penguins
1997 Dominik Hasek Buffalo Sabres
1998 Dominik Hasek Buffalo Sabres
1999 Jaromir Jagr Pittsburgh Penguins
2000 Chris Pronger St. Louis Blues
2001 Joe Sakic Colorado Avalanche
2002 Jose Theodore Montreal Canadiens
2003 Peter Forsberg Colorado Avalanche
2004 Martin St. Louis Tampa Bay Lightning
2005 Season cancelled due to lockout
2006 Joe Thornton San Jose Sharks
2007 Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins
2008 Alex Ovechkin Washington Capitals
2009 Alex Ovechkin Washington Capitals
2010 Henrik Sedin Vancouver Canucks
2011 Corey Perry Anaheim Ducks
2012 Evgeni Malkin Pittsburgh Penguins
2013 Alex Ovechkin Washington Capitals
2014 Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins
2015 Carey Price Montreal Canadiens
2016 Patrick Kane Chicago Blackhawks
2017 Connor McDavid Edmonton Oilers
​2018 ​Taylor Hall ​New Jersey Devils
2019 Nikita Kucherov Tampa Bay Lightning
2020 Leon Draisaitl Edmonton Oilers
2021 Connor McDavid Edmonton Oilers
2022 Auston Matthews Toronto Maple Leafs
2023 Connor McDavid Edmonton Oilers

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