The NHL awards its players with end-of-season trophies, no different than all other major professional leagues in North America. For NHL players, nothing will replace a Stanley Cup of course, or for some, a gold medal for their country. Still, individual honours are well received.
In this article, we look at all major NHL awards and look at the players throughout NHL history who have dominated each.
Ranking NHL Award Winners
Most Trophies Overall
Wayne Gretzky holds the record for the most NHL awards won by an individual player. He has won a staggering 9 Hart Memorial Trophies (MVP), 10 Art Ross Trophies (scoring leader), 5 Lady Byng Trophies (sportsmanship and skill), and 2 Conn Smythe Trophies (playoff MVP).
Gretzky’s dominance in the NHL is unparalleled, as he won the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player for an incredible 8 consecutive seasons from 1980 to 1987. He also won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer a record 10 times, including 7 straight from 1981 to 1987. His 10 Hart and 10 Art Ross trophies are the most any player has won for a single award.
In addition to his individual awards, Gretzky led the Edmonton Oilers to 4 Stanley Cup championships in the 1980s, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1985 and 1988. He is the only player in NHL history to win the Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, and Conn Smythe Trophy in the same season, accomplishing this incredible feat in 1985.
Gretzky’s 25 total NHL awards are far and away the most by any player. The next closest are Gordie Howe with 6 Hart Trophies and 6 Art Ross Trophies, and Bobby Orr with 8 consecutive Norris Trophies (best defenseman) from 1968 to 1975. Gretzky’s unmatched individual brilliance and team success cement his status as the most decorated player in NHL history.
Most Hart Trophies
Wayne Gretzky holds the record for the most Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP) wins with an astonishing 9 trophies. His dominance is unmatched, as he won the award for 8 consecutive seasons from 1980 to 1987 during his prime with the Edmonton Oilers.
The players with the next most Hart Trophies are:
Gordie Howe with 6 Hart Trophies
Eddie Shore with 4
Connor McDavid, Alex Ovechkin, and Mario Lemieux each with 3 wins
Gretzky also won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer a record 10 times, including 7 straight from 1981 to 1987.[4] He is the only player to win the Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, and Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) in the same season, accomplishing this feat in 1985.
No other player comes close to Gretzky’s 9 Hart Trophies as the most valuable player. His sustained excellence and impact on the game are truly unparalleled in NHL history.
Most Art Ross Trophies
Wayne Gretzky holds the record for the most Art Ross Trophy wins with an astonishing 10 trophies. He won the award for leading the NHL in scoring a remarkable 7 consecutive seasons from 1981 to 1987 during his prime with the Edmonton Oilers.
The players with the next most Art Ross Trophies are:
Gordie Howe with 6 wins
Mario Lemieux with 6 wins
Phil Esposito with 5 wins
Jaromir Jagr with 5 wins
Connor McDavid with 5 wins
Gretzky’s 10 Art Ross Trophies as the NHL’s leading scorer are the most any player has won for a single award in league history. His sustained offensive dominance and scoring prowess are truly unprecedented, cementing his status as the greatest scorer the NHL has ever seen.
Most Norris Trophies
According to the search results, Bobby Orr holds the record for the most James Norris Memorial Trophy wins with an astonishing 8 trophies. He won the award for the NHL’s best defenseman for 8 consecutive seasons from 1968 to 1975 during his prime with the Boston Bruins.
The players with the next most Norris Trophy wins are:
Nicklas Lidstrom with 7 wins
Doug Harvey with 7 wins
Ray Bourque with 5 wins
Orr’s 8 Norris Trophies are the most any player has won for a single award in NHL history. His dominant two-way play and impact revolutionized the defenseman position, cementing his status as arguably the greatest blueliner the NHL has ever seen.
No other defenseman comes close to matching Orr’s incredible 8 Norris Trophy wins as the best all-around player at the position over an 8-year span. His sustained excellence on both ends of the ice is truly unprecedented.
Most Vezina Trophies
According to the search results, Jacques Plante holds the record for the most Vezina Trophy wins with 7 trophies. He won the award 5 consecutive times from 1956 to 1960 while playing for the Montreal Canadiens, and also won in 1962 and shared it with Glenn Hall in 1969.
The goaltenders with the next most Vezina Trophy wins are:
– Bill Durnan with 6 wins
– Dominik Hasek with 6 wins
– Ken Dryden with 5 wins
– Terry Sawchuk, Martin Brodeur, Michel Larocque and Tiny Thompson each with 4 wins
Plante’s 7 Vezina Trophies are the most any goaltender has won in NHL history. His sustained excellence and impact as one of the pioneering goaltenders of his era cement his status as one of the greatest to ever play the position.
Most Ted Lindsay Trophies
According to the search results provided, Wayne Gretzky holds the record for the most Ted Lindsay Award (formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award) wins with 5 trophies.
The Ted Lindsay Award is voted on by the members of the NHL Players’ Association and is awarded annually to the league’s most outstanding player in the regular season.
Gretzky won the award 5 times during his illustrious career, which is the most by any player. The next closest players are:
– Sidney Crosby with 3 wins
– Alexander Ovechkin with 3 wins
– Connor McDavid with 4 wins
As stated in the Reddit post, no other player besides Gretzky, Crosby, Ovechkin, and McDavid has won the Ted Lindsay/Pearson Award more than once since the 2004-05 lockout season.
Gretzky’s 5 Ted Lindsay/Pearson Award wins, along with his numerous other NHL records and accolades, further cement his status as arguably the greatest player in hockey history. His sustained excellence and recognition by his peers through this award is truly unmatched.
Most Selke Trophies
Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins has won the most Frank J. Selke Trophies with 6 wins.
The key details are:
– Patrice Bergeron won the Selke Trophy in 2011-12, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2021-22, and 2022-23 seasons.
– No other player has won more than 3 Selke Trophies. The players tied for second-most wins with 3 each are Guy Carbonneau, Pavel Datsyuk, and Jere Lehtinen.
– Bob Gainey won the award in its first 4 seasons from 1977-78 to 1980-81, but Bergeron has surpassed him with 6 total wins.
– The Selke Trophy is awarded annually “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game” as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
So in summary, with his incredible 6 Selke Trophy victories, Patrice Bergeron stands alone as the player who has won the most Frank J. Selke Trophies for defensive excellence as a forward in NHL history.
Most Lady Byng Trophies
Frank Boucher holds the record for the most Lady Byng Memorial Trophy wins with 7 trophies. He won the award for exhibiting the best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability for 7 seasons between 1928 and 1935 while playing for the New York Rangers.
The players with the next most Lady Byng Trophy wins are:
– Wayne Gretzky with 5 wins
– Pavel Datsyuk with 4 wins
– Red Kelly, Alex Delvecchio, Mike Bossy, and Martin St. Louis each with 3 wins
Boucher’s 7 Lady Byng Trophies are the most any player has received for a single award in NHL history. After winning it 7 times in the first 11 years it was awarded, Lady Byng was so impressed that she gave Boucher the original trophy to keep and donated a new one.
No other player comes close to matching Boucher’s incredible 7 Lady Byng Trophy wins over an 8-year span from 1928 to 1935 with the Rangers. His sustained excellence in combining sportsmanship and gentlemanly play with a high skill level is truly unprecedented.
Most Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies
According to the search results, Alexander Ovechkin holds the record for the most Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy wins with an astonishing 9 trophies. He won the award for leading the NHL in goals scored during the regular season in the following seasons:
– 2007-08 (65 goals)
– 2008-09 (56 goals)
– 2012-13 (32 goals)
– 2013-14 (51 goals)
– 2014-15 (53 goals)
– 2015-16 (50 goals)
– 2017-18 (49 goals)
– 2018-19 (51 goals)
– 2019-20 (48 goals, tied with David Pastrnak)
The players with the next most Rocket Richard Trophy wins are:
– Auston Matthews with 3 wins (2020-21, 2021-22, 2023-24)
– Pavel Bure and Steven Stamkos with 2 wins each
– Jarome Iginla, Sidney Crosby, and David Pastrnak with 1 win each
Ovechkin’s 9 Rocket Richard Trophies account for an incredible 41% of all trophies awarded since its inception in 1998-99. His sustained goal-scoring prowess and ability to lead the league in goals over such a long career is truly remarkable and unmatched in NHL history.
Most King Clancy Trophies
Henrik Sedin is the only player who has won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy more than once. Henrik Sedin won the King Clancy Trophy in 2016 while playing for the Vancouver Canucks. In 2018, Henrik Sedin and his twin brother Daniel Sedin shared the King Clancy Trophy, becoming the first and only players to win it together.
No other player has won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy multiple times. It is awarded annually to the NHL player “who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”
Most Jack Adams Trophies
Pat Burns is the NHL coach who has won the most Jack Adams Awards with 3 wins.
- Pat Burns won the Jack Adams Award in 1988-89 with the Montreal Canadiens, in 1992-93 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and in 1997-98 with the Boston Bruins.
- He is the only coach to have won the Jack Adams Award with 3 different teams.
- The next closest coaches are Scotty Bowman, Jacques Demers, Pat Quinn, and Barry Trotz, who have each won the award twice.
- No other coach has won more than 2 Jack Adams Awards throughout NHL history based on the information provided.
In summary, Pat Burns stands alone as the NHL coach who has been awarded the most Jack Adams Trophies with an impressive 3 wins, cementing his legacy as one of the most successful and impactful coaches of his era. His ability to lead 3 different franchises to success is truly remarkable.
