List of NHL awards facts for kids
The National Hockey League (NHL) gives out many awards and trophies each year to celebrate its teams and players. The most famous and oldest award is the Stanley Cup. It was first given out in 1893. The Stanley Cup goes to the team that wins the NHL playoffs. It's the third trophy used for the league's championship. For the first nine years of the NHL, the Stanley Cup was a challenge cup for many leagues.
Most of these trophies and special player selections are given out at a big awards ceremony. This event usually happens in late June, after the Stanley Cup playoffs finish. For the 2019–20 season, the awards were given out during the last two rounds of the playoffs.
Contents
A Look Back: History of NHL Awards
Team Trophies: Celebrating the Best Teams
The very first championship trophy in the NHL was the O'Brien Cup. It was created in 1910 by the National Hockey Association. It moved to the NHL in 1918 and was given to the playoff champion until 1927. After the Western Hockey League ended in 1926, the Stanley Cup became only for the NHL. The O'Brien Trophy then went to the champion of the Canadian Division. After 1938, the league went back to one division. The O'Brien Trophy was then given to the team that lost in the Stanley Cup Finals until it was retired in 1950.
The Prince of Wales Trophy started in 1925. It was also an award for the NHL's playoff champion, along with the O'Brien Trophy. Soon, after the 1927–28 season, it became the trophy for the American Division. This lasted until the 1937–38 season when the league had only one division again. Then, it became the award for the best team in the regular season. In 1967–68, it became the East Division trophy. The Prince of Wales Trophy is still an active award today. It is given to the playoff champion of the Eastern Conference.
The Clarence S. Campbell Bowl was created in 1967. It was made to be the Western Division's version of the Prince of Wales Trophy. Now, it is given to the Western Conference champion.
The newest team trophy is the Presidents' Trophy. It has been given to the NHL's best team in the regular season since 1986.
Individual Trophies: Honoring Top Players
The first award for a single player was the Hart Trophy. It was first given out in 1924 to the league's most valuable player. This trophy was replaced by the current Hart Memorial Trophy in 1960. The Lady Byng Trophy came next in 1925. It goes to the player who shows the best sportsmanship and polite behavior, along with great playing skill.
Two years later, the Vezina Trophy was created for the NHL's best goaltender (the player who stops shots). The Conn Smythe Trophy was first given out in 1965. It goes to the most valuable player in the NHL playoffs. Today, the NHL has 18 yearly awards for individual players. The newest one is the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award, which started in 2010.
Many players have won multiple awards in the same season. For example, Stan Mikita won the Hart, Art Ross, and Lady Byng trophies in both the 1966–67 and 1967–68 seasons. Guy Lafleur and Wayne Gretzky each won the Art Ross, Hart, and Conn Smythe trophies, plus the Stanley Cup, in different seasons. Bobby Orr won the Hart, Norris, and Conn Smythe trophies, along with the Stanley Cup, in 1969–70 and 1971–72. In 1970, Orr also won the Art Ross. This makes him the only player to win four original NHL awards in one season!
Also, the First and Second All-Star Teams have been chosen since the 1930–31 NHL season. These teams honor the best players at each position. The NHL All-Rookie Team has been chosen since 1983 for the best new players.
Some individual trophies are given out automatically based on player statistics. These include the Art Ross Trophy, Richard Trophy, and Jennings Trophy. Other individual trophies are decided by votes from hockey writers or team general managers.
Team Trophies
| Image | Award | Created | What it's For | Current Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Stanley Cup | 1893 | Given to the team that wins the NHL playoffs. It's the oldest and most famous hockey trophy. | Vegas Golden Knights |
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Prince of Wales Trophy | 1925–26 | Given to the team that wins the Eastern Conference playoffs. | Florida Panthers |
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Clarence S. Campbell Bowl | 1967–68 | Given to the team that wins the Western Conference playoffs. | Edmonton Oilers |
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Presidents' Trophy | 1985–86 | Given to the team with the best overall record (most points) at the end of the regular season. | New York Rangers |
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O'Brien Trophy | 1910 | This trophy is no longer given out. It used to be for playoff champions or division winners. | Last awarded in 1949–50 |
Individual Trophies and Awards
| Image | Award | Created | What it's For | Current Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Hart Memorial Trophy | 1923–24 | Given to the player judged most valuable to their team. | Connor McDavid Edmonton Oilers |
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Lady Byng Memorial Trophy | 1924–25 | Given to the player who shows great sportsmanship and skill. | Jaccob Slavin Carolina Hurricanes |
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Vezina Trophy | 1926–27 | Given to the league's best goaltender. | Linus Ullmark Boston Bruins |
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Calder Memorial Trophy | 1936–37 | Given to the league's most outstanding rookie player. | Matty Beniers Seattle Kraken |
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Art Ross Trophy | 1947–48 | Given to the player who leads the league in total points (goals + assists) at the end of the regular season. | Nikita Kucherov Tampa Bay Lightning |
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James Norris Memorial Trophy | 1953–54 | Given to the defenseman who shows the greatest all-around ability in their position. | Erik Karlsson San Jose Sharks |
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Conn Smythe Trophy | 1965 | Given to the most valuable player during the playoffs. | Jonathan Marchessault Vegas Golden Knights |
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Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy | 1967–68 | Given to the player who shows great perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. | Connor Ingram Arizona Coyotes |
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Ted Lindsay Award | 1970–71 | Given to the NHL's outstanding player, as chosen by the players themselves. | Connor McDavid Edmonton Oilers |
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Jack Adams Award | 1973–74 | Given to the NHL coach who has helped their team succeed the most. | Rick Tocchet Vancouver Canucks |
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Frank J. Selke Trophy | 1977–78 | Given to the forward who is best at playing defense. | Aleksander Barkov Florida Panthers |
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William M. Jennings Trophy | 1981–82 | Given to the goaltender(s) on the team that allowed the fewest goals in the regular season. | Connor Hellebuyck Winnipeg Jets |
| NHL Plus/Minus Award | 1982–83 | This award is no longer given out. It went to the player with the highest plus/minus statistic. | Last awarded in 2007–08 | |
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King Clancy Memorial Trophy | 1987–88 | Given to the player who shows leadership and helps their community. | Anders Lee New York Islanders |
| NHL Foundation Player Award | 1997–98 | This award is no longer given out. It went to the player who used hockey values to help their community. | Last awarded in 2016–17 | |
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Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy | 1998–99 | Given to the player who scores the most goals in the regular season. | Auston Matthews Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award | 1999–2000 | This award is no longer given out. It went to the goaltender with the best save percentage. | Last awarded in 2006–07 | |
| Mark Messier Leadership Award | 2006–07 | Given by former player Mark Messier to a player who shows great leadership on and off the ice. | Jacob Trouba New York Rangers |
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| Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award | 2009–10 | Given to the best General Manager in the NHL. | Jim Nill Dallas Stars |
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| E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence | 2015–16 | Given to a player who is expected to be drafted, showing great character, competitiveness, and athletic skill. | Connor Bedard Chicago Blackhawks |
The NHL has also given out a few other awards over the years that are no longer active:
- NHL/Sheraton Road Performer Award – This award went to the player who earned the most points while playing away from home. It was given out only once in 2004.
- Scotiabank/NHL Fan Fav Award – Fans voted for their favorite NHL player to win this award. It was given out only once in 2010.
- NHL Lifetime Achievement Award – This award honored NHL veterans for their overall contributions to hockey. It was given twice, in 2008 and 2009.
Starting in 2017–18, the NHL began giving out the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award. This award goes to two people (one in Canada and one in the United States) who are not NHL players. They are recognized for making a positive difference in their community through hockey.
See also
- Lester Patrick Trophy - an award partly given by the NHL for contributions to hockey in the United States, but not considered an official NHL award.
- Best NHL Player ESPY Award - an award given by the American sports TV network ESPN to NHL players.
- Hockey Hall of Fame
- Sports Illustrated NHL All-Decade Team (2009)
- NHL All-Rookie Team
- NHL All-Star team
- NHL All-Decade team
- NHL statistical records and milestones
