The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, is awarded annually to the “player judged most valuable to his team” in the National Hockey League (NHL). The original trophy was donated to the league in 1923 by David Hart, the father of Cecil Hart, the longtime head coach of the Montreal Canadiens. The Hart Trophy has been awarded 93 times to 56 different players since its beginnings in 1924. Each year, members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association vote to determine the player who was the most valuable to his team during the regular season. The current holder of the trophy is Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche.
Who Has Won the Most Hart Trophies?
Of course, the greatest player to ever play the game, Wayne Gretzky has won the most Hart Trophies clocking in with a staggering nine wins. In fact, he won it eight seasons in a row between 1980 and 1987. The next closest is the one and only Mr. Hockey himself aka Gordie Howe with six.
How is the Winner Chosen for the Hart Trophy?
Members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association vote at the end of the regular season, and each individual voter ranks their top five candidates on a 10–7–5–3–1 point(s) system. Three finalists are named and the trophy is awarded at the NHL awards ceremony after the conclusion of the playoffs.
How Many Goaltenders Have Won the Hart Trophy?
Only seven goaltenders have been given the distinction of winning the Hart Trophy. They include Roy Worters, Chuck Rayner, Al Rollins, Jacques Plante, Dominik Hasek, Jose Theodore, and Carey Price. Only Hasek has won the award multiple times, walking away with it in 1997 and 1998.
Has Anyone Unanimously Won the Hart Trophy?
No, but Mario Lemieux came close in 1993 when he won the scoring title by 12 points despite missing two months during the season due to cancer treatments. One writer voted for Pat Lafontaine, who was the runner-up in the scoring race.
Lemieux Broke Gretzky’s Streak in 1988
Lemieux may have won the trophy, but still admitted that Gretzky was the best in the game.
“The only reason Gretzky did not win the Hart is because he was hurt.”
Mario Lemieux
Deeper Dive
- Ranking Every Hart Trophy Winner From 2005 to 2020
- Penguins: 7 Hart Trophy Seasons
- Leon Draisaitl Wins Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award
- What Nathan MacKinnon Must Do to Win the 2021 Hart Trophy
- Jarome Iginla Deserved the 2002 Hart Trophy
- Hart to Hart, the Canadiens’ Hart-Winning Goalies of the 2000s
Oldest & Youngest Hart Winners
Youngest to win the award: 19-years old, Sidney Crosby – 2006-07 & Wayne Gretzky – 1979-80
Oldest to win the award: 35-years old, Herb Gardiner – 1926-27 & Eddie Shore – 1937-38
Average age: 27-years old
…from NHL Awards Oldest & Youngest
Hart Memorial Trophy Winners
| Season | Winner | Team | Win # |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1923–24 | Frank Nighbor | Ottawa Senators | 1 |
| 1924–25 | Billy Burch | Hamilton Tigers | 1 |
| 1925–26 | Nels Stewart | Montreal Maroons | 1 |
| 1926–27 | Herb Gardiner | Montreal Canadiens | 1 |
| 1927–28 | Howie Morenz | Montreal Canadiens | 1 |
| 1928–29 | Roy Worters | New York Americans | 1 |
| 1929–30 | Nels Stewart | Montreal Maroons | 2 |
| 1930–31 | Howie Morenz | Montreal Canadiens | 2 |
| 1931–32 | Howie Morenz | Montreal Canadiens | 3 |
| 1932–33 | Eddie Shore | Boston Bruins | 1 |
| 1933–34 | Aurele Joliat | Montreal Canadiens | 1 |
| 1934–35 | Eddie Shore | Boston Bruins | 2 |
| 1935–36 | Eddie Shore | Boston Bruins | 3 |
| 1936–37 | Babe Siebert | Montreal Canadiens | 1 |
| 1937–38 | Eddie Shore | Boston Bruins | 4 |
| 1938–39 | Toe Blake | Montreal Canadiens | 1 |
| 1939–40 | Ebbie Goodfellow | Detroit Red Wings | 1 |
| 1940–41 | Bill Cowley | Boston Bruins | 1 |
| 1941–42 | Tommy Anderson | Brooklyn Americans | 1 |
| 1942–43 | Bill Cowley | Boston Bruins | 2 |
| 1943–44 | Babe Pratt | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1 |
| 1944–45 | Elmer Lach | Montreal Canadiens | 1 |
| 1945–46 | Max Bentley | Chicago Black Hawks | 1 |
| 1946–47 | Maurice Richard | Montreal Canadiens | 1 |
| 1947–48 | Buddy O’Connor | New York Rangers | 1 |
| 1948–49 | Sid Abel | Detroit Red Wings | 1 |
| 1949–50 | Chuck Rayner | New York Rangers | 1 |
| 1950–51 | Milt Schmidt | Boston Bruins | 1 |
| 1951–52 | Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings | 1 |
| 1952–53 | Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings | 2 |
| 1953–54 | Al Rollins | Chicago Black Hawks | 1 |
| 1954–55 | Ted Kennedy | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1 |
| 1955–56 | Jean Beliveau | Montreal Canadiens | 1 |
| 1956–57 | Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings | 3 |
| 1957–58 | Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings | 4 |
| 1958–59 | Andy Bathgate | New York Rangers | 1 |
| 1959–60 | Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings | 5 |
| 1960–61 | Bernie Geoffrion | Montreal Canadiens | 1 |
| 1961–62 | Jacques Plante | Montreal Canadiens | 1 |
| 1962–63 | Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings | 6 |
| 1963–64 | Jean Beliveau | Montreal Canadiens | 2 |
| 1964–65 | Bobby Hull | Chicago Black Hawks | 1 |
| 1965–66 | Bobby Hull | Chicago Black Hawks | 2 |
| 1966–67 | Stan Mikita | Chicago Black Hawks | 1 |
| 1967–68 | Stan Mikita | Chicago Black Hawks | 2 |
| 1968–69 | Phil Esposito | Boston Bruins | 1 |
| 1969–70 | Bobby Orr | Boston Bruins | 1 |
| 1970–71 | Bobby Orr | Boston Bruins | 2 |
| 1971–72 | Bobby Orr | Boston Bruins | 3 |
| 1972–73 | Bobby Clarke | Philadelphia Flyers | 1 |
| 1973–74 | Phil Esposito | Boston Bruins | 2 |
| 1974–75 | Bobby Clarke | Philadelphia Flyers | 2 |
| 1975–76 | Bobby Clarke | Philadelphia Flyers | 3 |
| 1976–77 | Guy Lafleur | Montreal Canadiens | 1 |
| 1977–78 | Guy Lafleur | Montreal Canadiens | 2 |
| 1978–79 | Bryan Trottier | New York Islanders | 1 |
| 1979–80 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | 1 |
| 1980–81 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | 2 |
| 1981–82 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | 3 |
| 1982–83 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | 4 |
| 1983–84 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | 5 |
| 1984–85 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | 6 |
| 1985–86 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | 7 |
| 1986–87 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | 8 |
| 1987–88 | Mario Lemieux | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1 |
| 1988–89 | Wayne Gretzky | Los Angeles Kings | 9 |
| 1989–90 | Mark Messier | Edmonton Oilers | 1 |
| 1990–91 | Brett Hull | St. Louis Blues | 1 |
| 1991–92 | Mark Messier | New York Rangers | 2 |
| 1992–93 | Mario Lemieux | Pittsburgh Penguins | 2 |
| 1993–94 | Sergei Fedorov | Detroit Red Wings | 1 |
| 1994–95 | Eric Lindros | Philadelphia Flyers | 1 |
| 1995–96 | Mario Lemieux | Pittsburgh Penguins | 3 |
| 1996–97 | Dominik Hasek | Buffalo Sabres | 1 |
| 1997–98 | Dominik Hasek | Buffalo Sabres | 2 |
| 1998–99 | Jaromir Jagr | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1 |
| 1999–2000 | Chris Pronger | St. Louis Blues | 1 |
| 2000–01 | Joe Sakic | Colorado Avalanche | 1 |
| 2001–02 | Jose Theodore | Montreal Canadiens | 1 |
| 2002–03 | Peter Forsberg | Colorado Avalanche | 1 |
| 2003–04 | Martin St. Louis | Tampa Bay Lightning | 1 |
| 2004–05 | 2004-05 NHL lockout – No winner | — | — |
| 2005–06 | Joe Thornton | Boston Bruins/San Jose Sharks | 1 |
| 2006–07 | Sidney Crosby | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1 |
| 2007–08 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | 1 |
| 2008–09 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | 2 |
| 2009–10 | Henrik Sedin | Vancouver Canucks | 1 |
| 2010–11 | Corey Perry | Anaheim Ducks | 1 |
| 2011–12 | Evgeni Malkin | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1 |
| 2012–13 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | 3 |
| 2013–14 | Sidney Crosby | Pittsburgh Penguins | 2 |
| 2014–15 | Carey Price | Montreal Canadiens | 1 |
| 2015–16 | Patrick Kane | Chicago Blackhawks | 1 |
| 2016–17 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | 1 |
| 2017–18 | Taylor Hall | New Jersey Devils | 1 |
| 2018–19 | Nikita Kucherov | Tampa Bay Lightning | 1 |
| 2019–20 | Leon Draisaitl | Edmonton Oilers | 1 |
| 2020–21 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | 2 |
| 2021–22 | Auston Matthews | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1 |
| 2022-23 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | 3 |
| 2023-24 | Nathan MacKinnon | Colorado Avalanche | 1 |