The Ted Lindsay Award, formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players' Association. First awarded in 1971, it is a companion to the Hart Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the League's Most Valuable Player, as judged by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The award was renamed in 2010 after Ted Lindsay of the Detroit Red Wings.[1]
 | |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | National Hockey League's outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players Association |
| History | |
| First award | 1971–72 NHL season |
| First winner | Phil Esposito |
| Most wins | Wayne Gretzky (5) |
| Most recent | Connor McDavid Edmonton Oilers |
History
The award was first handed out at the conclusion of the 1970–71 NHL season. It was named in honour of Lester B. Pearson, who was Prime Minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968, the recipient of the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize, and a former player and coach for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues men's ice hockey team.[2]
On April 29, 2010, the National Hockey League Players' Association announced that the award would be reintroduced as the Ted Lindsay Award to honor Hall of Famer Ted Lindsay for his skill, tenacity, leadership, and role in establishing the original Players' Association.[1] The voting for the trophy is conducted at the end of the regular season by the members of the NHL Players Association.[2]
Wayne Gretzky won the award five times during his career. Members of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers have won the award ten times each. The Lindsay Award is considered to be the companion of the Hart Memorial Trophy—the trophies have been won by the same player for the same season 35 times (of the 52 seasons both have been awarded) by 22 players: Bobby Clarke, Phil Esposito, Guy Lafleur (x2), Gretzky (x5), Mario Lemieux (x3), Mark Messier (x2), Brett Hull, Sergei Fedorov, Eric Lindros, Dominik Hasek (x2), Jaromir Jagr, Joe Sakic, Martin St. Louis, Sidney Crosby (x3), Alexander Ovechkin (x2), Evgeni Malkin, Carey Price, Patrick Kane, Connor McDavid (x3), Nikita Kucherov, Leon Draisaitl, and Auston Matthews.[3] 13 of those players have also won the Art Ross Trophy for the same season a combined 23 times and completed a Hart-Pearson/Lindsay-Art Ross sweep: Esposito, Lafleur (x2), Gretzky (x5), Lemieux (x3), Jagr, St. Louis, Crosby (x2), Ovechkin, Malkin, Kane, McDavid (x3), Kucherov and Draisaitl.[4] Hasek and Price are the only goaltenders to win the Hart and Pearson/Lindsay in the same year. Bobby Orr won the Norris, Pearson and Art Ross in 1974-75 and is the only defenceman to win the Pearson/Lindsay. Lafleur, Lemieux (x2) and Gretzky (x5), Ovechkin and McDavid have also all led the league in goal scoring in the years they won the Hart, Pearson/Lindsay and Art Ross; though only Ovechkin and McDavid won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy which was introduced in 1998-99. Brett Hull, Ovechkin and Auston Matthews have also led the league in goals in years they won the Hart and Pearson/Lindsay (but not the Art Ross).
Winners
| C | Centre | D | Defence | RW | Right wing | LW | Left wing | G | Goaltender |