Ted Lindsay Award

Ted Lindsay Award. The Ted Lindsay Award is presented annually to the "most outstanding player" in the National Hockey League as voted by the members of the NHL Players' Association. It is distinct from the Hart Memorial Trophy, which is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, and is considered the players' choice for the league's premier performer. Named in honor of Ted Lindsay, a Hockey Hall of Fame inductee and pioneering force in establishing the original players' union, the award recognizes excellence as determined by a player's peers.

History

The award was first presented at the conclusion of the 1970–71 NHL season as the Lester B. Pearson Award, named for the former Prime Minister of Canada and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lester B. Pearson. It was created by the NHL Players' Association to allow the players themselves to honor their most outstanding peer. The inaugural winner was Phil Esposito of the Boston Bruins, who led the league in scoring that season. In 2010, the trophy was renamed to honor Ted Lindsay, a fierce competitor with the Detroit Red Wings during the Original Six era who was instrumental in forming the original players' association in 1957. The renaming ceremony took place during the 2010 NHL Awards in Las Vegas, with Lindsay himself in attendance, cementing his legacy as a champion for players' rights alongside his on-ice achievements.

Selection process

At the conclusion of the NHL regular season, each member of the NHL Players' Association submits a vote for the player they consider to be the most outstanding in the league. Players are not permitted to vote for members of their own team, ensuring a broad and impartial perspective from across the NHL. The voting process is administered by the NHLPA and the accounting firm Ernst & Young tabulates the ballots to determine the winner. This peer-voted process differentiates it significantly from the Hart Memorial Trophy, which is decided by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, and the Art Ross Trophy, which is awarded purely for leading the league in points. The winner is announced during the annual NHL Awards ceremony.

Recipients

The list of winners includes many of the most legendary figures in NHL history, spanning multiple eras of the sport. Early winners like Phil Esposito, Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins, and Guy Lafleur of the Montreal Canadiens dominated the award in the 1970s. The 1980s saw stars like Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers and Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins claim the honor multiple times. In more recent decades, exceptional talents such as Jaromir Jagr, Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, and Connor McDavid have been frequent recipients. The award has been won by players from numerous franchises, including the Detroit Red Wings, Colorado Avalanche, and Tampa Bay Lightning, reflecting the league-wide distribution of elite talent.

Multiple winners

Several players have demonstrated sustained excellence by winning the award multiple times throughout their careers. Wayne Gretzky holds the record with five wins, captured during his tenure with the Edmonton Oilers. Mario Lemieux follows with four awards, all earned with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jaromir Jagr and Sidney Crosby have each won the honor three times, while Connor McDavid has also secured three awards as of the 2022–23 NHL season. Other two-time winners include Guy Lafleur, Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders, Mark Messier, and Alexander Ovechkin. This elite group underscores the award's status as a marker of peer-recognized dominance over an extended period.

See also

* Hart Memorial Trophy * Art Ross Trophy * Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy * Conn Smythe Trophy * NHL Awards * List of NHL awards

Category:National Hockey League trophies and awards Category:National Hockey League awards