Lester B. Pearson Award

Lester B. Pearson Award
Hhof lester pearson.jpg
Established 1971-72 NHL season
Current holder Alexander Ovechkin
Awarded to the National Hockey League's outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players Association

The Lester B. Pearson Award is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players Association. The Lester B. Pearson Award has been awarded 37 times to 22 different players since its beginnings in 1971. It is a companion to the Hart Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the League's Most Valuable Player.

Contents

History

The award was first handed out at the conclusion of the 1971-72 NHL season. It is named in honour of Lester B. Pearson who was Prime Minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968, was a winner of the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize and a former player and coach of the University of Toronto Varsity Blues men's ice hockey team.[1] The voting for the trophy is conducted at the end of the regular season by the members of the NHL Players Association.[1]

Wayne Gretzky won the award five times during his career. Members of the Pittsburgh Penguins have won the award the most number of times, with seven winners, followed by the Edmonton Oilers, with six winners.[1] The Pearson Award is considered to be the companion of the Hart Memorial Trophy, thirteen players have won both trophies for the same season: Guy Lafleur (1976–77 and 1977–78), Wayne Gretzky (1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85 and 1986–87), Mario Lemieux (1987–88 and 1992–93 and 1995–96), Mark Messier (1989–90 and 1991–92), Brett Hull (1990–91), Sergei Fedorov (1993–94), Eric Lindros (1994–95), Dominik Hasek (1996–97 and 1997–98), Jaromir Jagr (1998–99), Joe Sakic (2000–01), Martin St. Louis (2003–04), Sidney Crosby (2006–07) and Alexander Ovechkin (2007–08).[2] Of those thirteen, only Lafleur, Gretzky, Lemieux, Jagr, St. Louis, Crosby, and Ovechkin have also won the Art Ross Trophy for the same season and completed a Hart-Pearson-Art Ross sweep.[3]

Winners

Mario Lemieux, four-time winner.
Dominik Hasek, two-time winner.
Jarome Iginla, one-time winner.
Martin St. Louis, one-time winner.
Sidney Crosby, one-time winner.
Positions key
C Centre D Defence RW Right Wing LW Left Wing G Goaltender

     Player is still active

Season Winner Team Position Win #
1970–71 Phil Esposito Boston Bruins C 1
1971–72 Jean Ratelle New York Rangers C 1
1972–73 Phil Esposito Boston Bruins C 2
1973–74 Bobby Clarke Philadelphia Flyers C 1
1974–75 Bobby Orr Boston Bruins D 1
1975–76 Guy Lafleur Montreal Canadiens RW 1
1976–77 Guy Lafleur Montreal Canadiens RW 2
1977–78 Guy Lafleur Montreal Canadiens RW 3
1978–79 Marcel Dionne Los Angeles Kings C 1
1979–80 Marcel Dionne Los Angeles Kings C 2
1980–81 Mike Liut St. Louis Blues G 1
1981–82 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers C 1
1982–83 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers C 2
1983–84 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers C 3
1984–85 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers C 4
1985–86 Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh Penguins C 1
1986–87 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers C 5
1987–88 Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh Penguins C 2
1988–89 Steve Yzerman Detroit Red Wings C 1
1989–90 Mark Messier Edmonton Oilers C 1
1990–91 Brett Hull St. Louis Blues RW 1
1991–92 Mark Messier New York Rangers C 2
1992–93 Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh Penguins C 3
1993–94 Sergei Fedorov Detroit Red Wings C 1
1994–95 Eric Lindros Philadelphia Flyers C 1
1995–96 Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh Penguins C 4
1996–97 Dominik Hasek Buffalo Sabres G 1
1997–98 Dominik Hasek Buffalo Sabres G 2
1998–99 Jaromir Jagr Pittsburgh Penguins RW 1
1999–2000 Jaromir Jagr Pittsburgh Penguins RW 2
2000–01 Joe Sakic Colorado Avalanche C 1
2001–02 Jarome Iginla Calgary Flames RW 1
2002–03 Markus Naslund Vancouver Canucks LW 1
2003–04 Martin St. Louis Tampa Bay Lightning RW 1
2004–05 2004-05 NHL lockout
No winner		 - - -
2005–06 Jaromir Jagr New York Rangers RW 3
2006–07 Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins C 1
2007–08 Alexander Ovechkin Washington Capitals LW 1

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Lester B. Pearson Award history". Legendsofhockey.net. Retrieved on 2007-08-17.
  2. ↑ "Hart Memorial Trophy history". NHL.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-18.
  3. ↑ "NHL releases list of trophy finalists". Canadian Press. Retrieved on 2007-08-18.

See also

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