Hart Memorial Trophy
The Hart Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player in the National Hockey League. The voting is conducted by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association to judge the player who is the most valuable to his team during the regular season.
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[edit] History
The Hart Memorial Trophy is named in honour of Dr. David Hart. Dr. Hart, who donated the trophy to the NHL, was the father of Cecil Hart, a former Coach and General Manager of the Montreal Canadiens hockey club. The Hart Trophy was first awarded at the conclusion of the 1923-24 NHL season. The winner of the first Hart Trophy was Frank Nighbor of the Ottawa Senators. When the original "Hart Trophy" was retired in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1960, the NHL began presenting the Hart Memorial Trophy in its place.
With the exceptions being Tommy Anderson (won in 1942) and Al Rollins, every player who won the Hart Trophy before 1990 has been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Mark Messier and Brett Hull are retired but have not yet met eligibility requirements. Sergei Federov, Eric Lindros, Dominik Hasek, Chris Pronger, Joe Sakic, Jose Theodore, Peter Forsberg and Martin St. Louis have all won the Hart, but are still active players.
Wayne Gretzky won the award a record nine times during his career, 8 consecutively. He has been named MVP more times than any other player in the history of the other 3 Major Professional Leagues (MLB, NBA, and NFL). Barry Bonds is second, having won the MVP award seven times in Major League Baseball.
[edit] Hart Memorial Trophy Winners
- 2008 - Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
- 2007 - Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2006 - Joe Thornton, Boston Bruins/San Jose Sharks
- 2005 - No winner due to the 2004-05 NHL lockout
- 2004 - Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2003 - Peter Forsberg, Colorado Avalanche
- 2002 - Jose Theodore, Montreal Canadiens
- 2001 - Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche
- 2000 - Chris Pronger, St. Louis Blues
- 1999 - Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 1998 - Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres
- 1997 - Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres
- 1996 - Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 1995 - Eric Lindros, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1994 - Sergei Fedorov, Detroit Red Wings
- 1993 - Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 1992 - Mark Messier, New York Rangers
- 1991 - Brett Hull, St. Louis Blues
- 1990 - Mark Messier, Edmonton Oilers
- 1989 - Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Kings
- 1988 - Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 1987 - Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
- 1986 - Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
- 1985 - Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
- 1984 - Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
- 1983 - Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
- 1982 - Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
- 1981 - Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
- 1980 - Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
- 1979 - Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders
- 1978 - Guy Lafleur, Montreal Canadiens
- 1977 - Guy Lafleur, Montreal Canadiens
- 1976 - Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1975 - Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1974 - Phil Esposito, Boston Bruins
- 1973 - Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers
- 1972 - Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins
- 1971 - Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins
- 1970 - Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins
- 1969 - Phil Esposito, Boston Bruins
- 1968 - Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks
- 1967 - Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks
- 1966 - Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
- 1965 - Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks
- 1964 - Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens
- 1963 - Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings
- 1962 - Jacques Plante, Montreal Canadiens
- 1961 - Bernie Geoffrion, Montreal Canadiens
- 1960 - Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings
- 1959 - Andy Bathgate, New York Rangers
- 1958 - Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings
- 1957 - Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings
- 1956 - Jean Beliveau, Montreal Canadiens
- 1955 - Ted Kennedy, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1954 - Al Rollins, Chicago Blackhawks
- 1953 - Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings
- 1952 - Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings
- 1951 - Milt Schmidt, Boston Bruins
- 1950 - Chuck Rayner, New York Rangers
- 1949 - Sid Abel, Detroit Red Wings
- 1948 - Bud O'Connor, New York Rangers
- 1947 - Maurice Richard, Montreal Canadiens
- 1946 - Max Bentley, Chicago Black Hawks
- 1945 - Elmer Lach, Montreal Canadiens
- 1944 - Babe Pratt, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1943 - Bill Cowley, Boston Bruins
- 1942 - Tommy Anderson, Brooklyn Americans
- 1941 - Bill Cowley, Boston Bruins
- 1940 - Ebbie Goodfellow, Detroit Red Wings
- 1939 - Toe Blake, Montreal Canadiens
- 1938 - Eddie Shore, Boston Bruins
- 1937 - Babe Siebert, Montreal Canadiens
- 1936 - Eddie Shore, Boston Bruins
- 1935 - Eddie Shore, Boston Bruins
- 1934 - Aurel Joliat, Montreal Canadiens
- 1933 - Eddie Shore, Boston Bruins
- 1932 - Howie Morenz, Montreal Canadiens
- 1931 - Howie Morenz, Montreal Canadiens
- 1930 - Nels Stewart, Montreal Maroons
- 1929 - Roy Worters, New York Americans
- 1928 - Howie Morenz, Montreal Canadiens
- 1927 - Herb Gardiner, Montreal Canadiens
- 1926 - Nels Stewart, Montreal Maroons
- 1925 - Billy Burch, Hamilton Tigers
- 1924 - Frank Nighbor, Ottawa Senators
