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. The Lester B. Pearson Award has been awarded 38 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.
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, 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.[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 and 2008–09).[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
Player is still active
References
See also
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