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. The voting for the trophy is conducted at the end of the regular season by the members of the NHL Players Association.

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. 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). 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.

Winners

Positions key

C

Centre

D

Defence

RW

Right Wing

LW

Left Wing

G

Goaltender

Season

Winner	Team	Position	Win #
1970–71		Boston Bruins	C	1
1971–72		New York Rangers	C	1
1972–73		Boston Bruins	C	2
1973–74		Philadelphia Flyers	C	1
1974–75		Boston Bruins	D	1
1975–76		Montreal Canadiens	RW	1
1976–77		Montreal Canadiens	RW	2
1977–78		Montreal Canadiens	RW	3
1978–79		Los Angeles Kings	C	1
1979–80		Los Angeles Kings	C	2
1980–81		St. Louis Blues	G	1
1981–82		Edmonton Oilers	C	1
1982–83		Edmonton Oilers	C	2
1983–84		Edmonton Oilers	C	3
1984–85		Edmonton Oilers	C	4
1985–86		Pittsburgh Penguins	C	1
1986–87		Edmonton Oilers	C	5
1987–88		Pittsburgh Penguins	C	2
1988–89		Detroit Red Wings	C	1
1989–90		Edmonton Oilers	C	1
1990–91		St. Louis Blues	RW	1
1991–92		New York Rangers	C	2
1992–93		Pittsburgh Penguins	C	3
1993–94		Detroit Red Wings	C	1
1994–95		Philadelphia Flyers	C	1
1995–96		Pittsburgh Penguins	C	4
1996–97		Buffalo Sabres	G	1
1997–98		Buffalo Sabres	G	2
1998–99		Pittsburgh Penguins	RW	1
1999–2000		Pittsburgh Penguins	RW	2
2000–01		Colorado Avalanche	C	1
2001–02		Calgary Flames	RW	1
2002–03		Vancouver Canucks	LW	1
2003–04		Tampa Bay Lightning	RW	1
2004–05		-	-	-
2005–06		New York Rangers	RW	3
2006–07		Pittsburgh Penguins	C	1
2007–08		Washington Capitals	LW	1
2008–09		Washington Capitals	LW	2

References

General

• Lester B. Pearson Award history at NHL.com
• Lester B. Pearson Award history at Legends of Hockey.net

Specific

See also

• List of NHL players
• List of NHL statistical leaders