The Hart Trophy is arguably the most coveted individual award in professional hockey. For almost 90 years now the NHL has been handing out the award to the player deemed to be most valuable to his team.
The original Hart Trophy was donated in 1923 by Dr. David A. Hart. In 1960 the NHL placed the original Hart Trophy into the Hockey Hall of Fame, henceforth awarding the Hart Memorial Trophy.
Wayne Gretzky holds the record for winning the most Hart Trophies, having captured the award nine times. He and former Edmonton Oilers teammate Mark Messier are the only two players to have won the award with two different teams.
Though goaltenders have their own award – the Vezina Trophy – they have won the award a handful of times throughout history. Jose Theodore was the latest keeper to nab the award, doing so in 2002, and Dominik Hasek is the only goalie to win the award twice, winning it back to back in 1997 and 1998.
Corey Perry is the latest winner of the award, capturing it in 2011, edging out fellow finalists Daniel Sedin and Martin St. Louis. For a full list of NHL Hart Trophy winners by year see below:
List of NHL Hart Trophy Winners by Year
2011 – Corey Perry – Anaheim Ducks
2010 – Henrik Sedin – Vancouver Canucks
2009 – Alex Ovechkin – Washington Capitals
2008 – Alex Ovechkin – Washington Capitals
2007 – Sidney Crosby – Pittsburgh Penguins
2006 – Joe Thornton – San Jose Sharks
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 Blackhawks
1967 – Stan Mikita – Chicago Blackhawks
1966 – Bobby Hull – Chicago Blackhawks
1965 – Bobby Hull – Chicago Blackhawks
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 – Charlie Rayner – New York Rangers
1949 – Sid Abel – Detroit Red Wings
1948 – Buddy O’Connor – New York Rangers
1947 – Maurice Richard – Montreal Canadiens
1946 – Max Bentley – Chicago Blackhawks
1945 – Elmer Lach – Montreal Canadiens
1944 – Babe Pratt – Toronto Maple Leafs
1943 – Bill Cowley – Boston Bruins
1942 – Tom Anderson – Brooklyn Americans
1941 – Bill Cowley – Boston Bruins
1940 – Eddie 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