NHL Awards, Honours and Trophies: McDavid captures third Hart Trophy

From the Hart Memorial Trophy to the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award, here is all you need to know about every NHL team and individual award, including a list of 2023 winners.

What are the main NHL awards?

There are a number of trophies won by teams and individuals during an NHL season, some of which are earned at the end of the regular season and through the playoffs, and some which are decided by a vote and awarded at an annual ceremony following the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Final.

The Stanley Cup is of course the biggest team prize in the NHL, awarded to the playoff champion, with each conference winner also winning a trophy - the Prince of Wales Trophy is won by the Eastern champions, while their Western counterparts collect the Clarence S Campbell Bowl. 

The Presidents' Trophy is the most recently awarded team award - first awarded in 1986 - and that is given to the franchise that finishes the regular season with the best overall record, determined by points.

The most prestigious individual honor is given to the player adjudged to be the most valuable in the NHL, while a similar award is given to the MVP of the playoffs, known as the Conn Smythe Trophy - won in the 2022/23 season by Jonathan Marchessault of the Stanley Cup-winning Vegas Golden Knights.

There are also trophies given to the top defenseman, goaltender and rookie, among others - again decided by vote, while there also awards achieved automatically, based on statistics, most notably the leading point scorer in the regular season - the Art Ross Trophy - and the top goal scorer - the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy.

List of 2023 winners

Hart Trophy - Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

James Norris Memorial Trophy – Erik Karlsson, San Jose Sharks

Vezina Trophy - Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins

Ted Lindsay Award – Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

Calder Memorial Trophy - Matty Beniers, Seattle Kraken

Jack Adams Award – Jim Montgomery, Boston Bruins

Frank J. Selke Trophy - Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins

Lady Byng Trophy - Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings

Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award – To be announced June 28

King Clancy Memorial Trophy - Mikael Backlund, Calgary Flames

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy – Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins

When are the 2024 NHL Awards?

The 2024 NHL Awards will take place in mid-to-late June 2024 in the weeks after a Stanley Cup champion is crowned.

What are the NHL award trophies called?

NHL champion - Stanley Cup

Eastern Conference champion - Prince of Wales Trophy

Western Conference champion - Clarence S. Campbell Bowl

Club win the best overall regular season record - Presidents' Trophy

Most Valuable Player - Hart Memorial Trophy

Player who exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct, combined with high standard of playing ability - Lady Byng Memorial Trophy

Best goaltender - Vezina Trophy

Most outstanding rookie - Calder Memorial Trophy

Leading pointscorer - Art Ross Trophy

Best defenseman - James Norris Memorial Trophy

Playoff Most Valuable Player - Conn Smythe Trophy

Perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey - Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

Most outstanding player (selected by NHL Players Association) - Ted Lindsay Award

Coach of the Year - Jack Adams Award

Forward who best excels in the defensive aspect of the game - Frank J. Selke Trophy

Goaltender who conceded fewest goals - William M. Jennings Trophy

Best leadership qualities while making notable humanitarian contribution - King Clancy Memorial Trophy

Top goalscorer - Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy

Best leader, on and off the ice, as judged by Mark Messier - Mark Messier Leadership Award

GM of the Year - Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award

Who has won the most NHL awards?

In terms of the MVP award, it perhaps comes as little surprise that "the Great One", Wayne Gretzky, has won the most Hart Memorial Trophies, having achieved the feat nine times, including in eight successive years from 1980 to 1987 while with the Edmonton Oilers. 

His last award was won in 1989 after he moved to the Los Angeles Kings.

Legendary Detroit Red Wing, Gordie Howe, is next on the list with six awards, while the only other player to have won it more than three times is Eddie Shore of Boston Bruins fame.

Alexander Ovechkin has won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy nine times and as he is still active, he will be hoping he still has enough time left in his career to reach Gretzky's NHL all-time leading goal tally of 894. 

The Russian ace is second in the all-time list with 822.