Ted Lindsay Award

The Ted Lindsay Award is presented annually to the “Most Outstanding Player” in the NHL as voted by fellow members of the NHLPA. It remains the only award voted on by the players themselves, carrying on the tradition established by the Lester B. Pearson Award dating back to the 1970-71 season. The Ted Lindsay Award (TLA) recipient is chosen by his peers as the “most outstanding player” for the regular season, representing the highest level of respect and the ultimate peer review. The Award honours Ted Lindsay, an All-Star forward known for his skill, tenacity, leadership, and for his role in establishing the original Players' Association.

  • It was voted on by my fellow players and peers -- guys that I compete against on a daily basis. That one means a lot to me. Carey Price, 2014-15 Ted Lindsay Award recipient (Tri-City Herald, July 25, 2015)
  • Not to take anything away from the writers, (but) seeing those (players) every night, competing against 'em, I think it definitely means a lot to kind of get that recognition amongst the guys you play against. Sidney Crosby, three-time award recipient (TribLive.com, June 24, 2014)
  • It means a lot. Any time you get that much respect from your teammates and opponents, it's big. Daniel Sedin, 2010-11 Ted Lindsay Award recipient
  • The wonderful thing about it is that your peers are the ones who vote for who wins it. I feel humbled by it [the award being named after me] and I’m very grateful for it. Ted Lindsay – Hockey Hall of Fame player, and namesake to the award
  • I think it’s huge for a player to win this award. It tells a lot about the way you are viewed around the league. I think all players want to win this trophy. Alex Ovechkin, three-time award recipient

AWARD HISTORY

The Ted Lindsay Award is named in honour of former Detroit Red Wings great Ted Lindsay, a member of the Hall of Fame and four-time Stanley Cup Champion. Lindsay’s competitive nature, focus on players’ rights, and pioneering work as president of the original Players’ Association laid the groundwork for the current NHLPA.

THE PEARSON YEARS

The “most outstanding player” award was first introduced as the Lester B. Pearson Award following the 1970-71 National Hockey League (NHL) season. The award was named after the 14th Prime Minister of Canada and Nobel Peace Prize winner.

The Lester B. Pearson Award was presented to 22 different players over 38 seasons. Some of the most decorated names in hockey history have been voted “most outstanding player,” including Phil Esposito, Bobby Orr, Guy Lafleur and Alex Ovechkin.

Wayne Gretzky was the most decorated Award recipient during the Pearson era, taking home the honour on five occasions, including four consecutive years. Mario Lemieux captured the Award four times but never in back-to-back seasons. In 1993-94, Sergei Fedorov became the first non-Canadian born player to receive the Award, opening the door for other European players to receive the coveted prize, representing the international flavor of modern hockey.

RECONNECTING WITH HISTORY

2008-09 marked the final presentation of the Lester B. Pearson Award, as the Players would choose to honour one of the legends of the game and the Association by re-naming the award after Ted Lindsay. While the name has changed, the history of the Award and its significance for NHLPA members remains as strong as ever.

The inaugural recipient of the Ted Lindsay Award was Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin in 2009-10. After receiving the final two Awards of the Lester B. Pearson Award era, the Russian superstar became the first player since Wayne Gretzky in the 1980s to be named “most outstanding player” in three consecutive seasons.

2023-24 Ted Lindsay Award Recipient

Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon earned the first Ted Lindsay Award of his career after twice previously finishing as a finalist (2017-18, 2019-20). The forward from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada, set career highs in goals (51), assists (89) and points (140 points) – the latter of which established a new single-season franchise record ​for the Colorado Avalanche. MacKinnon opened the 2023-24 NHL season with a 35-game home point streak – the second longest such streak (Wayne Gretzky, 40-game home point streak in 1988-89) in NHL history.

MacKinnon led all scorers in even-strength points (92), ranked first in shots on goal (405), placed second in both power-play points (48) and even-strength goals (41), finished third in both assists (89) and primary assists (50) and ranked fourth in goals. In his 11th NHL season, MacKinnon led all forwards in total time on ice (1,870:46). With the 2023-24 TLA, MacKinnon becomes the second Avalanche recipient (Joe Sakic, 2000-01) in the award’s history.

History Of The Ted Lindsay Award