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Art Ross Trophy

The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League (NHL) player who leads the league in points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the league by former player, General Manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 70 times to 29 players since its introduction in the 1947–48 NHL season. Ross is also known for his design of the official NHL puck, with slightly beveled edges for better control.

The current holder of the trophy is Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Jarome Iginla Calgary Flames NHL Awards
Jarome Iginla of the Calgary Flames poses with the Art Ross Trophy during the NHL Awards on June 20, 2002 (Photo by Silvia Pecota/NHLI via Getty Images)

Who Has Won the Most Art Ross Trophies?

Like most scoring awards, Wayne Gretzky leads the way with 10 wins over the course of his storied and generational career. Gordie Howe comes in a distant second with six. The most a modern-day NHLer has is four and that belongs to Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers.

How Is a Tie Broken if Two or More Players Have the Same Amount of Points?

The NHL rules stipulate three tiebreakers in case two or more players are tied in points:

  1. Player with most goals
  2. Player with fewer games played
  3. Player scoring first goal of the season

Scoring ties happened in the 1961–62, 1979–80, and 1994–95 seasons, all of them being decided by the first tiebreaker of scoring more goals. In those respective seasons, Brett Hull won over Andy Bathgate, Marcel Dionne over Gretzky, and Jaromir Jagr over Eric Lindros. The NHL’s award to recognize the leading goal-scorer, the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, does not have a tiebreaker, allowing multiple winners to be recognized in any one season.

Wayne Gretzky Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky hold pucks with the number of career points after Gretzky broke Howe’s career points record on October 15, 1989 (Photo by B Bennett/Getty Images)

5 Weird Facts About the Art Ross Trophy

  • Art Ross was a defenceman, not a forward like most people would expect, and he only played three games in the NHL
  • Only 9 of 69 years has the winner had more goals than assists
  • Zero Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers players have won the award
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins alone have won 15 Art Ross Trophies in their history, while all the other clubs have 14 (since 1987-88)
  • Only one defenceman has won the award (Bobby Orr in 1969-70 and 1974-75)

…from Art Ross Trophy | 5 Things You Didn’t Know

Deeper Dive

Oldest & Youngest Art Ross Winners

Youngest to win the award: 19-years old, Sidney Crosby – 2006-07, 36 goals and 120 points

Oldest to win the award: 37-years old, Martin St. Louis – 2012-13, 17 goals and 60 points

Average age: 26-years old

…from NHL Awards Oldest & Youngest

Art Ross Trophy Winners

SeasonWinnerTeamPointsWin #
1947–48Elmer LachMontreal Canadiens611 (2)
1948–49Roy ConacherChicago Black Hawks681
1949–50Ted LindsayDetroit Red Wings781
1950–51Gordie HoweDetroit Red Wings861
1951–52Gordie HoweDetroit Red Wings862
1952–53Gordie HoweDetroit Red Wings953
1953–54Gordie HoweDetroit Red Wings814
1954–55Bernie GeoffrionMontreal Canadiens751
1955–56Jean BeliveauMontreal Canadiens881
1956–57Gordie HoweDetroit Red Wings895
1957–58Dickie MooreMontreal Canadiens841
1958–59Dickie MooreMontreal Canadiens962
1959–60Bobby HullChicago Black Hawks811
1960–61Bernie GeoffrionMontreal Canadiens952
1961–62Bobby HullChicago Black Hawks842
1962–63Gordie HoweDetroit Red Wings866
1963–64Stan MikitaChicago Black Hawks891
1964–65Stan MikitaChicago Black Hawks872
1965–66Bobby HullChicago Black Hawks973
1966–67Stan MikitaChicago Black Hawks973
1967–68Stan MikitaChicago Black Hawks874
1968–69Phil EspositoBoston Bruins1261
1969–70Bobby OrrBoston Bruins1201
1970–71Phil EspositoBoston Bruins1522
1971–72Phil EspositoBoston Bruins1333
1972–73Phil EspositoBoston Bruins1304
1973–74Phil EspositoBoston Bruins1455
1974–75Bobby OrrBoston Bruins1352
1975–76Guy LafleurMontreal Canadiens1251
1976–77Guy LafleurMontreal Canadiens1362
1977–78Guy LafleurMontreal Canadiens1323
1978–79Bryan TrottierNew York Islanders1341
1979–80Marcel DionneLos Angeles Kings1371
1980–81Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers1641
1981–82Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers2122
1982–83Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers1963
1983–84Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers2054
1984–85Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers2085
1985–86Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers2156
1986–87Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers1837
1987–88Mario LemieuxPittsburgh Penguins1681
1988–89Mario LemieuxPittsburgh Penguins1992
1989–90Wayne GretzkyLos Angeles Kings1428
1990–91Wayne GretzkyLos Angeles Kings1639
1991–92Mario LemieuxPittsburgh Penguins1313
1992–93Mario LemieuxPittsburgh Penguins1604
1993–94Wayne GretzkyLos Angeles Kings13010
1994–95Jaromir JagrPittsburgh Penguins701
1995–96Mario LemieuxPittsburgh Penguins1615
1996–97Mario LemieuxPittsburgh Penguins1226
1997–98Jaromir JagrPittsburgh Penguins1022
1998–99Jaromir JagrPittsburgh Penguins1273
1999–2000Jaromir JagrPittsburgh Penguins964
2000–01Jaromir JagrPittsburgh Penguins1215
2001–02Jarome IginlaCalgary Flames961
2002–03Peter ForsbergColorado Avalanche1061
2003–04Martin St. LouisTampa Bay Lightning941
2004–05NHL Lockout – No Winner
2005–06Joe ThorntonBoston Bruins/San Jose Sharks1251
2006–07Sidney CrosbyPittsburgh Penguins1201
2007–08Alexander OvechkinWashington Capitals1121
2008–09Evgeni MalkinPittsburgh Penguins1131
2009–10Henrik SedinVancouver Canucks1121
2010–11Daniel SedinVancouver Canucks1041
2011–12Evgeni MalkinPittsburgh Penguins1092
2012–13Martin St. LouisTampa Bay Lightning602
2013–14Sidney CrosbyPittsburgh Penguins1042
2014–15Jamie BennDallas Stars871
2015–16Patrick KaneChicago Blackhawks1061
2016–17Connor McDavidEdmonton Oilers1001
2017–18Connor McDavidEdmonton Oilers1082
2018–19Nikita KucherovTampa Bay Lightning1281
2019–20**Leon DraisaitlEdmonton Oilers1101
2020-21**Connor McDavidEdmonton Oilers1053
2022-23Connor McDavidEdmonton Oilers1534
2023-24Nikita KucherovTampa Bay Lightning1442
**COVID-19 shortened season

Sources