LAS VEGAS/ TORONTO (June 21, 2017) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) announced today that Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers is the recipient of the 2016-17 Ted Lindsay Award after garnering the most votes from his fellow players for his exceptional season. The Ted Lindsay Award is presented annually “to the most outstanding player in the NHL,” as voted by fellow members of the NHLPA.
Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins both finished as finalists for the 2016-17 Ted Lindsay Award. Burns is the first defenceman to be voted a finalist in 17 years, while Crosby is a three-time recipient of the Award and has twice been a finalist.
McDavid scored the most points (100) in the 2016-17 regular season to win his first Art Ross Trophy. He also led the NHL in assists (70), points per game (1.22), even strength assists (45) and even strength points (71). McDavid, of Richmond Hill, Ont., also finished among forwards fourth in average ice time per game (21:07) and third in power-play assists (24). He captained the Oilers to the fourth-most points in the Western Conference and the club’s first playoff berth since 2006. In his second NHL season, the 20-year-old McDavid joins Crosby and Mario Lemieux as only the third player in the Award’s 46 seasons to be selected by his peers as the “most outstanding player” before the age of 21.
The 2016-17 Ted Lindsay Award was presented during the 2017 NHL Awards at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas by Ted Lindsay, along with four-time Award recipient Lemieux and two-time Award recipient Mark Messier.
Ted Lindsay Award History
The Ted Lindsay Award is unique as the only award voted on by the players themselves, carrying on the tradition established by the Lester B. Pearson Award in 1970-71. The Award honours its namesake, Ted Lindsay, an All-Star forward known for his skill, tenacity, leadership, and his role in establishing the original Players’ Association.
Previous Award Recipients
1970-71 Phil Esposito
1971-72 Jean Ratelle
1972-73 Bobby Clarke
1973-74 Phil Esposito
1974-75 Bobby Orr
1975-76 Guy Lafleur
1976-77 Guy Lafleur
1977-78 Guy Lafleur
1978-79 Marcel Dionne
1979-80 Marcel Dionne
1980-81 Mike Liut
1981-82 Wayne Gretzky
1982-83 Wayne Gretzky
1983-84 Wayne Gretzky
1984-85 Wayne Gretzky
1985-86 Mario Lemieux
1986-87 Wayne Gretzky
1987-88 Mario Lemieux
1988-89 Steve Yzerman
1989-90 Mark Messier
1990-91 Brett Hull
1991-92 Mark Messier
1992-93 Mario Lemieux
1993-94 Sergei Fedorov
1994-95 Eric Lindros
1995-96 Mario Lemieux
1996-97 Dominik Hasek
1997-98 Dominik Hasek
1998-99 Jaromir Jagr
1999-00 Jaromir Jagr
2000-01 Joe Sakic
2001-02 Jarome Iginla
2002-03 Markus Naslund
2003-04 Martin St. Louis
2005-06 Jaromir Jagr
2006-07 Sidney Crosby
2007-08 Alexander Ovechkin
2008-09 Alexander Ovechkin
2009-10 Alexander Ovechkin
2010-11 Daniel Sedin
2011-12 Evgeni Malkin
2012-13 Sidney Crosby
2013-14 Sidney Crosby
2014-15 Carey Price
2015-16 Patrick Kane
2016-17 Connor McDavid
