TORONTO (June 7, 2026) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) announced today that Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers has been chosen by NHLPA members as the 2025-26 Ted Lindsay Award recipient. The TLA is presented annually to “the most outstanding player in the NHL,” as voted by the members of the NHLPA.
“This award, coming from the guys that you play against every single night and battle against every single night, to have them recognize me with an award like this, means so much,” said Connor McDavid upon receiving the Ted Lindsay Award.
McDavid becomes just the second five-time recipient in the award’s history, having also been named the TLA recipient in 2016-17, 2017-18, 2020-21 and 2022-23. He joins Wayne Gretzky, now sharing the record for most TLA wins.
The Oilers’ captain became the third-fastest player to reach 1,200 points in NHL history with 784 games, behind only Gretzky (504 games) and Mario Lemieux (593 games). McDavid recorded his eighth season with at least 70 assists, tying with Lemieux for second-most 70+ assist seasons after Gretzky (15 seasons). He finished with 138 points in the 2025-26 season (48 goals, 90 assists) and went on to win the Art Ross Trophy for the sixth time, tying Gordie Howe and Lemieux for second-most wins behind Gretzky (10 wins).
The 2025-26 Ted Lindsay award was presented to McDavid by his family and close friends in a surprise moment on the golf course. This season’s TLA finalists included Macklin Celebrini, who set a single-season San Jose Sharks record with 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists) in 2025-26 and Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who is a three-time TLA champion, most recently winning the award in 2024-25.
About the Ted Lindsay Award:
The Ted Lindsay Award is unique as the only NHL award voted on by the players themselves, carrying on the tradition established in 1970-71 with the Lester B. Pearson Award. NHLPA members annually vote on the player they deem to be the most outstanding in the NHL regular season. The award was reintroduced in 2009-10 as the namesake of the late Ted Lindsay to honour his legacy as a Hockey Hall of Fame forward known for his skill, tenancy and leadership, along with his role in establishing the original Players’ Association. For more information on the TLA, visit NHLPA.com. Join the conversation on social media by using #TedLindsayAward.
