The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is presented annually to the National Hockey League player who most exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. Named after Bill Masterton, the sole player in NHL history to pass away directly due to injuries sustained during a game, the award recipient is chosen through a poll conducted by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. Each team nominates one player for consideration, with the trophy often bestowed upon an individual who has overcome significant career- or life-threatening challenges, showcasing resilience in the face of adversity.
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy Winner List
The trophy is dedicated to the memory of Bill Masterton, a former player for the Minnesota North Stars who passed away on January 15, 1968, following an injury sustained in a hockey game. Throughout his playing career, Masterton exemplified a high degree of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
Over the years, recipients have demonstrated remarkable resilience and commitment. Notable winners include Mario Lemieux (1992–93), who triumphed over Hodgkin's lymphoma, and Teemu Selanne (2005–06), who returned after major knee surgery.
In recent years, players like Carey Price (2021–22) and Kris Letang (2022–23) have faced personal challenges, including substance abuse and health issues, showcasing resilience and determination.
Shown below is a list of players who have won won the Bill Masterton Trophy:
| Season | Winner | Team |
| 1967–68 | Claude Provost | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1968–69 | Ted Hampson | Oakland Seals |
| 1969–70 | Pit Martin | Chicago Black Hawks |
| 1970–71 | Jean Ratelle | New York Rangers |
| 1971–72 | Bobby Clarke | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1972–73 | Lowell MacDonald | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 1973–74 | Henri Richard | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1974–75 | Don Luce | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1975–76 | Rod Gilbert | New York Rangers |
| 1976–77 | Ed Westfall | New York Islanders |
| 1977–78 | Butch Goring | Los Angeles Kings |
| 1978–79 | Serge Savard | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1979–80 | Al MacAdam | Minnesota North Stars |
| 1980–81 | Blake Dunlop | St. Louis Blues |
| 1981–82 | Glenn Resch | Colorado Rockies |
| 1982–83 | Lanny McDonald | Calgary Flames |
| 1983–84 | Brad Park | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1984–85 | Anders Hedberg | New York Rangers |
| 1985–86 | Charlie Simmer | Boston Bruins |
| 1986–87 | Doug Jarvis | Hartford Whalers |
| 1987–88 | Bob Bourne | Los Angeles Kings |
| 1988–89 | Tim Kerr | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1989–90 | Gord Kluzak | Boston Bruins |
| 1990–91 | Dave Taylor | Los Angeles Kings |
| 1991–92 | Mark Fitzpatrick | New York Islanders |
| 1992–93 | Mario Lemieux | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 1993–94 | Cam Neely | Boston Bruins |
| 1994–95 | Pat LaFontaine | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1995–96 | Gary Roberts | Calgary Flames |
| 1996–97 | Tony Granato | San Jose Sharks |
| 1997–98 | Jamie McLennan | St. Louis Blues |
| 1998–99 | John Cullen | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 1999–2000 | Ken Daneyko | New Jersey Devils |
| 2000–01 | Adam Graves | New York Rangers |
| 2001–02 | Saku Koivu | Montreal Canadiens |
| 2002–03 | Steve Yzerman | Detroit Red Wings |
| 2003–04 | Bryan Berard | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2004–05 | Season cancelled due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout | |
| 2005–06 | Teemu Selanne | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim |
| 2006–07 | Phil Kessel | Boston Bruins |
| 2007–08 | Jason Blake | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 2008–09 | Steve Sullivan | Nashville Predators |
| 2009–10 | Jose Theodore | Washington Capitals |
| 2010–11 | Ian Laperriere | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 2011–12 | Max Pacioretty | Montreal Canadiens |
| 2012–13 | Josh Harding | Minnesota Wild |
| 2013–14 | Dominic Moore | New York Rangers |
| 2014–15 | Devan Dubnyk | Minnesota Wild |
| 2015–16 | Jaromir Jagr | Florida Panthers |
| 2016–17 | Craig Anderson | Ottawa Senators |
| 2017–18 | Brian Boyle | New Jersey Devils |
| 2018–19 | Robin Lehner | New York Islanders |
| 2019–20 | Bobby Ryan | Ottawa Senators |
| 2020–21 | Oskar Lindblom | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 2021–22 | Carey Price | Montreal Canadiens |
| 2022–23 | Kris Letang | Pittsburgh Penguins |
Teams With Most Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy Winners
Each year, each NHL team nominates one player for the Masterton Trophy. Since its creation in 1967-68, the trophy has been claimed by many players from various different teams. However, there are certain teams which have had the highest number of Bill Masterton Trophy recipients.
Shown below is a list of teams whose players have won the Most Masterson Memorial Trophies:
| Winners | Teams |
| 6 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 5 | New York Rangers |
| 5 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 4 | Boston Bruins |
FAQ's On List of NHL Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy Winners
A. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is an annual NHL award presented to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.
A. The trophy is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL history to pass away directly due to injuries sustained during a game.
A. The trophy was first presented at the conclusion of the 1967–68 regular season.
A. Players from Western Conference teams have secured the award only 18 times since its inception in 1967-68.
A. As of the 2022-23 NHL season, players from the Montreal Canadiens have won the trophy six times while the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers Bruins have claimed the trophy five times each.
