The Mark Messier Leadership Award, an accolade within the National Hockey League (NHL), celebrates an individual's exceptional leadership qualities both on and off the ice. Chosen by Hockey Hall of Fame center Mark Messier, the award recognizes a player who serves as a positive example through outstanding on-ice performance, motivation of teammates, and a commitment to community initiatives and charitable endeavors. Established in the 2006–07 NHL season, the award was initially sponsored by Cold-fX.
Mark Messier Leadership Award History
In its inaugural season, the Mark Messier Leadership Award distinguished itself from other NHL trophies. During the 2006–07 season, five players received monthly awards based on NHL-specified criteria, with the ultimate decision resting in the hands of Mark Messier. Following the conclusion of the regular season, one player was selected as the Leader of the Year. The inaugural recipient was Chris Chelios from the Detroit Red Wings. Since the 2007–08 season, the league has not publicly announced monthly winners. It entirely became an yearly accolade after 2007-28.
Mark Messier, the award's namesake, boasts a remarkable NHL career spanning twenty-five seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouver Canucks. His 1,887 regular-season points rank third all-time, surpassed only by Jaromir Jagr and Wayne Gretzky. With 1,756 regular-season games, Messier holds the third position, trailing Patrick Marleau and Gordie Howe (though he leads in total games played, including playoffs). Messier remains the sole individual to captain two different franchises to a Stanley Cup victory—achieving this feat with the Oilers in 1990 and the Rangers in 1994.
List of Mark Messier Leadership Award Winners
The Mark Messier Leadership Award has been awarded 17 times since its inception. The current holder of the award is Steven Stamkos, who won the award in 2022-23.
The Mark Messier Leadership Award Winners are shown below:
2006-07 Monthly Award-
| Month | Winner | Team | Position |
| November | Brandon Shanahan | New York Rangers | LW |
| December | Scott Niedermayer | Anaheim Ducks | D |
| January | Sidney Crosby | Pittsburgh Penguins | C |
| February | Vincent Lecavalier | Tampa Bay Lightning | C |
| March | Roberto Luongo | Vancouver Canucks | G |
Note: The league did not announce monthly winners after that. It soon became an annual award.
2007-present-
| Year | Winner | Team | Position |
| 2006–07 | Chris Chelios | Detroit Red Wings | D |
| 2007–08 | Mats Sundin | Toronto Maple Leafs | C |
| 2008–09 | Jarome Iginla | Calgary Flames | RW |
| 2009–10 | Sidney Crosby | Pittsburgh Penguins | C |
| 2010–11 | Zdeno Chara | Boston Bruins | D |
| 2011–12 | Shane Doan | Phoenix Coyotes | RW |
| 2012–13 | Daniel Alfredsson | Ottawa Senators | RW |
| 2013–14 | Dustin Brown | Los Angeles Kings | RW |
| 2014–15 | Jonathan Toews | Chicago Blackhawks | C |
| 2015–16 | Shea Weber | Nashville Predators | D |
| 2016–17 | Nick Foligno | Columbus Blue Jackets | LW |
| 2017–18 | Deryk Engelland | Vegas Golden Knights | D |
| 2018–19 | Wayne Simmonds | Philadelphia Flyers/Nashville Predators | RW |
| 2019–20 | Mark Giordano | Calgary Flames | D |
| 2020–21 | Patrice Bergeron | Boston Bruins | C |
| 2021–22 | Anze Kopitar | Los Angeles Kings | C |
| 2022–23 | Steven Stamkos | Tampa Bay Lightning | C |
FAQ's On List of NHL Mark Messier Leadership Award Winners
A. The Mark Messier Leadership Award is an annual NHL accolade recognizing a player's exceptional leadership on and off the ice, chosen by Mark Messier for outstanding performance, motivating teammates, and community commitment.
A. The award had monthly winners during its first season of creation. However, it soon became an annual award with the final decision being taken from Mark Messier himself.
A. Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning won the 2022–23 Mark Messier Leadership Award for consistently showcasing great leadership qualities.
A. Chris Chelios of the Detroit Red Wings won the inaugural Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2006-07.
A. Sidney Crosby has won the Mark Messier Leadership Award two times in his career. He was awarded with the monthly award in 2006-07 and won the award under the current style in 2009-10.
