The Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, alternatively known as the Rocket Richard Trophy, is presented each year to the NHL's top goal scorer. Instituted in the 1998–99 season through a donation by the Montreal Canadiens, the trophy pays homage to the iconic right winger Maurice "Rocket" Richard. Teemu Selanne secured the inaugural win, and the current holder is Connor McDavid, who impressively netted 64 goals in the 2022–23 NHL season.
Named in honor of the legendary right winger Maurice "Rocket" Richard, who spent his illustrious eighteen-season career with the Canadiens, the trophy pays tribute to his goal-scoring prowess. Maurice “Rocket” Richard, born in Montreal in 1921, played 18 seasons exclusively for the Montreal Canadiens. A prolific goal-scorer, he became the first NHL player to achieve 50 regular-season goals and led the league in goals five times. Richard, known for his explosive speed, earned numerous All-Star honors and the Hart Trophy in 1946-47.
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy Winners List
The Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, presented to the NHL's leading goal scorer, was generously donated by the Montreal Canadiens in 1999 and inaugurated at the close of the 1998–99 season. While the Art Ross Trophy often coincides with the Hart Memorial Trophy for the league's most valuable player, only a select few, including Alexander Ovechkin, Corey Perry, and Auston Matthews, have clinched both the Richard and Hart trophies in the same season. Ovechkin stands out with three such victories in 2007–08, 2008–09, and 2012–13, and he and Connor McDavid are the sole recipients of the Hart, Rocket Richard, Art Ross, and Ted Lindsay trophies in a single season.
Alexander Ovechkin's dominance is evident, having won his ninth win occurring in 2019–20. Joining him in the multiple-win category are Pavel Bure, Jarome Iginla, Steven Stamkos, Sidney Crosby, and Auston Matthews, each boasting two Rocket Richard Trophies.
All Maurice “Rocket’ Richard Trophy winners are shown below:
| Season | Winner | Team | Goals | Games |
| 1998–99 | Teemu Selanne | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | 47 | 75 |
| 1999–2000 | Pavel Bure | Florida Panthers | 58 | 74 |
| 2000–01 | Pavel Bure | Florida Panthers | 59 | 82 |
| 2001–02 | Jarome Iginla | Calgary Flames | 52 | 82 |
| 2002–03 | Milan Hejduk | Colorado Avalanche | 50 | 82 |
| 2003–04 | Rick Nash | Columbus Blue Jackets | 41 | 80 |
| Ilya Kovalchuk | Atlanta Thrashers | 41 | 81 | |
| Jarome Iginla | Calgary Flames | 41 | 81 | |
| 2004–05 | Season cancelled due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout | |||
| 2005–06 | Jonathan Cheechoo | San Jose Sharks | 56 | 82 |
| 2006–07 | Vincent Lecavalier | Tampa Bay Lightning | 52 | 82 |
| 2007–08 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | 65 | 82 |
| 2008–09 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | 56 | 79 |
| 2009–10 | Sidney Crosby | Pittsburgh Penguins | 51 | 81 |
| Steven Stamkos | Tampa Bay Lightning | 51 | 82 | |
| 2010–11 | Corey Perry | Anaheim Ducks | 50 | 82 |
| 2011–12 | Steven Stamkos | Tampa Bay Lightning | 60 | 82 |
| 2012–13 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | 32 | 48 |
| 2013–14 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | 51 | 78 |
| 2014–15 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | 53 | 81 |
| 2015–16 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | 50 | 79 |
| 2016–17 | Sidney Crosby | Pittsburgh Penguins | 44 | 75 |
| 2017–18 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | 49 | 82 |
| 2018–19 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | 51 | 81 |
| 2019–20 | Alexander Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | 48 | 68 |
| David Pastrnak | Boston Bruins | 48 | 70 | |
| 2020–21 | Auston Matthews | Toronto Maple Leafs | 41 | 52 |
| 2021–22 | Auston Matthews | Toronto Maple Leafs | 60 | 73 |
| 2022–23 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | 64 | 82 |
Players With The Most Maurice “Rocket” Trophy
There are only a few players who have won the Most Maurice Richard since its inception. Alex Ovechkin stands out as a leader, with 8 wins. The list is also joined by some extraordinary players.
Shown below is a list of players with the most Maurice “Rocket” Trophies:
| Players | Teams | No. of Wins |
| Alex Ovechkin | Washington Capitals | 8 |
| Pavel Bure | Florida Panthers | 2 |
| Steven Samkos | Tampa Bay Lightning | 2 |
| Auston Mathews | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2 |
| Sidney Crosby | Pittsburgh Penguins | 2 |
| Jarome Iginla | Calgary Flames | 2 |
FAQ's On List of NHL Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy Winners
A. The Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy is an annual NHL award presented to the league's top goal scorer, instituted in the 1998–99 season through a donation by the Montreal Canadiens.
A. Maurice "Rocket" Richard, an iconic right winger, played 18 seasons exclusively for the Montreal Canadiens. The trophy pays tribute to his goal-scoring prowess and legacy as one of the NHL's all-time greats.
A. Maurice "Rocket" Richard played 18 seasons for the Montreal Canadiens. He was the first NHL player to achieve 50 regular-season goals. He also led the league in goals five times, and received numerous All-Star honors, including the Hart Trophy in 1946-47.
A. Notable multiple winners include Alexander Ovechkin, Corey Perry, and Auston Matthews. Alexander Ovechkin, with nine wins, stands out for securing both the Richard and Hart trophies in the same season three times.
A. Connor McDavid impressively netted 64 goals in the 2022–23 NHL season to secure the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy.
