Art Ross Trophy: What It Is + Every Winner

History and Significance

While scoring leaders were tracked since the NHL's founding in 1917, the formal Art Ross Trophy wasn't established until 1947. Historical scoring leaders before that year are still recognized retroactively, creating a complete scoring championship lineage from 1918 forward.

The trophy represents pure offensive dominance. Unlike the Hart Trophy (which considers team success) or position-specific awards, the Art Ross simply crowns the player who scored the most points. This makes it hockey's most objective individual honor and often the most prestigious offensive achievement.

Now that you know the trophies, try using them in a real puzzle. Gridzy Hockey uses awards like the Hart, Norris, and Vezina in a daily NHL grid game.

Complete List of Art Ross Trophy Winners (1918-2026)

1918-1940s: Early Scoring Leaders

1918: Joe Malone (Montreal Canadiens) Malone scored 44 goals in just 20 games, an astounding 2.2 goals per game.

1919: Newsy Lalonde (Montreal Canadiens) Lalonde's 23 goals in 17 games led the league.

1920: Joe Malone (Quebec Bulldogs) Malone's second scoring title came with 39 goals in 24 games.

1921: Newsy Lalonde (Montreal Canadiens) Lalonde's second scoring championship with 33 goals.

1922: Punch Broadbent (Ottawa Senators) Broadbent scored 32 goals and added 14 assists.

1923: Babe Dye (Toronto St. Patricks) Dye's 26 goals led all scorers.

1924: Cy Denneny (Ottawa Senators) Denneny scored 22 goals in 21 games.

1925: Babe Dye (Toronto St. Patricks) Dye's second scoring title with 38 goals.

1926: Nels Stewart (Montreal Maroons) Stewart's 34 goals in his rookie season led the league.

1927: Bill Cook (New York Rangers) Cook scored 33 goals for the expansion Rangers.

1928: Howie Morenz (Montreal Canadiens) Morenz's 51 points led all scorers.

1929: Ace Bailey (Toronto Maple Leafs) Bailey's 32 points topped the league.

1930: Cooney Weiland (Boston Bruins) Weiland scored 43 goals and 73 points in 44 games.

1931: Howie Morenz (Montreal Canadiens) Morenz's second scoring title with 51 points.

1932: Harvey "Busher" Jackson (Toronto Maple Leafs) Jackson's 53 points led the league.

1933: Bill Cook (New York Rangers) Cook's second scoring championship came at age 36.

1934: Charlie Conacher (Toronto Maple Leafs) Conacher scored 32 goals and 52 points.

1935: Charlie Conacher (Toronto Maple Leafs) Back-to-back scoring titles for Conacher.

1936: Sweeney Schriner (New York Americans) Schriner's 45 points led all scorers.

1937: Sweeney Schriner (New York Americans) Schriner repeated as scoring champion with 46 points.

1938: Gordie Drillon (Toronto Maple Leafs) Drillon's 52 points topped the league.

1939: Toe Blake (Montreal Canadiens) Blake's 47 points earned the scoring title.

1940: Milt Schmidt (Boston Bruins) Schmidt scored 52 points to lead the league.

1941: Bill Cowley (Boston Bruins) Cowley's 62 points were a huge total for the era.

1942: Bryan Hextall (New York Rangers) Hextall scored 56 points to win the scoring race.

1943: Doug Bentley (Chicago Black Hawks) Bentley's 73 points led wartime-depleted rosters.

1944: Herb Cain (Boston Bruins) Cain scored an incredible 82 points in 48 games.

1945: Elmer Lach (Montreal Canadiens) Lach's 80 points centered the famous "Punch Line."

1946: Max Bentley (Chicago Black Hawks) Bentley's 61 points topped the league.

1947: Max Bentley (Chicago Black Hawks) The first official Art Ross Trophy went to Bentley with 72 points.

1948: Elmer Lach (Montreal Canadiens) Lach's second Art Ross came with 61 points.

1949: Roy Conacher (Chicago Black Hawks) Conacher scored 68 points to lead the league.

If you can name trophy winners off the top of your head, you'll crush Gridzy. Today's grid might literally be built around what you just read.

1950s-1970s: Howe, Hull, Esposito Dominate

1950: Ted Lindsay (Detroit Red Wings) Lindsay's 78 points on the "Production Line" led the league.

1951: Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) Howe's first Art Ross began his offensive dominance.

1952: Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) Back-to-back Art Ross trophies for "Mr. Hockey."

1953: Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) Three consecutive scoring titles showcased sustained excellence.

1954: Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) Four straight Art Ross wins put Howe among all-time greats.

1955: Bernie Geoffrion (Montreal Canadiens) Geoffrion's 75 points broke Howe's streak.

1956: Jean Béliveau (Montreal Canadiens) Béliveau's 88 points set a new single-season record.

1957: Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) Howe's fifth Art Ross came with 89 points.

1958: Dickie Moore (Montreal Canadiens) Moore's 84 points led the league.

1959: Dickie Moore (Montreal Canadiens) Back-to-back scoring titles with 96 points.

1960: Bobby Hull (Chicago Black Hawks) Hull's first Art Ross came with 81 points.

1961: Bernie Geoffrion (Montreal Canadiens) Geoffrion's second scoring title came with 50 goals.

1962: Bobby Hull (Chicago Black Hawks) Hull's second Art Ross with 84 points.

1963: Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) Howe's sixth and final Art Ross at age 34.

1964: Stan Mikita (Chicago Black Hawks) Mikita's first scoring title with 89 points.

1965: Stan Mikita (Chicago Black Hawks) Back-to-back Art Ross wins for Mikita.

1966: Bobby Hull (Chicago Black Hawks) Hull's third scoring title came with 97 points.

1967: Stan Mikita (Chicago Black Hawks) Mikita's third Art Ross with 97 points.

1968: Stan Mikita (Chicago Black Hawks) Four Art Ross trophies in five years.

1969: Phil Esposito (Boston Bruins) Esposito's 126 points shattered previous records.

1970: Bobby Orr (Boston Bruins) Orr became the first defenseman to win the Art Ross with 120 points.

1971: Phil Esposito (Boston Bruins) Esposito's 152 points set a new record.

1972: Phil Esposito (Boston Bruins) Three Art Ross wins in four years with 133 points.

1973: Phil Esposito (Boston Bruins) Four scoring titles in five years with 130 points.

1974: Phil Esposito (Boston Bruins) Five Art Ross trophies total with 145 points.

1975: Bobby Orr (Boston Bruins) Orr's second Art Ross from defense with 135 points.

1976: Guy Lafleur (Montreal Canadiens) Lafleur's 125 points led the league.

1977: Guy Lafleur (Montreal Canadiens) Back-to-back Art Ross wins with 136 points.

1978: Guy Lafleur (Montreal Canadiens) Three consecutive scoring titles with 132 points.

1979: Bryan Trottier (New York Islanders) Trottier's 134 points led the league before the Islanders' dynasty.

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1980s: The Gretzky Era

1980: Marcel Dionne (Los Angeles Kings) Dionne won the Art Ross on the tiebreaker (more goals) over Gretzky with 137 points each.

1981: Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) Gretzky's first of 10 Art Ross trophies came with 164 points.

1982: Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) The legendary 212-point season remains untouchable.

1983: Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) Three consecutive Art Ross wins with 196 points.

1984: Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) Four straight scoring titles with 205 points.

1985: Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) Five consecutive Art Ross trophies with 208 points.

1986: Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) Six straight scoring championships with 215 points.

1987: Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) Seven Art Ross wins in a row with 183 points.

1988: Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) Lemieux finally broke Gretzky's streak with 168 points.

1989: Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) Back-to-back Art Ross trophies with 199 points.

1990s-2000s: Lemieux, Jágr, and New Stars

1990: Wayne Gretzky (Los Angeles Kings) Gretzky's eighth Art Ross came with 142 points.

1991: Wayne Gretzky (Los Angeles Kings) Nine Art Ross trophies with 163 points.

1992: Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) Lemieux's third scoring title with 131 points despite missing games.

1993: Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) Four Art Ross wins with 160 points in 60 games.

1994: Wayne Gretzky (Los Angeles Kings) Gretzky's 10th and final Art Ross at age 33.

1995: Jaromír Jágr (Pittsburgh Penguins) Jágr's first Art Ross came with 70 points in the lockout-shortened season.

1996: Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) Lemieux's fifth scoring title with 161 points in 70 games.

1997: Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) Six Art Ross trophies total with 122 points in 76 games.

1998: Jaromír Jágr (Pittsburgh Penguins) Jágr's second Art Ross with 102 points.

1999: Jaromír Jágr (Pittsburgh Penguins) Three consecutive scoring titles began with 127 points.

2000: Jaromír Jágr (Pittsburgh Penguins) Four straight Art Ross wins with 96 points.

2001: Jaromír Jágr (Pittsburgh Penguins) Five Art Ross trophies total with 121 points, tying him for third all-time.

2002: Jarome Iginla (Calgary Flames) Iginla's 96 points led the league.

2003: Peter Forsberg (Colorado Avalanche) Forsberg's 106 points in 65 games showcased dominance when healthy.

2004: Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay Lightning) St. Louis' 94 points led Tampa to the Stanley Cup.

2005: (Lockout, no winner)

2006: Joe Thornton (Boston Bruins/San Jose Sharks) Thornton's 125 points after being traded mid-season earned the Art Ross.

2007: Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) Crosby's first Art Ross at age 19 with 120 points.

2008: Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) Ovechkin's 112 points came with 65 goals.

2009: Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins) Malkin's 113 points led the Penguins to the Stanley Cup.

Read more: All 32 NHL Teams Ranked by Offense (2025-2026 Season)

2010s-2020s: Crosby, Kane, McDavid

2010: Henrik Sedin (Vancouver Canucks) Sedin's 112 points led Vancouver to the Presidents' Trophy.

2011: Daniel Sedin (Vancouver Canucks) The twins won back-to-back Art Ross trophies.

2012: Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins) Malkin's second Art Ross came with 109 points in 75 games.

2013: Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay Lightning) St. Louis' second Art Ross at age 37 with 60 points in 48 games.

2014: Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) Crosby's second Art Ross came with 104 points.

2015: Jamie Benn (Dallas Stars) Benn's 87 points made him the first Art Ross winner from Dallas.

2016: Patrick Kane (Chicago Black Hawks) Kane's 106 points made him the first American-born Art Ross winner.

2017: Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) McDavid's first Art Ross came with 100 points at age 20.

2018: Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) Back-to-back Art Ross wins with 108 points.

2019: Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning) Kucherov's 128 points were the most since Lemieux.

2020: Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers) Draisaitl's 110 points in 71 games earned the Art Ross.

2021: Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) McDavid's third Art Ross with 105 points in 56 games.

2022: Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) Four Art Ross trophies in six years with 123 points.

2023: Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) Five Art Ross wins with 153 points, putting him on Gretzky's level.

2024: Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning) Kucherov's second Art Ross with 144 points.

2025: Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) McDavid's sixth Art Ross at age 28 with 139 points.

2026: [Current season; update when announced]

Notable Trends and Records

• Most wins: Wayne Gretzky (10)
• Most consecutive: Wayne Gretzky (7 straight, 1981-1987)
• Highest single-season total: Wayne Gretzky (215 points, 1985-86)
• Most points by a defenseman: Bobby Orr (135 points, 1974-75)
• Most points by a rookie: Teemu Selanne (132 points, 1992-93)

The Ultimate Offensive Achievement

The Art Ross Trophy is the ultimate prize for pure offensive production and remains hockey's most visible scoring crown. From Gretzky's untouchable records to Lemieux's dominance when healthy to McDavid's current reign, the Art Ross represents offensive excellence in its purest form. Unlike voted awards, there's no debate: most points wins, cementing the Art Ross as hockey's most objective individual honor.

Read more: NHL Betting: The Ultimate Guide for the 2025/2026 Hockey Season

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