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NHL Awards: What Each Trophy Means (Simple Guide)

The NHL hands out dozens of trophies each season, recognizing everything from team championships to individual excellence to community contribution. Understanding what each award represents helps you appreciate the different ways players and teams can achieve greatness in hockey. Here's a complete guide to the main NHL trophies, broken down by category in simple, straightforward terms.

January 25, 2026

Team Championships

These trophies recognize team success during the regular season and playoffs.

Stanley Cup

Awarded to: NHL playoff champion
Most famous trophy in hockey
First awarded in 1893
Players' names engraved on Cup
What it means: You won it all

Presidents' Trophy

Awarded to: Team with best regular-season record
Based on total points (wins and overtime losses)
Often doesn't correlate with playoff success
What it means: Best team over 82 games

Prince of Wales Trophy

Awarded to: Eastern Conference playoff champion
Wins conference final, advances to Stanley Cup Final
Some teams refuse to touch it before Cup Final
What it means: You're in the championship series

Clarence S. Campbell Bowl

Awarded to: Western Conference playoff champion
Same as Wales Trophy but for Western Conference
Also subject to superstition about touching
What it means: You're four wins from the Cup

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.

Player MVP and Scoring Awards

These recognize the league's most dominant offensive players and overall impact.

Hart Memorial Trophy

Awarded to: Most valuable player to his team
Voted by Professional Hockey Writers Association
Considers team context and narrative
What it means: League MVP in media's eyes

Ted Lindsay Award

Awarded to: Most outstanding player
Voted by NHL players themselves
Focuses on pure dominance
What it means: Players' choice for MVP

Art Ross Trophy

Awarded to: Leading point scorer (goals plus assists)
Pure statistical award, no voting
Tiebreaker: most goals, then fewer games played
What it means: Most points in regular season

Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy

Awarded to: Leading goal scorer
Can be shared if multiple players tie
No tiebreakers, everyone wins
What it means: Most goals scored

Skater Position Awards

These honor excellence at specific positions or playing styles.

James Norris Memorial Trophy

Awarded to: Best all-around defenseman
Voted by hockey writers
Balances offense and defense
What it means: Elite blue-line dominance

Frank J. Selke Trophy

Awarded to: Best defensive forward
Voted by hockey writers
Two-way excellence required
What it means: Shutdown center who can also score

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy

Awarded to: Sportsmanship and skill combined
Low penalty minutes plus elite performance
Voted by hockey writers
What it means: Plays clean and plays great

Calder Memorial Trophy

Awarded to: Rookie of the year
Must be 26 or younger by September 15
Limited prior NHL games allowed
What it means: Best first-year player

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.

Playoff and Leadership Awards

These recognize performance in the postseason and leadership qualities.

Conn Smythe Trophy

Awarded to: Playoff MVP
Covers entire postseason, not just Finals
Can go to player from losing team (rare)
What it means: Best player during playoffs

Mark Messier Leadership Award

Awarded to: Outstanding leadership on and off ice
Mark Messier personally selects winner
Community involvement matters
What it means: Complete leader and role model

Goaltender and Team Defense Awards

These honor excellence in preventing goals.

Vezina Trophy

Awarded to: Best goaltender
Voted by NHL general managers
Individual performance focus
What it means: Elite netminding

William M. Jennings Trophy

Awarded to: Goalie(s) on team allowing fewest goals
Minimum 25 games played required
Often shared by tandems
What it means: Best team defense

Want a fun way to turn NHL awards knowledge into a challenge? Play Gridzy Hockey and see how many trophy-based squares you can solve.

Coaching and Management Awards

These recognize excellence behind the bench and in the front office.

Jack Adams Award

Awarded to: Coach of the year
Voted by NHL broadcasters
Often rewards turnarounds over sustained success
What it means: Maximized roster performance

Community and Character Awards

These celebrate players who make hockey and their communities better.

King Clancy Memorial Trophy

Awarded to: Leadership and humanitarian contribution
Community impact and character
Named after legendary player and official
What it means: Making difference off the ice

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

Awarded to: Perseverance, sportsmanship, dedication
Often goes to players overcoming adversity
Named after player who died from on-ice injury
What it means: Embodying hockey's best qualities

Quick Reference by Category

Team Success:

Stanley Cup (playoff champion)
Presidents' Trophy (regular season best)
Conference trophies (Eastern/Western champions)

Individual Dominance:

Hart Trophy (media MVP)
Ted Lindsay Award (players' MVP)
Art Ross Trophy (most points)
Rocket Richard Trophy (most goals)

Position Excellence:

Norris Trophy (best defenseman)
Selke Trophy (best defensive forward)
Vezina Trophy (best goaltender)

Special Recognition:

Calder Trophy (best rookie)
Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP)
Lady Byng Trophy (skill plus sportsmanship)

Team Defense:

Jennings Trophy (fewest goals against)

Leadership & Character:

Mark Messier Award (leadership)
King Clancy Trophy (humanitarian)
Bill Masterton Trophy (perseverance)

Coaching:

Jack Adams Award (coach of year)

Why These Awards Matter

Understanding NHL awards helps you appreciate different types of excellence in hockey. Some trophies reward pure skill (Art Ross, Rocket Richard). Others recognize complete players who excel at both ends of the ice (Selke). Some celebrate character and leadership beyond statistics (Messier, Masterton).

The awards also tell hockey's story each season. Who won the Hart shows which player dominated the narrative. The Calder reveals which young star emerged. The Jack Adams highlights which coach exceeded expectations.

For fans, knowing these awards deepens appreciation for the game. For bettors, understanding award patterns helps predict player performance and team success. For players, these trophies represent career-defining achievements that secure legacies and Hall of Fame inductions.

Play Gridzy Hockey Free Every Day

Gridzy Hockey is Shurzy's daily NHL grid game where you pretend you're "just messing around" and then suddenly you're 15 minutes deep arguing with yourself about whether some 2009 fourth-liner qualifies as a 40-goal guy.

You get nine guesses to fill a 3×3 grid, you can't reuse players, and every pick is either a genius flex or instant regret. So yeah, it's basically hockey trivia with stakes.

New grid drops every day at 6:00am ET, which is perfect because nothing says "healthy morning routine" like panicking over who won the Lady Byng in 1998. If you think you know puck, prove it.

Go play Gridzy right now!

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