The Rocket Richard Trophy is an annual award given to the NHL’s leading goal scorer in the regular season. The trophy is named after Maurice “Rocket” Richard, a legendary player who spent his entire career with the Montreal Canadiens and was the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals in a season. The history of the Rocket Richard Trophy is a fascinating one that reflects the changing nature of the NHL over the past few decades.
The award was first introduced in the 1998-99 season to honor Maurice Richard’s legacy and recognize the league’s best goal scorer. Initially, the trophy was awarded to the player who scored the most goals in the regular season, but this changed in 2017 when the NHL decided to split the award in two. The Rocket Richard Trophy is now awarded to the player who scores the most goals during the regular season, while the Art Ross Trophy is given to the player who scores the most points.
Since its introduction, the Rocket Richard Trophy has been won by some of the NHL’s most talented and prolific goal scorers. The first player to receive the award was Teemu Selanne of the Anaheim Ducks, who scored an impressive 47 goals during the 1998-99 season. The following year, it was awarded to Pavel Bure of the Florida Panthers, who scored 58 goals in the regular season.
Over the years, several players have won the Rocket Richard Trophy multiple times. Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals has won the award nine times, more than any other player. Other notable winners include Jarome Iginla, who won it twice, and Steven Stamkos, who won it twice in a row.
One of the most memorable moments in the history of the Rocket Richard Trophy occurred in the 2003-04 season when three players tied for the award. Jarome Iginla of the Calgary Flames, Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Ilya Kovalchuk of the Atlanta Thrashers all scored 41 goals during the regular season, leading to the first-ever three-way tie for the trophy.
The Rocket Richard Trophy has become an important part of the NHL’s annual awards ceremony, and its winners are celebrated as some of the league’s most talented and accomplished players. In recent years, the trophy has also come to symbolize the changing nature of the NHL, with a greater emphasis on speed, skill, and offensive creativity.
Overall, the history of the Rocket Richard Trophy is a testament to the enduring legacy of Maurice Richard and the NHL’s most talented goal scorers. With each passing year, new players emerge to challenge for the award, and fans eagerly anticipate the drama and excitement of the NHL’s regular season as the race for the Rocket Richard Trophy heats up.
- 1998-1999: Teemu Selanne (Anaheim Ducks) – 47 goals
- 1999-2000: Pavel Bure (Florida Panthers) – 58 goals
- 2000-2001: Pavel Bure (Florida Panthers) – 59 goals
- 2001-2002: Jarome Iginla (Calgary Flames) and Rick Nash (Columbus Blue Jackets) – 41 goals
- 2002-2003: Milan Hejduk (Colorado Avalanche) and Peter Bondra (Washington Capitals) – 50 goals
- 2003-2004: Jarome Iginla (Calgary Flames), Rick Nash (Columbus Blue Jackets), and Ilya Kovalchuk (Atlanta Thrashers) – 41 goals
- 2004-2005: Season canceled due to lockout
- 2005-2006: Jonathan Cheechoo (San Jose Sharks) – 56 goals
- 2006-2007: Vincent Lecavalier (Tampa Bay Lightning) – 52 goals
- 2007-2008: Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) – 65 goals
- 2008-2009: Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) – 56 goals
- 2009-2010: Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) – 51 goals
- 2010-2011: Corey Perry (Anaheim Ducks) – 50 goals
- 2011-2012: Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning) – 60 goals
- 2012-2013: Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) – 32 goals (lockout-shortened season)
- 2013-2014: Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) – 51 goals
- 2014-2015: Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) – 53 goals
- 2015-2016: Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) – 50 goals
- 2016-2017: Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) and Brad Marchand (Boston Bruins) – 44 goals (shared award)
- 2017-2018: Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) – 49 goals
- 2018-2019: Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) – 51 goals
- 2019-2020: Alex Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) and David Pastrnak (Boston Bruins) – 48 goals (shared award)
- 2020-2021: Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs) – 41 goals
- 2021-2022: Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs) – 60 goals
It’s worth noting that the 2020-2021 NHL season was shortened to 56 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
