# Best NHL Player ESPY Award

The Best NHL Player ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1993 to the National Hockey League player, irrespective of nationality, adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year, typically most significantly in the NHL season contested during or immediately prior to the holding of the ESPY Awards ceremony.
Between 1993 and 2004, the award voting panel comprised variously fans, sportswriters, broadcasters, sports executives, and retired sportspersons, termed collectively experts; and retired sportspersons. Since then, balloting has been exclusively by fans over the Internet from among choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee.
Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented since then are conferred in June and reflect performance from the previous June.
Canadian centers Mario Lemieux Sidney Crosby, and Connor McDavid, wingers Jarome Iginla and Alexander Ovechkin, and Czech goaltender Dominik Hašek are the only players to have been honored multiple times; Lemieux, having captured the award three times, in 1993, 1994, and 1998, and Crosby having captured the award eight times, in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.
Of the thirty awards conferred, just eight have gone to players not from Canada: two to Hasek and one to countrymate Jaromír Jágr, three to Americans Tim Thomas, Jonathan Quick and Patrick Kane, and two to Russian Alexander Ovechkin. Just one has gone to a defenseman, in 2001 to Canadian Chris Pronger. There were no awards in 2005 due to the NHL lockout and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Winners

Player was a member of the winning team in the Stanley Cup Finals. Player was a member of the defeated team in the Stanley Cup Finals. * Hart Memorial Trophy winner † Conn Smythe Trophy winner
| Year | Player | Country | Team | Position |
| 1993 | Mario Lemieux | Canada | Pittsburgh Penguins | Center |
| 1994 | Mario Lemieux (2) | Canada | Pittsburgh Penguins | Center |
| 1995 | Mark Messier | Canada | New York Rangers | Center |
| 1996 | Eric Lindros | Canada | Philadelphia Flyers | Center |
| 1997 | Joe Sakic | Canada | Colorado Avalanche | Center |
| 1998 | Mario Lemieux (3) | Canada | Pittsburgh Penguins | Center |
| 1999 | Dominik Hasek | Czech Republic | Buffalo Sabres | Goaltender |
| 2000 | Dominik Hasek (2) | Czech Republic | Buffalo Sabres | Goaltender |
| 2001 | Chris Pronger | Canada | St. Louis Blues | Defenseman |
| 2002 | Jarome Iginla | Canada | Calgary Flames | Right wing |
| 2003 | Jean-Sebastien Giguere † | Canada | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | Goaltender |
| 2004 | Jarome Iginla(2) | Canada | Calgary Flames | Right wing |
| 2005 | No award given (2004–05 NHL lockout) | No award given (2004–05 NHL lockout) | No award given (2004–05 NHL lockout) | No award given (2004–05 NHL lockout) |
| 2006 | Jaromír Jágr | Czech Republic | New York Rangers | Right wing |
| 2007 | Sidney Crosby | Canada | Pittsburgh Penguins | Center |
| 2008 | Sidney Crosby (2) | Canada | Pittsburgh Penguins | Center |
| 2009 | Sidney Crosby (3) | Canada | Pittsburgh Penguins | Center |
| 2010 | Sidney Crosby (4) | Canada | Pittsburgh Penguins | Center |
| 2011 | Tim Thomas † | United States | Boston Bruins | Goaltender |
| 2012 | Jonathan Quick † | United States | Los Angeles Kings | Goaltender |
| 2013 | Sidney Crosby (5) | Canada | Pittsburgh Penguins | Center |
| 2014 | Sidney Crosby (6) | Canada | Pittsburgh Penguins | Center |
| 2015 | Jonathan Toews | Canada | Chicago Blackhawks | Center |
| 2016 | Sidney Crosby † (7) | Canada | Pittsburgh Penguins | Center |
| 2017 | Sidney Crosby † (8) | Canada | Pittsburgh Penguins | Center |
| 2018 | Alexander Ovechkin † | Russia | Washington Capitals | Left wing |
| 2019 | Alexander Ovechkin (2) | Russia | Washington Capitals | Left wing |
| 2020 | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Patrick Kane | United States | Chicago Blackhawks | Right wing |
| 2022 | Connor McDavid | Canada | Edmonton Oilers | Center |
| 2023 | Connor McDavid (2) * | Canada | Edmonton Oilers | Center |
| 2024 | Connor McDavid (3) † | Canada | Edmonton Oilers | Center |