NHL Plus-Minus Award

The NHL Plus-Minus Award is a trophy awarded annually by the National Hockey League to the "player, having played a minimum of 60 games who leads the league in plus/minus statistics. It has been awarded 23 times to 20 different players. It is sponsored by a commercial business, and it has been known under five different names. Bobby Orr has led the league the most times in plus-minus, with 6, and Wayne Gretzky has won the award the most times, three, and also led the league once prior to the inception of the award. David Krejci of the Boston Bruins is the most recent winner, having finished the 2008–09 season with a +37.
==History==
The plus/minus statistic was first established during the 1967–68 NHL season. This statistic reflects a player's ability to contribute offensively and defensively. The award was first given in the 1982 season. From 1982 to 1987, it was known as the Emery Edge Award. During 1988, there was no formal name for the trophy. From 1989 to 1995, it was known as the Alka-Seltzer Plus Award. From 1996 to 1997, it was known as the Bud Ice Plus-Minus Award. Finally, from 1998 to the present, it has been known as the Bud Light Plus-Minus Award.
Since the award's inception, it has been won by players on the Edmonton Oilers and Detroit Red Wings 4 times, and 3 times by players on the Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers, and St. Louis Blues. Since the league began tracking plus/minus as a statistic (counting co-leaders as fractional winners), Boston Bruins have led the league 8 times, Edmonton Oilers 5 times, and Philadelphia Flyers 4.5 times. Wayne Gretzky has won the award the most times out of any players, thrice. Gretzky also led the league in plus-minus once before the trophy was established. Bobby Orr has led the league the most times out of any players, with six.
==Winners==
Positions key
C	Centre	LW	Left Wing	D	Defence	RW	Right Wing	F	Forward
Season 	Player 	Team 	Position	Rating	Win #
1982 	Charlie Huddy 	Edmonton Oilers 	D 	+63 	1
1983 	Wayne Gretzky 	Edmonton Oilers 	C 	+76 	1
1984 	Wayne Gretzky 	Edmonton Oilers 	C 	+98 	2
1985 	Mark Howe 	Philadelphia Flyers	D 	+85 	1
1986 	Wayne Gretzky 	Edmonton Oilers 	C 	+70 	3
1987 	Brad McCrimmon 	Calgary Flames 	D 	+48 	1
1988 	Joe Mullen 	Calgary Flames 	F 	+51 	1
1989 	Paul Cavallini 	St. Louis Blues 	D 	+38 	1
1990 	Marty McSorley 	Los Angeles Kings 	D 	+48 	1
1990–91	Theo Fleury 	Calgary Flames 	RW 	+48 	1
1991 	Paul Ysebaert 	Detroit Red Wings 	LW 	+44 	1
1992 	Mario Lemieux 	Pittsburgh Penguins	C 	+55 	1
1993 	Scott Stevens 	New Jersey Devils 	D 	+53 	1
1994 	Ron Francis 	Pittsburgh Penguins	C 	+30 	1
1995 	Vladimir Konstantinov 	Detroit Red Wings 	D 	+60 	1
1996 	John LeClair 	Philadelphia Flyers	C 	+44 	1
1997 	Chris Pronger 	St. Louis Blues 	D 	+47 	1
1998 	John LeClair 	Philadelphia Flyers	LW 	+36 	2
1999 	Chris Pronger 	St. Louis Blues 	D 	+52 	2
2000 	Patrik Elias 	New Jersey Devils 	LW 	+45 	1
2000–01	Joe Sakic 	Colorado Avalanche 	C 	+45 	1
2001 	Chris Chelios 	Detroit Red Wings 	D 	+40 	1
2002 	Peter Forsberg 	Colorado Avalanche 	C 	+52 	1
2002–03	Milan Hejduk 	Colorado Avalanche 	RW 	+52 	1
2003 	Martin St. Louis 	Tampa Bay Lightning	RW 	+35 	1
2003–04	Marek Malik 	Vancouver Canucks 	D 	+35 	1
2004 	2004–05 NHL lockoutNo winner	— 	— 	— 	—
2005 	Wade Redden 	Ottawa Senators 	D 	+35 	1
2005–06	Michal Rozsival 	New York Rangers 	D 	+35 	1
2006 	Thomas Vanek 	Buffalo Sabres 	LW 	+47 	1
2007 	Pavel Datsyuk 	Detroit Red Wings 	C 	+41 	1
2008 	David Krejci 	Boston Bruins 	C 	+37 	1
===Plus-minus leaders (1967–1982)===
Before 1983, there was no award for leading the league in plus-minus. The NHL started counting the statistics in 1967, and this lists all the leaders from the inception of the statistic to the inception of the award.
Positions key
C	Centre	LW	Left Wing	D	Defence	RW	Right Wing	F	Forward
Season 	Player 	Team 	Position	Rating	Win #
1967 	Dallas Smith 	Boston Bruins 	D 	+33 	1
1968 	Bobby Orr 	Boston Bruins 	D 	+65 	1
1969 	Bobby Orr 	Boston Bruins 	D 	+54 	2
1970 	Bobby Orr 	Boston Bruins 	D 	+124 	3
1971 	Bobby Orr 	Boston Bruins 	D 	+86 	4
1972 	Jacques Laperriere	Montreal Canadiens 	D 	+78 	1
1973 	Bobby Orr 	Boston Bruins 	D 	+84 	5
1974 	Bobby Orr 	Boston Bruins 	D 	+80 	6
1975 	Bobby Clarke 	Philadelphia Flyers	C 	+83 	1
1976 	Larry Robinson 	Montreal Canadiens 	D 	+120 	1
1977 	Guy Lafleur 	Montreal Canadiens 	RW 	+73 	1
1978 	Bryan Trottier 	New York Islanders 	C 	+76 	1
1979 	Jim Schoenfeld 	Buffalo Sabres 	D 	+60 	1
1979–80	Jimmy Watson 	Philadelphia Flyers	D 	+60 	1
1980 	Brian Engblom 	Montreal Canadiens 	D 	+63 	1
1981 	Wayne Gretzky 	Edmonton Oilers 	C 	+81 	1
==Notes==
During the 2005–06 season, there was a tie between Michal Roszival of the New York Rangers and Wade Redden of the Ottawa Senators.
During the 2003–04 season, there was a tie between Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lighting and Marek Malik of the Vancouver Canucks.
During the 2002–03, season, there was a tie between Peter Forsberg and Milan Hejduk of the Colorado Avalanche.
During the 2000–01 season, there was tie between Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche and Patrik Elias of the New Jersey Devils.
During the 1979–80 season, there was a tie between Jim Schoenfeld of the Buffalo Sabres and Jimmy Watson of the Philadelphia Flyers. 
During the 1990–91 season, there was a tie between Marty McSorley of the Los Angeles Kings and Theo Fleury of the Calgary Flames. 
During the 1998–99 season, Alexander Karpovtsev led the league with a +39 rating. However, he played in 58 games and was ineligible since there is a 60 game minimum. Therefore, LeClair was given the award.
==References==
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Category:NHL trophies and awards