An annual award "to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team." Winner selected in a poll by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association in the 30 NHL cities at the end of the regular schedule. The winner receives $10,000 and the runners-up $6,000 and $4,000.
| Year | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins) |
| 2011 | Corey Perry (Anaheim Ducks) |
| 2010 | Henrik Sedin (Vancouver Canucks) |
| 2009 | Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) |
| 2008 | Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) |
| 2007 | Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) |
| 2006 | Joe Thornton (San Jose Sharks/Boston Bruins) |
| 2004 | Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay Lightning) |
| 2003 | Peter Forsberg (Colorado Avalanche) |
| 2002 | Jose Theodore (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 2001 | Joe Sakic (Colorado Avalanche) |
| 2000 | Chris Pronger (St. Louis Blues) |
| 1999 | Jaromir Jagr (Pittsburgh Penguins) |
| 1998 | Dominik Hasek (Buffalo Sabres) |
| 1997 | Dominik Hasek (Buffalo Sabres) |
| 1996 | Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) |
| 1995 | Eric Lindros (Philadelphia Flyers) |
| 1994 | Sergei Fedorov (Detroit Red Wings) |
| 1993 | Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) |
| 1992 | Mark Messier (New York Rangers) |
| 1991 | Brett Hull (St. Louis Blues) |
| 1990 | Mark Messier (Edmonton Oilers) |
| 1989 | Wayne Gretzky (Los Angeles Kings) |
| 1988 | Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) |
| 1987 | Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) |
| 1986 | Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) |
| 1985 | Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) |
| 1984 | Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) |
| 1983 | Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) |
| 1982 | Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) |
| 1981 | Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) |
| 1980 | Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) |
| 1979 | Bryan Trottier (New York Islanders) |
| 1978 | Guy Lafleur (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1977 | Guy Lafleur (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1976 | Bobby Clarke (Philadelphia Flyers) |
| 1975 | Bobby Clarke (Philadelphia Flyers) |
| 1974 | Phil Esposito (Boston Bruins) |
| 1973 | Bobby Clarke (Philadelphia Flyers) |
| 1972 | Bobby Orr (Boston Bruins) |
| 1971 | Bobby Orr (Boston Bruins) |
| 1970 | Bobby Orr (Boston Bruins) |
| 1969 | Phil Esposito (Boston Bruins) |
| 1968 | Stan Mikita (Chicago Black Hawks) |
| 1967 | Stan Mikita (Chicago Black Hawks) |
| 1966 | Bobby Hull (Chicago Black Hawks) |
| 1965 | Bobby Hull (Chicago Black Hawks) |
| 1964 | Jean Beliveau (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1963 | Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) |
| 1962 | Jacques Plante (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1961 | Bernie Geoffrion (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1960 | Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) |
| 1959 | Andy Bathgate (New York Rangers) |
| 1958 | Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) |
| 1957 | Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) |
| 1956 | Jean Beliveau (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1955 | Ted Kennedy (Toronto Maple Leafs) |
| 1954 | Al Rollins (Chicago Black Hawks) |
| 1953 | Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) |
| 1952 | Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) |
| 1951 | Milt Schmidt (Boston Bruins) |
| 1950 | Chuck Rayner (New York Rangers) |
| 1949 | Sid Abel (Detroit Red Wings) |
| 1948 | Buddy O'Connor (New York Rangers) |
| 1947 | Maurice Richard (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1946 | Max Bentley (Chicago Black Hawks) |
| 1945 | Elmer Lach (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1944 | Babe Pratt (Toronto Maple Leafs) |
| 1943 | Bill Cowley (Boston Bruins) |
| 1942 | Tommy Anderson (Brooklyn Americans) |
| 1941 | Bill Cowley (Boston Bruins) |
| 1940 | Ebbie Goodfellow (Detroit Red Wings) |
| 1939 | Toe Blake (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1938 | Eddie Shore (Boston Bruins) |
| 1937 | Babe Siebert (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1936 | Eddie Shore (Boston Bruins) |
| 1935 | Eddie Shore (Boston Bruins) |
| 1934 | Aurel Joliat (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1933 | Eddie Shore (Boston Bruins) |
| 1932 | Howie Morenz (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1931 | Howie Morenz (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1930 | Nels Stewart (Montreal Maroons) |
| 1929 | Roy Worters (New York Americans) |
| 1928 | Howie Morenz (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1927 | Herb Gardiner (Montreal Canadiens) |
| 1926 | Nels Stewart (Montreal Maroons) |
| 1925 | Billy Burch (Hamilton Tigers) |
| 1924 | Frank Nighbor (Ottawa Senators) |
