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NHL Trophy for Most Assists?

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adam oates 1987-88 o-pee-chee rookie hockey cardWe are taught from a young age in the hockey world that an assist in just as, if not more, important than a goal. It seems the National Hockey League, with the creation of the Rocket Richard Trophy in 1998-99, doesn’t much agree. The NHL now awards the leader in goals and points but has no where in their greedy little hearts for the playmaker.

I propose the NHL fixes this issue, and now. But, who would you name the award after? My personal choice would be the ‘Adam Oates Playmaker Trophy’. Oates only led the league twice over his long career but was always among the top ten. Adam first led the league in 1992-93 with 97 assists with the Boston Bruins. It was the first time since Bryan Trottier of the New York Islanders in 1978-79 that Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux had not led the NHL in that department (Lemieux won it just once over that period).

Let the NHL know who you think the Assists Trophy should be named after in the poll to the right!

Of course, Vulcan logic would determine the award be called the ‘Wayne Gretzky Trophy’. The Great One led the NHL in assists 13 times. He has awards named after him in the Ontario Hockey League (two actually) but the NHL has yet to honour their greatest son. Maybe, it’s time to right some wrongs with the guy who took hockey to a whole different level.

In all, there are 12 players in the history of the NHL that have led the league in assists on three or more occasions. This is based on a single leader in each season. In case of ties, and there were ties, the player with the most total points would prevail. Just Gretzky and Bobby Orr have led more than three times with Bobby leading the league on five occasions over his drastically shortened career.

Three triple winners are still actively playing in 2012-13, so there may be a four time winner in a couple months. Henrik Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks has led the NHL in assists over the past three seasons. Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks and Jaromir Jagr of the Dallas Stars have also been assists leader three times.

For fun, help the NHL pick a name for their new trophy by participating in the poll in the sidebar to the right of this article. I’ve put up seven names: Gretzky, Oates, Orr, Sedin, Gordie Howe, Stan Mikita and Frank Boucher. All were 3+ time winners. Mikita won his three in consecutive years while setting up Bobby Hull in Chicago. Frank Boucher was the first two lead in consecutive seasons. Gordie Howe is just Gordie Howe – another legend that doesn’t have an award handed out in his honour. There is a slot for you to add a player not listed, if you so desire. This is my favourite function in polls because it bring to light someone truly deserving but was missed and it could also bring a good laugh.

Here’s the list:

Year Player Team Assists
2011-12 Henrik Sedin Vancouver Canucks 67
2010-11 Henrik Sedin Vancouver Canucks 75
2009-10 Henrik Sedin Vancouver Canucks 83
2008-09 Evgeni Malkin Pittsburgh Penguins 78
2007-08 Joe Thornton San Jose Sharks 67
2006-07 Joe Thornton San Jose Sharks 92
2005-06 Joe Thornton San Jose Sharks 96
2004-05
2003-04 Martin St. Louis Tampa Bay Lightning 56
2002-03 Peter Forsberg Colorado Avalanche 77
2001-02 Adam Oates Philadelphia Flyers 64
2000-01 Jaromir Jagr Pittsburgh Penguins 69
1999-00 Mark Recchi Philadelphia Flyers 63
1998-99 Jaromir Jagr Pittsburgh Penguins 83
1997-98 Jaromir Jagr Pittsburgh Penguins 67
1996-97 Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh Penguins 72
1995-96 Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh Penguins 92
1994-95 Ron Francis Pittsburgh Penguins 48
1993-94 Wayne Gretzky Los Angeles Kings 92
1992-93 Adam Oates Boston Bruins 97
1991-92 Wayne Gretzky Los Angeles Kings 90
1990-91 Wayne Gretzky Los Angeles Kings 122
1989-90 Wayne Gretzky Los Angeles Kings 102
1988-89 Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh Penguins 114
1987-88 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers 109
1986-87 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers 121
1985-86 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers 163
1984-85 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers 135
1983-84 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers 118
1982-83 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers 125
1981-82 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers 120
1980-81 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers 109
1979-80 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers 86
1978-79 Bryan Trottier New York Islanders 87
1977-78 Bryan Trottier New York Islanders 77
1976-77 Guy Lafleur Montreal Canadiens 80
1975-76 Bobby Clarke Philadelphia Flyers 89
1974-75 Bobby Orr Boston Bruins 89
1973-74 Bobby Orr Boston Bruins 90
1972-73 Phil Esposito Boston Bruins 75
1971-72 Bobby Orr Boston Bruins 80
1970-71 Bobby Orr Boston Bruins 102
1969-70 Bobby Orr Boston Bruins 87
1968-69 Phil Esposito Boston Bruins 77
1967-68 Phil Esposito Boston Bruins 49
1966-67 Stan Mikita Chicago Blackhawks 62
1965-66 Stan Mikita Chicago Blackhawks 48
1964-65 Stan Mikita Chicago Blackhawks 59
1963-64 Andy Bathgate Toronto Maple Leafs 58
1962-63 Henri Richard Montreal Canadiens 50
1961-62 Andy Bathgate New York Rangers 56
1960-61 Jean Beliveau Montreal Canadiens 58
1959-60 Don McKenney Boston Bruins 49
1958-59 Dickie Moore Montreal Canadiens 55
1957-58 Henri Richard Montreal Canadiens 52
1956-57 Ted Lindsay Detroit Red Wings 55
1955-56 Bert Olmstead Montreal Canadiens 56
1954-55 Bert Olmstead Montreal Canadiens 48
1953-54 Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings 48
1952-53 Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings 46
1951-52 Elmer Lach Montreal Canadiens 50
1950-51 Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings 43
1949-50 Ted Lindsay Detroit Red Wings 55
1948-49 Doug Bentley Chicago Blackhawks 43
1947-48 Doug Bentley Chicago Blackhawks 37
1946-47 Billy Taylor Detroit Red Wings 46
1945-46 Elmer Lach Montreal Canadiens 34
1944-45 Elmer Lach Montreal Canadiens 54
1943-44 Clint Smith Chicago Blackhawks 49
1942-43 Bill Cowley Boston Bruins 45
1941-42 Phil Watson New York Rangers 37
1940-41 Bill Cowley Boston Bruins 45
1939-40 Milt Schmidt Boston Bruins 30
1938-39 Bill Cowley Boston Bruins 34
1937-38 Syl Apps Toronto Maple Leafs 29
1936-37 Syl Apps Toronto Maple Leafs 29
1935-36 Art Chapman New York Americans 28
1934-35 Art Chapman New York Americans 34
1933-34 Joe Primeau Toronto Maple Leafs 32
1932-33 Frank Boucher New York Rangers 28
1931-32 Joe Primeau Toronto Maple Leafs 37
1930-31 Joe Primeau Toronto Maple Leafs 32
1929-30 Frank Boucher New York Rangers 36
1928-29 Frank Boucher New York Rangers 16
1927-28 Howie Morenz Montreal Canadiens 18
1926-27 Dick Irvin Chicago Blackhawks 18
1925-26 Frank Nighbor Ottawa Senators 13
1924-25 Cy Denneny Ottawa Senators 15
1923-24 King Clancy Ottawa Senators 8
1922-23 Edmond Bouchard Hamilton Tigers 12
1921-22 Harry Broadbent Ottawa Senators 14
1920-21 Jack MacKell Ottawa Senators 10
1919-20 Corbett Denneny Toronto St. Pats 12
1918-19 Newsy Lalonde Montreal Canadiens 9
1917-18 n/a n/a n/a

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