Lester Patrick Trophy

Lester Patrick Trophy
Established	1966
Current holder(s)	Brian Burke Phil Housley Ted Lindsay Bob Nagele, Jr.
Awarded to the	Personnel who provide outstanding service to hockey in the United States.

The Lester Patrick Trophy has been has presented by the National Hockey League and USA Hockey since 1966 to honor a recipient's contribution to ice hockey in the United States. It is considered a non-NHL trophy because it may be awarded to players, coaches, officials, and other personnel outside the NHL. The trophy is named after Lester Patrick (1883–1960), player and long time coach of the New York Rangers, who was a developer of ice hockey.

History

The Lester Patrick Trophy was presented by the New York Rangers in 1966.^[1] It honors the late Lester Patrick, who was a general manager and coach of the club. It is presented annually for "outstanding service to hockey in the United States".^[2] Players, coaches, referees, and executives are eligible to receive the trophy. The winners are chosen by a committee consisting various officials, including the Commissioner (previously President) of the NHL, an NHL Governor, a representative of the New York Rangers, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Builder's section, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Player's section, a member of the U. S. Hockey Hall of Fame, a member of the NHL Broadcasters' Association and a member of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. Each member of the committee changes annually except for the NHL commissioner, who is presently Gary Bettman. The trophy's first winner was Jack Adams.

There have been 108 individuals who have won it, and three teams. The trophy has been won by women on two occasions; in 1999, the 1998 U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team was presented the trophy along with Harry Sinden, and in 2007, Cammi Granato individually won the trophy. Granato was also a member of the 1998 U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team that won the trophy in 1998.^[3] No person individually has won the award twice; however, persons have won with a team and by themselves separately, as is the case with Cammi Granato, because she was adjudged worthy to be personally awarded the trophy.

Winners

Clarence S. Campbell, winner in 1969.

Terry Sawchuk, winner in 1971.

Wayne Gretzky, winner in 1994.

Mario Lemieux, winner in 2000.

Scotty Bowman, winner in 2001.

Mike "Doc" Emrick, winner in 2004.

Brian Leetch, winner in 2007.

Notes and references