The NHL Plus/Minus Award was a trophy awarded annually by the National Hockey League to the ice hockey "player, having played a minimum of 60 games, who leads the league in plus-minus statistics." It was sponsored by a commercial business, and it had been known under five different names. First given for performance during the season, Wayne Gretzky won the award the most times, with three. Gretzky also led the league once prior to the inception of the award. Bobby Orr has led the NHL the most times in plus-minus, with six, all prior to the inception of the award. The award was discontinued after being awarded to Pavel Datsyuk following the season.

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 at the end of the season. From to , it was known as the Emery Edge Award. During , there was no formal name for the Award. From to , it was known as the Alka-Seltzer Plus Award. From to , it was known as the Bud Ice Plus-Minus Award. Finally, from to , it was known as the Bud Light Plus-Minus Award.

Three-time winner Wayne Gretzky won the award the most times out of any player, and is one of only three repeat winners, joined by two-time winners John LeClair and Chris Pronger. Gretzky recorded the highest single-season result, +100, of all Award winners. The Award was won by players on the Edmonton Oilers and Detroit Red Wings four times each, with three wins by players on the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues.

Including the 20 seasons the League tracked plus-minus as a statistic without an award, the Boston Bruins have led the League 11 times (six by Bobby Orr and twice by David Krejci, the only other repeat leaders), Edmonton Oilers five times (four by Wayne Gretzky, including three official awards) and four times each by players on the Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers.

Winners

* Season shortened by the 1994–95 NHL lockout +Positions key C Centre LW Left wing RW Right wing F Forward D Defence

Bold Player with the best plus-minus ever recorded in a season.

Plus-minus leaders (1959–1982) Before 1983, there was no award for leading the League in plus-minus. The NHL started counting the statistics in 1967, while records have been compiled by the NHL for plus-minus back to 1959. This table lists all the leaders from the available statistics to the inception of the award.

Season Player Team Position Rating Win #Montreal CanadiensD +37 1Toronto Maple LeafsD +31 1Montreal CanadiensD +55 1Toronto Maple LeafsD +32 1Chicago Black HawksD +31 1Toronto Maple LeafsD +33 2Montreal CanadiensD +34 1Chicago Black HawksD +54 2Boston BruinsD +33 1Boston BruinsC +55 1Boston BruinsD +55 1Boston BruinsD +54 2Boston BruinsD +124 3Boston BruinsD +83 4Montreal CanadiensD +77 1Boston BruinsD +84 5Boston BruinsD +80 6Philadelphia FlyersC +83 1Montreal CanadiensD +120 1Montreal CanadiensRW +73 1New York IslandersC +76 1Buffalo SabresD +60 1Montreal CanadiensD +63 1Edmonton OilersC +80 1

Plus-minus leaders (1982–2008) From 1982–83 to 2007–08, the League awarded the player with the best plus-minus. This lists the winners of the plus-minus award by season.

Season Player Team Position Rating Win #Edmonton OilersD +63 1Edmonton OilersC +76 1Edmonton OilersC +100 2Philadelphia FlyersD +85 1Edmonton OilersC +70 3Calgary FlamesD +48 1Calgary FlamesF +51 1St. Louis BluesD +38 1 Los Angeles KingsD+48 1Calgary FlamesRW 1Detroit Red WingsLW +44 1 Pittsburgh PenguinsC +55 1New Jersey DevilsD +53 1*Pittsburgh PenguinsC +30 1Detroit Red WingsD +60 1Philadelphia FlyersC +44 1St. Louis BluesD +47 1Philadelphia FlyersLW +36 2St. Louis BluesD +52 2New Jersey DevilsLW +45 1Colorado AvalancheC 1Detroit Red WingsD +40 1Colorado AvalancheC +52 1Colorado AvalancheRW 1Tampa Bay LightningRW +35 1Vancouver CanucksD 1Season cancelled due to the 2004–05 NHL lockoutOttawa SenatorsD +35 1New York RangersD 1Buffalo SabresLW +47 1Detroit Red WingsC +41 1

Plus-minus leaders (2008–present) After 2007–08, the League no longer officially awarded the player with the best plus-minus. This lists the leaders of each season from 2008.

* Season shortened by the 2012–13 NHL lockout † Season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic Season Player Team Position Rating Win # Boston Bruins C +37 1 Washington Capitals D +50 1 Boston Bruins D +33 1 Boston Bruins C +36 1 * Pittsburgh Penguins RW +31 1 Boston Bruins C +39 2 Tampa Bay Lightning RW +38 1 Montreal Canadiens LW 1 Los Angeles Kings C +35 1 Minnesota Wild D +34 1 LW 1 Vegas Golden Knights C +49 1 Calgary Flames D +39 1 † Colorado Avalanche D +40 1 † Colorado Avalanche RW +30 1 Calgary Flames LW +64 1 Boston Bruins D +49 1 Florida Panthers D +56 1 Tampa Bay Lightning D +43 1 Colorado Avalanche C +57 1

Situational plus–minus leaders (2007–present) While not all types of goals are included in the calculation of plus-minus — such as power play goals — and every other type of goal is weighed the same, situational plus–minus (Sit +/−) allows for each goal to be included by adjusting by the number of skaters (i.e. not goaltenders) on the ice at the time of the goal, to accommodate for special-team and empty net goals. The plus–minus rating is calculated by dividing the number of skaters on the ice for the team scored upon by the number of skaters on the ice for the scoring team, applied as a plus to all players (including goaltenders) on the ice for the scoring team and as a minus for all players (including goaltenders) on the ice for the team scored upon. This also allows the statistics to be applied to goaltenders.

* Season shortened by the 2012–13 NHL lockout † Season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic Best situational plus–minusWorst situational plus–minus Season Player Team Position NHL+/− Sit+/− Player Team Position NHL+/− Sit+/−2007−08Pavel DatsyukDetroit Red WingsC +41 +75.30Jamal MayersSt. Louis BluesRW−19−41.86 2008–09 Mike Green Washington Capitals D +24 +70.76 Brendan Witt New York Islanders D −34 −56.22 2009–10 Alex Ovechkin Washington Capitals LW +45 +87.71 Nate Thompson New York Islanders,Tampa Bay Lightning C −17 −46.00 2010–11 Daniel Sedin Vancouver Canucks LW +30 +73.63 Chris Phillips Ottawa Senators D −35 −52.77 2011–12 Marc-Andre Fleury Pittsburgh Penguins G N/A +59.61 Milan Jurcina New York Islanders D −34 −45.67 2012–13* Chris Kunitz Pittsburgh Penguins LW +30 +52.55 Erik Gudbranson Florida Panthers D −22 −28.20 2013–14 Chris Kunitz Pittsburgh Penguins LW +25 +62.04 Steve Ott Buffalo Sabres,St. Louis Blues C −38 −48.09 2014–15 Nikita Kucherov Tampa Bay Lightning RW +38 +54.85 Mike Smith Arizona Coyotes G N/A −76.31 2015–16 Alex Ovechkin Washington Capitals LW +21 +60.65 Bo Horvat Vancouver Canucks C −30 −38.15 2016–17 Braden Holtby Washington Capitals G N/A +63.28 Fedor Tyutin Colorado Avalanche D −25 −45.07 2017–18 Connor Hellebuyck Winnipeg Jets G N/A +67.44 Johan Larsson Buffalo Sabres C −30 −46.50 2018–19 Brayden Point Tampa Bay Lightning C +27 +72.77 Adam Larsson Edmonton Oilers D −28 −46.52 2019–20† Artemi Panarin New York Rangers LW +36 +64.04 Filip Hronek Detroit Red Wings D −38 −53.69 2020–21† Philipp Grubauer Colorado Avalanche G N/A +64.13 David Savard Columbus Blue Jackets,Tampa Bay Lightning D −27 −37.82 2021–22 Johnny Gaudreau Calgary Flames LW +64 +94.80 Karel Vejmelka Arizona Coyotes G N/A −57.20 2022−23 Connor McDavid Edmonton Oilers C +22 +83.35 John Gibson Anaheim Ducks G N/A −79.24 2023–24 Nathan MacKinnon Colorado Avalanche C +34 +84.21 Mario Ferraro San Jose Sharks D −38 −67.37 2024–25 Connor Hellebuyck Winnipeg Jets G N/A +86.05 Rasmus Andersson Calgary Flames D −38 −53.18 2025–26 Nathan MacKinnon Colorado Avalanche C +57 +88.02 Kevin Lankinen Vancouver Canucks G N/A −57.41

See also List of National Hockey League awards List of NHL players List of NHL statistical leaders

Notes

During the 1990–91 season, there was a tie between Marty McSorley of the Los Angeles Kings and Theoren 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 with a +36 rating. During the 2000–01 season, there was a tie between Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche and Patrik Elias of the New Jersey Devils. During the 2002–03 season, there was a tie between Peter Forsberg and Milan Hejduk of the Colorado Avalanche. 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 2005–06 season, there was a tie between Michal Rozsival of the New York Rangers and Wade Redden of the Ottawa Senators. During the 2014–15 season, there was a tie between Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lighting and Max Pacioretty of the Montreal Canadiens. During the 2016–17 season, there was a tie between Ryan Suter and Jason Zucker of the Minnesota Wild.

References

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