The Molson Cup is an award presented to a distinguished player on Canadian ice hockey teams. After each game, the "three game stars" are selected, usually by a member of the media. At the end of the season, the player with the most three-star honours is presented with the Molson Cup. Most teams also donate money to charity in the name of the winner of each monthly segment winner during the season.
The Molson Cup is not an official National Hockey League (NHL) award, but the Canadian NHL franchises have presented the award to its players. It is also bestowed by some minor professional and Canadian Hockey League clubs as well. The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Rookie of the Year Award was previously known as the Molson Cup.
The Molson Cup is sponsored by Molson Breweries; many hockey clubs with another brewery sponsor present a similar award with a name related to the sponsor. The Quebec Nordiques awarded an "O'Keefe Cup."
List of winners by team
Active award
Edmonton Oilers
SeasonWinner 1979–80 Wayne Gretzky 1980–81 Wayne Gretzky 1981–82 Wayne Gretzky 1982–83 Wayne Gretzky 1983–84 Wayne Gretzky 1984–85 Wayne Gretzky 1985–86 Wayne Gretzky 1986–87 Wayne Gretzky 1987–88 Wayne Gretzky 1988–89 Grant Fuhr 1989–90 Mark Messier 1990–91 Bill Ranford 1991–92 Joe Murphy
SeasonWinner 1992–93 Bill Ranford 1993–94 Bill Ranford 1994–95 Bill Ranford 1995–96 Doug Weight 1996–97 Curtis Joseph 1997–98 Curtis Joseph 1998–99 Bill Guerin 1999–00 Tommy Salo 2000–01 Tommy Salo 2001–02 Tommy Salo 2002–03 Tommy Salo 2003–04 Ryan Smyth 2005–06 Ryan Smyth
SeasonWinner 2006–07 Dwayne Roloson 2007–08 Mathieu Garon 2008–09 Dwayne Roloson 2009–10 Jeff Deslauriers 2010–11 Taylor Hall 2011–12 Taylor Hall 2012–13 Devan Dubnyk 2013–14 Taylor Hall 2014–15 Jordan Eberle 2015–16 Cam Talbot 2016–17 Connor McDavid 2017–18 Connor McDavid
Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens typically award their Molson Cup monthly; only the end-of-season winners are listed here.
SeasonWinner 1972–73 Ken Dryden 1973–74 Wayne Thomas 1974–75 Guy Lafleur 1975–76 Guy Lafleur 1976–77 Guy Lafleur 1977–78 Guy Lafleur 1978–79 Guy Lafleur 1979–80 Guy Lafleur 1980–81 Larry Robinson 1981–82 Guy Lafleur 1982–83 Mario Tremblay 1983–84 Guy Carbonneau 1984–85 Steve Penney 1985–86 Mats Näslund 1986–87 Mats Näslund 1987–88 Stéphane Richer 1988–89 Patrick Roy
SeasonWinner 1989–90 Stéphane Richer 1990–91 Russ Courtnall 1991–92 Patrick Roy 1992–93 Kirk Muller 1993–94 Patrick Roy 1994–95 Patrick Roy 1995–96 Pierre Turgeon 1996–97 Mark Recchi 1997–98 Mark Recchi 1998–99 Jeff Hackett 1999–00 Jeff Hackett 2000–01 José Théodore 2001–02 José Théodore 2002–03 José Théodore 2003–04 José Théodore 2005–06 Saku Koivu 2006–07 Cristobal Huet
SeasonWinner 2007–08 Alexei Kovalev 2008–09 Carey Price 2009–10 Jaroslav Halák 2010–11 Carey Price 2011–12 Carey Price 2012–13 Carey Price 2013–14 Carey Price 2014–15 Carey Price 2015–16 Alex Galchenyuk 2016–17 Carey Price 2017–18 Brendan Gallagher 2018–19 Carey Price 2019–20 Carey Price 2021–22 Nick Suzuki 2022–23 Nick Suzuki 2023–24 Nick Suzuki 2024–25 Nick Suzuki
Ottawa Senators
SeasonWinner 1992–93 Sylvain Turgeon 1993–94 Alexei Yashin 1994–95 Don Beaupre 1995–96 Damian Rhodes 1996–97 Alexei Yashin 1997–98 Alexei Yashin 1998–99 Alexei Yashin 1999–00 Marian Hossa 2000–01 Patrick Lalime
SeasonWinner 2001–02 Daniel Alfredsson 2002–03 Daniel Alfredsson 2003–04 Daniel Alfredsson 2005–06 Daniel Alfredsson 2006–07 Ray Emery 2007–08 Martin Gerber 2008–09 Daniel Alfredsson 2009–10 Brian Elliott 2010–11 Jason Spezza
SeasonWinner 2011–12 Craig Anderson 2012–13 Craig Anderson 2013–14 Craig Anderson 2014–15 Erik Karlsson 2015–16 Erik Karlsson 2016–17 Erik Karlsson 2017–18 Erik Karlsson
Toronto Maple Leafs
SeasonWinner 1973–74 Borje Salming 1974–75 Darryl Sittler 1975–76 Darryl Sittler 1976–77 Borje Salming 1977–78 Borje Salming 1978–79 Darryl Sittler 1979–80 Borje Salming 1980–81 Darryl Sittler Wilf Paiement 1981–82 Michel Larocque 1982–83 Rick Vaive 1983–84 Rick Vaive 1984–85 Bill Derlago 1985–86 Ken Wregget 1986–87 Rick Vaive
SeasonWinner 1987–88 Ken Wregget 1988–89 Gary Leeman 1989–90 Gary Leeman 1990–91 Peter Ing 1991–92 Grant Fuhr 1992–93 Doug Gilmour 1993–94 Doug Gilmour 1994–95 Mats Sundin 1995–96 Felix Potvin 1996–97 Felix Potvin 1997–98 Felix Potvin 1998–99 Curtis Joseph 1999–00 Curtis Joseph 2000–01 Curtis Joseph 2001–02 Mats Sundin
SeasonWinner 2002–03 Ed Belfour 2003–04 Ed Belfour 2005–06 Mats Sundin 2006–07 Mats Sundin 2007–08 Vesa Toskala 2008–09 Vesa Toskala 2009–10 Phil Kessel 2010–11 Phil Kessel 2011–12 Phil Kessel 2012–13 James Reimer 2013–14 Jonathan Bernier 2014–15 Jonathan Bernier 2015–16 Jonathan Bernier 2016–17 Frederik Andersen 2017–18 Frederik Andersen
Vancouver Canucks The Canucks have retitled this award the Three Stars Award in recent years.
SeasonWinner 1975–76 Bobby Lalonde 1976–77 Cesare Maniago 1977–78 Cesare Maniago 1978–79 Glen Hanlon 1979–80 Glen Hanlon 1980–81 Richard Brodeur 1981–82 Richard Brodeur 1982–83 Thomas Gradin 1983–84 Patrik Sundstrom 1984–85 Richard Brodeur 1985–86 Richard Brodeur 1986–87 Petri Skriko 1987–88 Kirk McLean 1988–89 Trevor Linden 1989–90 Kirk McLean 1990–91 Trevor Linden 1991–92 Pavel Bure
SeasonWinner 1992–93 Pavel Bure 1993–94 Pavel Bure 1994–95 Kirk McLean 1995–96 Trevor Linden 1996–97 Martin Gelinas 1997–98 Pavel Bure 1998–99 Garth Snow 1999–00 Mark Messier 2000–01 Markus Naslund 2001–02 Markus Naslund 2002–03 Markus Naslund 2003–04 Dan Cloutier 2005–06 Alexander Auld 2006–07 Roberto Luongo 2007–08 Roberto Luongo 2008–09 Roberto Luongo 2009–10 Henrik Sedin
SeasonWinner 2010–11 Roberto Luongo 2011–12 Roberto Luongo 2012–13 Cory Schneider 2013–14 Ryan Kesler 2014–15 Ryan Miller 2015–16 Daniel Sedin 2016–17 Ryan Miller 2017–18 Jacob Markstrom 2018–19 Jacob Markstrom 2019–20 Jacob Markstrom 2020–21 Thatcher Demko 2021–22 J.T. Miller 2022–23 Elias Pettersson 2023–24 Elias Pettersson 2024–25 Quinn Hughes 2025–26 Quinn Hughes
Defunct award
Calgary Flames
The Flames last awarded the Molson Cup for the 2010–11 season.
SeasonWinner 1980–81 Kent Nilsson 1981–82 Pat Riggin 1982–83 Lanny McDonald 1983–84 Rejean Lemelin 1984–85 Rejean Lemelin 1985–86 Hakan Loob 1986–87 Joe Mullen 1987–88 Hakan Loob 1988–89 Joe Mullen 1989–90 Joe Nieuwendyk
SeasonWinner 1990–91 Theoren Fleury 1991–92 Mike Vernon 1992–93 Theoren Fleury 1993–94 Joe Nieuwendyk 1994–95 Trevor Kidd 1995–96 Theoren Fleury 1996–97 Trevor Kidd 1997–98 Theoren Fleury 1998–99 Fred Brathwaite 1999–00 Fred Brathwaite
SeasonWinner 2000–01 Jarome Iginla 2001–02 Jarome Iginla 2002–03 Jarome Iginla 2003–04 Jarome Iginla 2005–06 Miikka Kiprusoff 2006–07 Miikka Kiprusoff 2007–08 Jarome Iginla 2008–09 Miikka Kiprusoff 2009–10 Miikka Kiprusoff 2010–11 Jarome Iginla
Winnipeg Jets
SeasonWinner 1979–80 Morris Lukowich 1980–81 Dave Christian 1981–82 Dale Hawerchuk 1982–83 Dale Hawerchuk 1983–84 Laurie Boschman 1984–85 Dale Hawerchuk
SeasonWinner 1985–86 Dale Hawerchuk 1986–87 Dale Hawerchuk 1987–88 Dale Hawerchuk 1988–89 Thomas Steen 1989–90 Thomas Steen 1990–91 Bob Essensa
SeasonWinner 1991–92 Phil Housley 1992–93 Teemu Selanne 1993–94 Keith Tkachuk 1994–95 Alexei Zhamnov 1995–96 Nikolai Khabibulin
See also Three stars (ice hockey) Three-Star Award (Arizona Coyotes award) Three Stars Awards (Boston Bruins award) Three Stars Award (Columbus Blue Jackets award) Normandy Homes Star of the Game Award (Dallas Stars award) Three-Star Award (New Jersey Devils award) Toyota Cup (Philadelphia Flyers award) A. T. Caggiano Memorial Booster Club Award (Pittsburgh Penguins award) O'Keefe Cup (defunct Quebec Nordiques award) Three Stars of the Year (San Jose Sharks award) Three Stars of the Game Award (Winnipeg Jets award)
References
Calgary Flames: Calgary Flames 2006–07 Media Guide pp. 107–131. Ottawa Senators: Toronto Maple Leafs: Toronto Maple Leafs 2015–16 Media Guide pp. 373. Vancouver Canucks: Official Canucks Award Winner Archive on Canucks.com