The Art Ross Trophy has been handed out to the regular
season points leader in the National Hockey League each season since
1947-48. Over the 61 years since the
trophy was first awarded, eight players have captured the trophy in consecutive
years.
Gordie Howe – Detroit Red Wings
Gordie Howe of the Detroit Red Wings became the first NHL
player to accomplish this rarity. Howe won the trophy four times consecutively
from 1950-51 to 1953-54. Over his great playing career, Gordie would take home
the award twice more, both while playing in Detroit.
Dickie Moore – Montreal Canadiens
Shortly after, Dickie Moore of the Montreal Canadiens was
awarded the Art Ross Trophy twice in a row. Moore led the league with 84 points
in 1957-58. The next year, he increased the NHL record to 96 points while
winning his second Art Ross. Moore’s record would stay in the books until
1965-66 when Bobby Hull of the Chicago Blackhawks bettered it by a single
point. Hull won three scoring championships over his career, however, never
consecutively.
Stan Mikita – Chicago Blackhawks
Bobby Hull’s teammate with the Blackhawks, Stan Mikita, was
the next player to lead the National Hockey League in points over consecutive
seasons. Mikita did it twice. The first pair occurred during the 1963-64 and
1964-65 seasons. The second time was immediately following Hull’s record
performance, 1966-67 and 1967-68. In 1966-67, Mikita would equal Hull’s 97
points.
Phil Esposito – Boston Bruins
The late 1960’s and early 1970’s brought several new expansion
teams to the NHL. The original six teams weren’t willing to share the Art Ross
and didn’t give it up until 1978-79. With expansion came a lot more scoring.
Phil Esposito of the Boston Bruins was awarded the Art Ross in four straight
seasons from 1970-71 to 1973-74. His point totals of 152, 133, 130 and 145 over
those four years shattered the previous scoring marks of Mikita and Hull.
Guy Lafleur – Montreal Canadiens
Guy Lafleur of the Montreal Canadiens replaced Esposito as
the NHL’s premier point-getter in 1975-76 and won the Art Ross three years consecutively,
playing for what is arguably the best hockey team to ever play.
Wayne Gretzky – Edmonton Oilers
The game of hockey changed drastically in 1979-80 as Wayne
Gretzky first skated in the league. In just his second season with the Edmonton
Oilers, Gretzky won the Art Ross and bettered Phil Esposito’s record with 164.
Gretzky went on to win seven in a row with the Edmonton Oilers, setting the NHL
record for points in a single season during the 1985-86 season with 215.
Gretzky would also win consecutive Art Ross trophies as a member of the Los
Angeles Kings in 1989-90 and 1990-91. He would win one more time in his career
for a total of 10.
Mario Lemieux – Pittsburgh Penguins
Mario Lemieux challenged but could not eclipse Gretzky’s mark
of 215 points. However, he did win the Art Ross consecutively on three
different occasions. He neared Gretzky’s record with 199 points in 1988-89, the
second of his first two in a row. He would capture the Art Ross in 1991-92 and
1992-93 and then again in 1995-96 and 1996-97.
Jaromir Jagr – Pittsburgh Penguins
Lemieux’s teammate on the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jaromir Jagr took
home the Art Ross four times consecutively from 1997-98 to 2000-01. Jagr won
the trophy five times during his NHL playing career. Jagr, to date, is the last
to win the award in straight seasons.
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