Five Candidates for the Hart Memorial Trophy at the End of November

The second month of the 2022-23 season is coming to a close and already some incredible numbers are being put up award-type numbers. One of the better races early in the season has been the competition for the Hart Memorial Trophy.

The Hart Memorial Trophy is awarded to the most valuable player, and that honor is voted on by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

The Hart Memorial Trophy does have a history. The original Hart Trophy was donated to the NHL in 1923 by Canadian David Hart, after whom the trophy would eventually be named after.

The trophy has been awarded 98 times to 61 different players since the 1923-24 season. The player with the most Hart Memorial Trophies is NHL Hall of Fame center Wayne Gretzky with nine. The first recipient of the prestigious award was Frank Nighbor in the 1923-24 season.

Five candidates for the Hart Memorial Trophy at the end of November.

The original trophy was retired by the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1960 when the NHL began awarding the Hart Memorial Trophy. Players from the original six Montreal Canadiens have won the award 17 times.

The Hart Memorial Trophy stands as one of the recognizable trophies today, as well as the biggest trophy for individual play for the season.

The Hart Memorial Trophy is given out at the end of the season at a special awards ceremony. This award is given to a player for his regular-season achievements and has no bearing on postseason accomplishments.

It is the biggest honor a player can have for being the best player in the league, whether it is a forward, defenseman, or goaltender. Seven defensemen have won the award, and seven goaltenders have won the award. 47 forwards have taken home the Hart Memorial Trophy.

Below are the top five candidates to bring home the trophy this season.