The Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award has been awarded since 2006-07. It is given "to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice during the regular season."
Suggestions for nominees are solicited from fans, clubs and NHL personnel, but the selection of the three finalists and the ultimate winner is made by Messier, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and one of the finest leaders in NHL history. The six-time Stanley Cup champion is one of three players to have been captain of three teams (Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks) and is the only player in NHL history to be captain of two teams that won the Stanley Cup (Oilers in 1990; Rangers in 1994).
No player has won the award more than once.