| Saison | Joueur | Équipe |
| 2023 | Cale Makar | Vancouver |
| 2022 | Roman Josi | Edmonton |
| 2021 | Ryan Ellis | Californie |
| 2020 | Mark Giordano | Boston |
| 2019 | John Carlson | Hartford |
| 2018 | Victor Hedman | Chicago |
| 2017 | Brent Burns | San Jose |
| 2016 | Drew Doughty | Los Angeles |
| 2015 | Erik Karlsson | Ottawa |
| 2014 | Duncan Keith | Chicago |
| 2013 | P.K. Subban | Montréal |
| 2012 | Erik Karlsson | Ottawa |
| 2011 | Nicklas Lidstrom | Detroit |
| 2010 | Duncan Keith | Chicago |
| 2009 | Zdeno Chara | Boston |
| 2008 | Nicklas Lidstrom | Detroit |
| 2007 | Nicklas Lidstrom | Detroit |
| 2006 | Nicklas Lidstrom | Detroit |
| 2004 | Scott Niedermayer | New Jersey |
| 2003 | Nicklas Lidstrom | Detroit |
| 2002 | Nicklas Lidstrom | Detroit |
| 2001 | Nicklas Lidstrom | Detroit |
| 2000 | Chris Pronger | St.Louis |
| 1999 | Al MacInnis | St.Louis |
| 1998 | Rob Blake | Los Angeles |
| 1997 | Brian Leetch | New York Rangers |
| 1996 | Chris Chelios | Chicago |
| 1995 | Paul Coffey | Detroit |
| 1994 | Raymond Bourque | Boston |
| 1993 | Chris Chelios | Chicago |
| 1992 | Brian Leetch | New York Rangers |
| 1991 | Raymond Bourque | Boston |
| 1990 | Raymond Bourque | Boston |
| 1989 | Chris Chelios | Montréal |
| 1988 | Raymond Bourque | Boston |
| 1987 | Raymond Bourque | Boston |
| 1986 | Paul Coffey | Edmonton |
| 1985 | Paul Coffey | Edmonton |
| 1984 | Rod Langway | Washington |
| 1983 | Rod Langway | Washington |
| 1982 | Doug Wilson | Chicago |
| 1981 | Randy Carlyle | Pittsburgh |
| 1980 | Larry Robinson | Montréal |
| 1979 | Denis Potvin | New York Islanders |
| 1978 | Denis Potvin | New York Islanders |
| 1977 | Larry Robinson | Montréal |
| 1976 | Denis Potvin | New York Islanders |
| 1975 | Bobby Orr | Boston |
| 1974 | Bobby Orr | Boston |
| 1973 | Bobby Orr | Boston |
| 1972 | Bobby Orr | Boston |
| 1971 | Bobby Orr | Boston |
| 1970 | Bobby Orr | Boston |
| 1969 | Bobby Orr | Boston |
| 1968 | Bobby Orr | Boston |
| 1967 | Harry Howell | New York Rangers |
| 1966 | Jacques Laperrière | Montréal |
| 1965 | Pierre Pilote | Chicago |
| 1964 | Pierre Pilote | Chicago |
| 1963 | Pierre Pilote | Chicago |
| 1962 | Doug Harvey | Montréal |
| 1961 | Doug Harvey | Montréal |
| 1960 | Doug Harvey | Montréal |
| 1959 | Tom Johnson | Montréal |
| 1958 | Doug Harvey | Montréal |
| 1957 | Doug Harvey | Montréal |
| 1956 | Doug Harvey | Montréal |
| 1955 | Doug Harvey | Montréal |
| 1954 | Red Kelly | Detroit |