Editing Most valuable player (section)

{{Short description|Title given by various sports organizations}}
{{Other uses of|MVP}}

{{more citations needed|date=August 2018}}

[[File:FrankNighbor.jpg|right|thumb|[[Frank Nighbor]] with the original [[Hart Memorial Trophy]] in 1924.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hhof.com/htmlSilverware/silver_splashhart.shtml|website=Official website of Hockey Hall of Fame|title=Hart Memorial Trophy|access-date=15 February 2018|archive-date=16 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216112306/http://www.hhof.com/htmlSilverware/silver_splashhart.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> The trophy is awarded annually to the "player judged most valuable to his team" in the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=24934|website=NHL.com|title=Hart Memorial Trophy|access-date=15 February 2018|quote=The Hart Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the player judged to be the most valuable to his team.|archive-date=26 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626125854/http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=24934|url-status=live}}</ref>]]

In [[team sport]]s, a '''most valuable player''' ('''MVP''') award is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particular competition, or on a specific team. The purpose of the award is to recognize the contribution of the individual's efforts amongst a group effort, and to highlight the excellence, exemplariness, and/or outstandingness of a player's performance amidst the performance of their peers in question.<ref>{{cite web|title=Definition of MVP (n.d.).|website=Dictionary.com|url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/mvp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827050718/https://www.dictionary.com/browse/mvp |archive-date=2022-08-27 }}</ref>

The term can have different connotations depending on the context in which it is used. A 'League MVP' is the most valuable player in an entire league, and refers to the player whose performance is most excellent in the league. Similarly, a "Team MVP" is the most valuable player on a team, referring to the player whose team contribution is greatest amongst their teammates.<ref>{{cite web |title=Most valuable player |website=[[Merriam-Webster]] |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/most%20valuable%20player |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827045929/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/most%20valuable%20player |archive-date=2022-08-27 |access-date= 26 August 2022}}</ref> In many sports, MVP awards are presented for a specific match—in other words, a [[player of the match]] award. This is particularly true for high profile matches like championship games. For example, during a finals championship series, a 'Finals MVP' award would be bestowed upon the most valuable player in the finals game(s).

Ice hockey player, [[Wayne Gretzky]], has been named MVP more times than any player in the history of the other three North American major professional leagues ([[Major League Baseball|MLB]], [[National Basketball Association|NBA]], and [[National Football League|NFL]]). He won the award a record nine times during his career, eight consecutively. [[Barry Bonds]] is second, having won the MVP award seven times in the National League of Major League Baseball (The American League also awards an MVP), although until the 1930s baseball players were only permitted to win the award one time which limited the number of times [[Babe Ruth]] could win. [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]] won the NBA MVP award six times, and [[Michael Jordan]] won the award five times. [[Peyton Manning]] won the NFL MVP five times. Only five other players have won more than two NFL MVP awards: [[Jim Brown]], [[Johnny Unitas]], [[Brett Favre]], [[Tom Brady]], and [[Aaron Rodgers]].

An important distinction is that the MVP is not be conflated with the winningest player. Although the two are usually somewhat correlated, there are several (albeit rare) prime counterexamples. For instance, in [[NBA|professional basketball]], [[Kareem-Abdul Jabbar]] won the 1975–76 MVP award even though his team did not qualify for the postseason. Additionally, several other NBA players in history have been awarded MVP, and proceeded to lose in the first round of the postseason.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mullin |first=E. |date=April 28, 2022 |title=NBA Playoffs: How many times has the MVP lost in the first round? |website=NBC Sports |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/nba-playoffs-how-many-times-has-mvp-lost-first-round |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827080646/https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/nba-playoffs-how-many-times-has-mvp-lost-first-round |archive-date=2022-08-27 }}</ref> In another instance in professional basketball, [[Jerry West]] was awarded the 1969 [[NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award|NBA Finals MVP Award]], despite having lost the finals.<ref>{{cite web |last1=de Artola |first1=A. |date=June 14, 2022 |title=Who was the last player to win NBA Finals MVP from the losing team? |website=FanSided |url=https://fansided.com/2022/06/13/last-player-win-nba-finals-mvp-losing-team/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827081048/https://fansided.com/2022/06/13/last-player-win-nba-finals-mvp-losing-team/ |archive-date=2022-08-27 }}</ref> In the sport of [[NFL|professional football]], [[Johnny Unitas]] won the 1967 MVP award, despite not qualifying for the playoffs. Likewise, [[O. J. Simpson]] won the 1973 MVP award, despite not qualifying for the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 3, 2022 |title=Has an NFL MVP ever not made the playoffs? |website=Four Verts Football |url=https://fourvertsfootball.com/has-an-nfl-mvp-ever-not-made-the-playoffs/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827081048/https://fourvertsfootball.com/has-an-nfl-mvp-ever-not-made-the-playoffs/ |archive-date=2022-08-27 }}</ref> Similar to Jerry West in basketball, [[Chuck Howley]] in football won the 1971 [[Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award]] despite having lost the [[Super Bowl|Super Bowl V]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Loyola|first=K.|date=April 18, 2022|title=Who is the only Super Bowl MVP that played on a losing team? |website=Bolavip US |url=https://bolavip.com/en/nfl/who-is-the-only-super-bowl-mvp-that-played-on-a-losing-team-20220418-0020.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827081048/https://bolavip.com/en/nfl/who-is-the-only-super-bowl-mvp-that-played-on-a-losing-team-20220418-0020.html |archive-date=2022-08-27 }}</ref> In 1960, [[Bobby Richardson]] won the [[1960 World Series|World Series]] MVP Award, but lost the World Series.<ref name="wsmvpbp">{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws.jsp?feature=mvp_pos|title=World Series History: Most Valuable Players by Position|publisher=[[Major League Baseball]]|access-date=October 3, 2009|archive-date=January 18, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118090550/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws.jsp?feature=mvp_pos|url-status=live}}</ref> In ice hockey, three players, [[Al Rollins]] in 1954, [[Andy Bathgate]] in 1959 and [[Mario Lemieux]] in 1988 each won the NHL's oldest MVP award, the [[Hart Trophy]], with Lemieux also receiving the [[Ted Lindsay Award]] (introduced in 1970–71 and voted on by the league's players), but did not make the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web|last=Newby|first=C.|date=August 14, 2021|title=History of Hart Trophy Winners From Non-Playoff Teams|website=The Hockey Writers|url=https://thehockeywriters.com/history-hart-trophy-winners-non-playoff-teams/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827230056/https://thehockeywriters.com/history-hart-trophy-winners-non-playoff-teams/ |archive-date=2022-08-27 }}</ref> Also, [[Reggie Leach]] won the 1976 [[Conn Smythe Trophy]], presented to the most valuable player in the [[Stanley Cup playoffs]],{{efn|The Conn Smythe Trophy is based on performance throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs, which now consist of four rounds, instead of just the Stanley Cup Final.}} while breaking the league record for most playoff goals, but lost the [[1976 Stanley Cup Finals|finals]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Commito|first=M.|date=May 25, 2016|title=An interview with Flyers great Reggie Leach, 40 years after his Conn Smythe Trophy win|website=Broad Street Hockey|url=https://www.broadstreethockey.com/2016/5/25/11762804/reggie-leach-interview-flyers-conn-smythe-playoffs |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827233850/https://www.broadstreethockey.com/2016/5/25/11762804/reggie-leach-interview-flyers-conn-smythe-playoffs |archive-date=2022-08-27 }}</ref> In baseball history, several MVPs have not made the playoffs,<ref>{{cite web|date=October 2, 2017|title=Debate: Should The MVP Come From a Playoff-Bound Team?|website=Bleacher Report|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/234369-debate-the-first-should-the-mvp-come-from-a-playoff-bound-team|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827235543/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/234369-debate-the-first-should-the-mvp-come-from-a-playoff-bound-team |archive-date=2022-08-27 }}</ref> and in 2021, none of the six [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] finalists in [[Major League Baseball]] played for teams that reached the [[Major League Baseball postseason|postseason]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Papke|first1=G.|date=November 9, 2021|title=MLB MVP finalists make unique bit of history|website=Larry Brown Sports|url=https://larrybrownsports.com/baseball/mlb-mvp-finalists-no-playoffs-history/586852 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827235543/https://larrybrownsports.com/baseball/mlb-mvp-finalists-no-playoffs-history/586852 |archive-date=2022-08-27 }}</ref>

The term is most common in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]]. In most other countries around the world, "[[player of the year award|player of the year]]" is used for a season-spanning award and "[[player of the match]]" for individual games. In Australia, [[Australian rules football]] clubs and leagues use the term "[[best and fairest]]", while those playing [[rugby league]] use "player of the year", such as the [[Dally M Medal]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nrl.com/thurston-wins-2015-dally-m-medal/tabid/10874/newsid/90203/default.aspx |title=Dally M Medal 2015 |date=28 September 2015 |access-date=2016-02-01 |archive-date=2016-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203033029/http://www.nrl.com/thurston-wins-2015-dally-m-medal/tabid/10874/newsid/90203/default.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>