NHL announces Lady Byng Memorial Trophy finalists
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is presented each year to the NHL player who is adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability. The original trophy was donated to the league by Lady Byng of Vimy, then�viceregal consort of Canada (spouse of the serving governor-general of Canada).
The NHL announced the three finalists for the 2021-22 season this morning:
Kyle Connor of the Winnipeg Jets set personal highs in shots on goal with 317, goals with 47, game-winning goals with 9 and points with 93. He also established career highs in assists with 46 and shorthanded points with 3. Connor did so while receiving only four penalty minutes during his 79 appearances, which was the fewest among the NHL's top 100 scorers in 2021-22 (minimum 50 games played). He is a first-time finalist for the award.
Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes is the reigning Lady Byng winner and logged the most total (1,858:52) and average (23:32) minutes of ice-time on his team. The defenseman produced career highs in assists with 38 and points with 42 in 79 games played, while being assessed only five minor penalties. Slavin is vying to become the first player (at any position) to win the trophy in consecutive seasons since Martin St. Louis in 2009-10 and 2010-11 with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Jared Spurgeon of the Minnesota Wild established career highs in assists with 30, points per game at 0.62 and power-play assists/points with 14, while playing just 65 games. He did so while also receiving only five minor penalties (the seventh time in his 12 NHL seasons, he has been assessed 10 or fewer penalty minutes) and playing an average of 21:09. Spurgeon was the runner-up to Slavin in 2021-22.
MY PICK: Kyle Connor
The fact that Connor scored 47 goals proves that he plays a lot for the Winnipeg Jets, and he was only penalized for two minor penalties while missing just three games this season.
The last Boston Bruin to win the award was Rick Middleton in 1981-82. Adam Oates was a finalist as a Bruin every year from 1992 to 1997 as well.
