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Lady Byng Memorial Trophy facts for kids

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Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
Ladybyngtrophy.jpg
Sport Ice hockey
Given for player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability
History
First award 1924–25 NHL season
First winner Frank Nighbor
Most wins Frank Boucher (7)
Most recent Anze Kopitar
Los Angeles Kings

The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is a special award in the National Hockey League (NHL). It's given every year to the player who shows the best sportsmanship and gentlemanly behavior. This player must also be very skilled at playing hockey. The award has been given out many times since 1925. It was first given by Lady Byng of Vimy.

At the end of the regular season, hockey writers vote for the winner. They pick their top five players. The trophy is then given out at the NHL Awards ceremony. This happens after the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

History of the Lady Byng Trophy

The trophy is named after Marie Evelyn Moreton. She was also known as Lady Byng. She was the wife of the Viscount Byng of Vimy. He was the Governor General of Canada from 1921 to 1926.

Lady Byng loved hockey very much. She decided to create this trophy for the NHL in the 1924–25 season. She wanted to honor a player who was both talented and fair.

First Winner and Original Trophy

Lady Byng chose Frank Nighbor of the original Ottawa Senators as the first winner. Near the end of that season, she invited Nighbor to her home. She showed him the trophy and asked if the NHL would accept it. Nighbor thought it was a great idea. To his surprise, Lady Byng then gave him the trophy right there.

Later, Frank Boucher of the New York Rangers won the award seven times. He won it in just eight years. Lady Byng was so impressed by him. She decided to let him keep the original trophy forever.

The Memorial Trophy

Because Frank Boucher kept the first trophy, Lady Byng donated a second one. This happened in the 1935–36 season. When Lady Byng passed away in 1949, the NHL created another trophy. They also changed the award's name. It became the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. Sadly, the original trophy was lost in a fire at Boucher's home in 1962.

Lady Byng Award Winners

Many great players have won the Lady Byng Trophy. Besides Frank Boucher, some players have won it multiple times. Wayne Gretzky won it five times. Red Kelly and Pavel Datsyuk each won it four times. Players like Bobby Bauer, Alex Delvecchio, Mike Bossy, Martin St. Louis, Ron Francis, and Anže Kopitar have won it three times.

The New York Rangers and Detroit teams have won the most Lady Byng awards. Each team has won it fourteen times. The Toronto team has nine wins. Chicago and Boston each have eight wins. The Los Angeles team has seven wins.

Special Achievements

Five players have won both the Lady Byng Trophy and the Hart Memorial Trophy. The Hart Trophy is given to the league's most valuable player (MVP). These players are Buddy O'Connor (in 1947–48), Bobby Hull (in 1964–65), Stan Mikita (in 1966–67 and 1967–68), Wayne Gretzky (in 1979–80), and Joe Sakic (in 2000–01).

Stan Mikita is the only player to win the Hart, Art Ross, and Lady Byng trophies in the same season. He did this two years in a row. The Art Ross Trophy is for the player with the most points. Bobby and Brett Hull are the only father-son duo to win both the Hart and Lady Byng trophies.

Defensemen and Goaltenders

Only a few defensemen have won the Lady Byng Trophy. They include Bill Quackenbush, Jaccob Slavin, Red Kelly, and Brian Campbell. Red Kelly and Jaccob Slavin are the only defensemen to win it more than once. Red Kelly won it three times as a defenseman. After Kelly, no defenseman won the award for 58 years. This changed in 2012 when Brian Campbell won it. No goaltender has ever won this award.

List of Winners

Wgretz edit2
Wayne Gretzky, a five-time winner
Pavel Datsyuk 2008
Pavel Datsyuk, a four-time winner
Marty St Louis 2007
Martin St. Louis, a three-time winner
Positions key
C Centre
RW Right wing
LW Left wing
D Defence
G Goaltender

     Player is still active in the NHL      Eligible player not yet elected to Hockey Hall of Fame      Inactive player not yet eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame

Seasonal Winner Team Position Win # GP PIM Avg
1924–25 Frank Nighbor Ottawa Senators C 1 26 18 0.69
1925–26 Frank Nighbor Ottawa Senators C 2 35 40 1.14
1926–27 Billy Burch New York Americans C 1 43 40 0.93
1927–28 Frank Boucher New York Rangers C 1 44 15 0.34
1928–29 Frank Boucher New York Rangers C 2 44 8 0.18
1929–30 Frank Boucher New York Rangers C 3 42 16 0.38
1930–31 Frank Boucher New York Rangers C 4 44 20 0.46
1931–32 Joe Primeau Toronto Maple Leafs C 1 45 25 0.56
1932–33 Frank Boucher New York Rangers C 5 46 4 0.09
1933–34 Frank Boucher New York Rangers C 6 48 4 0.08
1934–35 Frank Boucher New York Rangers C 7 48 2 0.04
1935–36 Elwin "Doc" Romnes Chicago Black Hawks C 1 48 6 0.13
1936–37 Marty Barry Detroit Red Wings C 1 47 6 0.13
1937–38 Gordie Drillon Toronto Maple Leafs RW 1 48 4 0.08
1938–39 Clint Smith New York Rangers C 1 48 2 0.04
1939–40 Bobby Bauer Boston Bruins RW 1 48 2 0.04
1940–41 Bobby Bauer Boston Bruins RW 2 48 2 0.04
1941–42 Syl Apps Toronto Maple Leafs C 1 38 0 0.00
1942–43 Max Bentley Chicago Black Hawks C 1 47 2 0.04
1943–44 Clint Smith Chicago Black Hawks C 2 50 4 0.08
1944–45 Bill Mosienko Chicago Black Hawks RW 1 50 0 0.00
1945–46 Toe Blake Montreal Canadiens LW 1 50 2 0.04
1946–47 Bobby Bauer Boston Bruins RW 3 58 4 0.07
1947–48 Buddy O'Connor New York Rangers C 1 60 8 0.13
1948–49 Bill Quackenbush Detroit Red Wings D 1 60 0 0.00
1949–50 Edgar Laprade New York Rangers C 1 60 2 0.03
1950–51 Red Kelly Detroit Red Wings D 1 70 24 0.34
1951–52 Sid Smith Toronto Maple Leafs LW 1 70 6 0.09
1952–53 Red Kelly Detroit Red Wings D 2 70 8 0.11
1953–54 Red Kelly Detroit Red Wings D 3 62 18 0.29
1954–55 Sid Smith Toronto Maple Leafs LW 2 70 14 0.20
1955–56 Earl Reibel Detroit Red Wings C 1 68 10 0.15
1956–57 Andy Hebenton New York Rangers RW 1 70 10 0.14
1957–58 Camille Henry New York Rangers LW 1 70 2 0.03
1958–59 Alex Delvecchio Detroit Red Wings LW 1 70 6 0.09
1959–60 Don McKenney Boston Bruins C 1 70 28 0.40
1960–61 Red Kelly Toronto Maple Leafs C 4 64 12 0.19
1961–62 Dave Keon Toronto Maple Leafs C 1 64 2 0.03
1962–63 Dave Keon Toronto Maple Leafs C 2 68 2 0.03
1963–64 Kenny Wharram Chicago Black Hawks RW 1 70 18 0.26
1964–65 Bobby Hull Chicago Black Hawks LW 1 61 32 0.52
1965–66 Alex Delvecchio Detroit Red Wings C 2 70 16 0.23
1966–67 Stan Mikita Chicago Black Hawks C 1 70 12 0.17
1967–68 Stan Mikita Chicago Black Hawks C 2 72 14 0.19
1968–69 Alex Delvecchio Detroit Red Wings C 3 72 8 0.11
1969–70 Phil Goyette St. Louis Blues C 1 72 16 0.22
1970–71 Johnny Bucyk Boston Bruins LW 1 78 8 0.10
1971–72 Jean Ratelle New York Rangers C 1 63 4 0.06
1972–73 Gilbert Perreault Buffalo Sabres C 1 78 10 0.13
1973–74 Johnny Bucyk Boston Bruins LW 2 76 8 0.11
1974–75 Marcel Dionne Detroit Red Wings C 1 80 14 0.18
1975–76 Jean Ratelle Boston Bruins C 2 80 18 0.23
1976–77 Marcel Dionne Los Angeles Kings C 2 80 12 0.15
1977–78 Robert "Butch" Goring Los Angeles Kings C 1 80 2 0.03
1978–79 Bob MacMillan Atlanta Flames C 1 77 14 0.18
1979–80 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers C 1 79 21 0.27
1980–81 Rick Kehoe Pittsburgh Penguins RW 1 80 6 0.08
1981–82 Rick Middleton Boston Bruins RW 1 75 12 0.16
1982–83 Mike Bossy New York Islanders RW 1 79 20 0.25
1983–84 Mike Bossy New York Islanders RW 2 67 8 0.12
1984–85 Jari Kurri Edmonton Oilers RW 1 73 30 0.41
1985–86 Mike Bossy New York Islanders RW 3 80 14 0.18
1986–87 Joe Mullen Calgary Flames RW 1 79 14 0.18
1987–88 Mats Naslund Montreal Canadiens LW 1 78 14 0.18
1988–89 Joe Mullen Calgary Flames RW 2 79 16 0.20
1989–90 Brett Hull St. Louis Blues RW 1 80 24 0.30
1990–91 Wayne Gretzky Los Angeles Kings C 2 78 16 0.21
1991–92 Wayne Gretzky Los Angeles Kings C 3 74 34 0.46
1992–93 Pierre Turgeon New York Islanders C 1 83 26 0.31
1993–94 Wayne Gretzky Los Angeles Kings C 4 81 20 0.25
1994–95 Ron Francis Pittsburgh Penguins C 1 44 18 0.41
1995–96 Paul Kariya Mighty Ducks of Anaheim LW 1 82 20 0.24
1996–97 Paul Kariya Mighty Ducks of Anaheim LW 2 69 6 0.09
1997–98 Ron Francis Pittsburgh Penguins C 2 81 20 0.25
1998–99 Wayne Gretzky New York Rangers C 5 70 14 0.20
1999–2000 Pavol Demitra St. Louis Blues C 1 71 8 0.11
2000–01 Joe Sakic Colorado Avalanche C 1 82 30 0.37
2001–02 Ron Francis Carolina Hurricanes C 3 80 18 0.23
2002–03 Alexander Mogilny Toronto Maple Leafs RW 1 73 12 0.16
2003–04 Brad Richards Tampa Bay Lightning C 1 82 12 0.15
2004–05 Season cancelled due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout
2005–06 Pavel Datsyuk Detroit Red Wings C 1 75 22 0.29
2006–07 Pavel Datsyuk Detroit Red Wings C 2 79 20 0.25
2007–08 Pavel Datsyuk Detroit Red Wings C 3 82 20 0.24
2008–09 Pavel Datsyuk Detroit Red Wings C 4 81 22 0.27
2009–10 Martin St. Louis Tampa Bay Lightning RW 1 82 12 0.15
2010–11 Martin St. Louis Tampa Bay Lightning RW 2 82 12 0.15
2011–12 Brian Campbell Florida Panthers D 1 82 6 0.07
2012–13 Martin St. Louis Tampa Bay Lightning RW 3 48 14 0.29
2013–14 Ryan O'Reilly Colorado Avalanche C 1 80 2 0.03
2014–15 Jiri Hudler Calgary Flames RW 1 78 14 0.18
2015–16 Anze Kopitar Los Angeles Kings C 1 81 16 0.20
2016–17 Johnny Gaudreau Calgary Flames LW 1 72 4 0.06
2017–18 William Karlsson Vegas Golden Knights C 1 82 12 0.15
2018–19 Aleksander Barkov Florida Panthers C 1 82 8 0.10
2019–20 Nathan MacKinnon Colorado Avalanche C 1 69 12 0.17
2020–21 Jaccob Slavin Carolina Hurricanes D 1 52 2 0.04
2021–22 Kyle Connor Winnipeg Jets LW 1 79 4 0.05
2022–23 Anze Kopitar Los Angeles Kings C 2 82 4 0.05
2023–24 Jaccob Slavin Carolina Hurricanes D 2 81 8 0.10
2024–25 Anze Kopitar Los Angeles Kings C 3 81 4 0.05

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Trofeo Lady Byng para niños

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