Anze Kopitar Named Lady Byng Memorial Trophy Finalist

The NHL announced today that Kings captain Anze Kopitar has been named a finalist for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. The annual award is given "to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability" as selected by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

This marks Kopitar's third nomination for the Lady Byng after winning the award in 2016 and being named a finalist in 2015. He is one of four Kings players to earn the award and can join Wayne Gretzky as the only Kings players to receive the honor more than once: Wayne Gretzky (1991, '92, '94), Butch Goring (1978) and Marcel Dionne (1977).

Kopitar finished the 2022-23 regular-season as the Kings leading scorer (74 points (28-46=74)) for a franchise-record 15th season (fifth consecutive) to join Gordie Howe (17x) as the only two players in NHL history to lead the same franchise in points at least 15 times. Overall, the 35-year-old led all Kings forwards in time-on-ice (TOI) per game (20:18) and faceoff win percentage (55.9%); ranked second among all team skaters in goals (28), assists (46) and plus/minus (+20); and established a new career-low in penalty minutes (PIMs) with four, the fewest of any player in the NHL to play 82 games this season.

Among the 28 NHL skaters this season to play 82 games and average more than 20 minutes TOI, the Jesenice, Slovenia native was the only player to register more than 70 points while also serving 10-or-fewer penalty minutes. Of those 28 players, Kopitar ranked first in fewest PIMs served (4) and faceoff win percentage (55.9%), sixth in plus/minus (+20), ninth in points (74) and 10th in assists (46). Additionally, his four PIMs were 10 fewer than the second-least penalized player (Cam Fowler, 14 PIM) and 16 fewer than the second-least penalized forward (Kyle Connor, 20 PIM).

Kopitar also became the first Kings skater since Butch Goring in 1977-78 (2 PIM in 80 GP) to appear in at least 60 games and record four or less penalty minutes. Prior to Kopitar, only three other skaters have done so in team history: Butch Goring (2 PIM in 70 GP, 1973-74; 2 PIM in 67 GP, 1972-73; 2 PIM in 74 GP, 1971-72), Jimmy Peters (0 PIM in 77 GP; 1972-73) and Lucien Grenier (4 PIM in 60 GP; 1971-72). Since the league expanded to an 82-game regular-season schedule in 1995-96, Kopitar's seven campaigns playing in all 82 contests are the most among any Kings skater. Kopitar is currently riding a 247-game streak of serving no more than one minor penalty in a regular-season game, dating back to Jan. 4, 2020 vs. Nashville.

The recipient of this year's Lady Byng Memorial Trophy will be announced Monday, June 26, during the 2023 NHL Awards from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville at 7:00 p.m. CT (5:00 p.m. PT) on TNT, Sportsnet and TVA Sports.