Kings Captain Anze Kopitar Wins Lady Byng Trophy

The National Hockey League announced today that Kings captain Anze Kopitar has been named the winner of the 2022-23 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, given annually "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 (PHWA).

Kopitar was named on 162 of the 196 ballots and received 77 first-place votes for 1,175 voting points, finishing ahead of finalists Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils (934 points) and Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning (682 points) in a poll conducted by the PHWA at the end of the regular season.

This is the second Lady Byng win for Kopitar, who also received the award in 2015-16 and was voted a finalist in 2014-15. The Kings captain is the first two-time winner of the award since Martin St. Louis (2009-10, 2010-11) and is one of three active players in the NHL to have been a finalist for the trophy on three or more occasions (Ryan O'Reilly (4), Aleksander Barkov (3)). Kopitar also joins Wayne Gretzky as the only players in Kings history to receive the honor more than once. All-time, Kopitar is one of four Kings players to earn the award: Wayne Gretzky (1991, '92, '94), Butch Goring (1978) and Marcel Dionne (1977).

The 35-year-old 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, Kopitar led all Kings forwards in time-on-ice per game (TOI; 20:18) and faceoff win percentage (55.9%); ranked second 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. Additionally, he is currently in the midst of 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.

Among the 28 NHL skaters this season to play 82 games and average more than 20 minutes TOI, Kopitar was the only player to register more than 70 points while also serving 10-or-fewer PIM. 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).

A first-round selection (11th overall) by the Kings in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Kopitar has amassed 1,141 points (393-749=1,141) in 1,292 regular-season games since making his NHL debut in 2006-07. In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Kopitar has produced 77 points (24-53=77) in 92 playoff games and twice finished tied for the NHL playoff point-scoring lead while helping the Kings capture both Stanley Cups. Over his 18-year NHL career, the two-time Stanley Cup Champion (2012, 2014) has been recognized with numerous accolades throughout his career, including the Frank J. Selke Trophy (2016, 2018), Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (2016, 2023), Mark Messier Leadership Award (2022) and five NHL All-Star Games (2008, 2011, 2015, 2018, 2020).