The NHL announced that LA Kings captain Anze Kopitar is one of three finalists for the 2024-25 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. The Lady Byng 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 (PHWA). The captain joins Vegas' Jack Eichel and Tampa Bay's Brayden Point as the trio of candidates for the award.
This marks Kopitar’s fourth nomination for the Lady Byng (2016, ‘18, ‘23, ‘25), after winning the award in 2016 and 2023. He is one of four Kings players to earn the award in NHL history and can join Wayne Gretzky as the only players in franchise history to receive the honor three times: Wayne Gretzky (1991, '92, '94), Butch Goring (1978) and Marcel Dionne (1977).
Kopitar capped off the 2024-25 regular-season, his record-setting 19th season, with 21 goals and a team-leading 46 assists for 67 points (21-46=67) in 81 games. It marked the 16th time in his career Kopitar has finished as the Kings’ leader in assists and 17th finishing top-two in team scoring (Adrian Kempe; 35-38=73 in 2024-25). Overall, the 37-year-old veteran led all team forwards in faceoff win percentage (57.2%), game-winning goals (7) and shooting percentage (21.4%); ranked second in time-on-ice (TOI) per game (18:57), points (67), points-per-game (0.83), power-play points (22); and tied for third in even-strength points (44). He tied his career-low in penalty minutes (PIM) with four, the fewest among any player in the league to skate in at least 80 games this season.
Among the 35 NHL skaters this season to play in at least 80 games and average more than 0.80 points-per-game, the Jesenice, Slovenia native was one of two players to register more than 65 points while also serving 10-or-fewer penalty minutes (Nick Suzuki, 89 PTS in 82 GP w/ 8 PIM). Kopitar is one of eight different skaters in NHL history to play in at least 80 games in a season while accumulating four or less PIM and only the second to do so multiple times behind Ryan O’Reilly (2x, 2013-14, 2017-18).
The captain joins Butch Goring as the second player in Kings history to appear in 60 games and record four or less penalty minutes in multiple campaigns. Overall, Kopitar is one of four skaters to accomplish such feat in a single season: 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 12 seasons playing in at least 80 contests are the most among any Kings skater.
Kopitar is currently riding a 93-game streak of serving no more than one minor penalty in a regular-season game, dating back to March 23, 2024. Over his career, Kopitar has established four different streaks of at least 130 games in length serving no more than one minor penalty with his longest being a 315-game run from Jan. 4, 2020 – March 19, 2024.
