Ottawa Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson has been named a finalist for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.
Awarded to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability, the voting is conducted at the end of the regular season by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA).
Sanderson, Cole Caufield (Montreal Canadiens), and Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings) were announced as finalists on Thursday by the NHL.
In 67 games, Sanderson set a career high with 14 goals and a career high in points-per-game. His 54 points were good for a 0.81 average and a pace of 66 over a full season.
He also had just eight penalty minutes, the fewest of his career. Amongst defenders who played more than 50 games, those eight penalty minutes were tied with Denton Mateychuk (who played 75 games) for lowest in the league.
Should Sanderson win, he would become the second defenceman in the last three seasons to take home the award — Hurricanes defenceman Jaccob Slavin also had eight penalty minutes in 2023–24 and won. Slavin and Brian Campbell (who won in 2012) were the first blueliners to win since Red Wings defenceman Red Kelly won three times in four seasons from 1951–54.
Sanderson and Campbell (a former member of the Ottawa 67’s) are, in fact, the only two defensemen in NHL history to have finished a season with more than 50 points while serving fewer than 10 penalty minutes.
Current Senators assistant coach Daniel Alfredsson is the only other member of the franchise to be nominated for the award, which came in 2004.
Back in 1925, Lady Byng herself decided the trophy’s inaugural winner would be Frank Nighbor of the original Ottawa Senators, who repeated in 1926.
