Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
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The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League hockey player voted to have shown the best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with performance in play. The voting is conducted by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association at the conclusion of the NHL season.
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[edit] History
The trophy is named in honour of Marie Evelyn Moreton (Lady Byng), wife of Viscount Byng of Vimy, a Vimy Ridge war hero who was the Governor-General of Canada in 1925. Lord and Lady Byng were big sports fans with a special interest in ice hockey. Lord Byng rarely missed an Ottawa Senators game and Lady Byng frequently accompanied him.
After the 1924-25 season, Lady Byng invited Senators star Frank Nighbor to Rideau Hall and showed him an ornate trophy. She asked Nighbor if he thought the NHL would accept the trophy as an award to its most sportsmanlike player. When Nighbor said that he thought it would, Lady Byng awarded him the trophy.
After Frank Boucher of the New York Rangers won the award seven times within eight years, he was given the trophy to keep. Lady Byng donated a second trophy in 1935-36. When Lady Byng died in 1949 the NHL presented another trophy and changed the official name to the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.
Besides Boucher, a number of players have won the award mutiple times, including Wayne Gretzky (5 times), Red Kelly (4 times), Ron Francis, Mike Bossy, Alex Delvecchio and Bobby Bauer (3 times each).
The New York Rangers have won the award 15 times, most of any franchise, followed by Detroit with 11, Toronto with 9, Chicago with 8, Boston with 7, and Los Angeles with 5.
[edit] Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winners
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Current teams: Anaheim • Atlanta • Boston • Buffalo • Calgary • Carolina • Chicago • Colorado • Columbus • Dallas • Detroit • Edmonton • Florida • Los Angeles • Minnesota • Montreal • Nashville • New Jersey • NY Islanders • NY Rangers • Ottawa • Philadelphia • Phoenix • Pittsburgh • San Jose • St. Louis • Tampa Bay • Toronto • Vancouver • Washington
Trophies and awards: Stanley Cup • Prince of Wales • Clarence S. Campbell • Presidents' Trophy • Adams • Art Ross • Calder • Conn Smythe • Crozier • Hart • Jennings • King Clancy • Lady Byng • Masterton • Norris • Patrick • Pearson • Plus/Minus • Rocket Richard • Selke • Vezina
Defunct and relocated teams: Atlanta Flames • California/Oakland Golden Seals • Cleveland Barons • Colorado Rockies • Hamilton Tigers • Hartford Whalers • Kansas City Scouts • Minnesota North Stars • Montreal Maroons • Montreal Wanderers • New York/Brooklyn Americans • Ottawa Senators (orginal) • Philadelphia Quakers • Pittsburgh Pirates • Quebec Bulldogs • Quebec Nordiques • St. Louis Eagles • Winnipeg Jets
