Lady Byng Memorial Trophy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
Established 1924-25 NHL season
Current holder Pavel Datsyuk
Awarded to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability[1]

The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability".[1] The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy has been awarded 81 times to 50 different players since it was first awarded in 1925. The voting is conducted at the end of the season by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Contents

[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 Governor General of Canada from 1921 to 1926. Lady Byng, who was an avid hockey fan, decided to donate the trophy to the NHL in 1925.[2]

She decided the trophy's first winner would be Frank Nighbor of the Ottawa Senators. Late in the season, Lady Byng invited Nighbor to Rideau Hall, showed him the trophy, and asked him if the NHL would accept it as an award for its most gentlemanly player. When Nighbor said he thought it would, Lady Byng, much to Nighbor's surprise, awarded him the trophy.[3][4]

After Frank Boucher of the New York Rangers won the award seven times within eight years, Lady Byng was so impressed that she gave him the original trophy to keep. Lady Byng then 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.[2]

Besides Boucher, a number of players have won the award multiple times, including Wayne Gretzky who won it five times, Red Kelly with four wins, and Bobby Bauer, Alex Delvecchio and Mike Bossy, with three each. Because of Boucher's seven wins, the New York Rangers have won the award the most out of any club, fifteen times, followed by Detroit with twelve, Toronto with nine, Chicago and Boston tied with eight, and Los Angeles with five.[5]

Four players have won both the Lady Byng Trophy and the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP in the same season: Bobby Hull (1964–65), Stan Mikita (1966–67 and 1967–68), Wayne Gretzky (1979–80) and Joe Sakic (2000–01).[6]

The voting is conducted at the end of the regular season by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, and each individual voter ranks their top five candidates on a 10-7-5-3-1 points system.[7] Three finalists are named and the trophy is awarded at the NHL Awards ceremony after the playoffs.

No goaltender has ever won the award; Bill Quackenbush and Red Kelly are the only defensemen to do so, and no defenseman has won in over fifty years.

[edit] Winners

Frank Nighbor, two-time winner.
Frank Nighbor, two-time winner.
Paul Kariya, two-time winner.
Paul Kariya, two-time winner.
Wayne Gretzky, five-time winner.
Wayne Gretzky, five-time winner.
Pavol Demitra, one-time winner.
Pavol Demitra, one-time winner.
Alexander Mogilny, one-time winner.
Alexander Mogilny, one-time winner.
Joe Sakic, one time winner.
Joe Sakic, one time winner.
Brad Richards, one-time winner.
Brad Richards, one-time winner.
Pavel Datsyuk, two-time winner.
Pavel Datsyuk, two-time winner.
Positions key
C Centre D Defence RW Right Wing LW Left Wing G Goaltender

     Player is still active

Season Winner Team Position Win #
1924–25 Frank Nighbor Ottawa Senators C 1
1925–26 Frank Nighbor Ottawa Senators C 2
1926–27 Billy Burch New York Americans C 1
1927–28 Frank Boucher New York Rangers C 1
1928–29 Frank Boucher New York Rangers C 2
1929–30 Frank Boucher New York Rangers C 3
1930–31 Frank Boucher New York Rangers C 4
1931–32 Joe Primeau Toronto Maple Leafs C 1
1932–33 Frank Boucher New York Rangers C 5
1933–34 Frank Boucher New York Rangers C 6
1934–35 Frank Boucher New York Rangers C 7
1935–36 Elwyn "Doc" Romnes Chicago Black Hawks C 1
1936–37 Marty Barry Detroit Red Wings C 1
1937–38 Gordie Drillon Toronto Maple Leafs RW 1
1938–39 Clint Smith New York Rangers C 1
1939–40 Bobby Bauer Boston Bruins RW 1
1940–41 Bobby Bauer Boston Bruins RW 2
1941–42 Syl Apps Toronto Maple Leafs C 1
1942–43 Max Bentley Chicago Black Hawks C 1
1943–44 Clint Smith Chicago Black Hawks C 2
1944–45 Bill Mosienko Chicago Black Hawks RW 1
1945–46 Toe Blake Montreal Canadiens LW 1
1946–47 Bobby Bauer Boston Bruins RW 3
1947–48 Buddy O'Connor New York Rangers C 1
1948–49 Bill Quackenbush Detroit Red Wings D 1
1949–50 Edgar Laprade New York Rangers C 1
1950–51 Red Kelly Detroit Red Wings D 1
1951–52 Sid Smith Toronto Maple Leafs LW 1
1952–53 Red Kelly Detroit Red Wings D 2
1953–54 Red Kelly Detroit Red Wings D 3
1954–55 Sid Smith Toronto Maple Leafs LW 2
1955–56 Earl Reibel Detroit Red Wings C 1
1956–57 Andy Hebenton New York Rangers RW 1
1957–58 Camille Henry New York Rangers LW 1
1958–59 Alex Delvecchio Detroit Red Wings C 1
1959–60 Don McKenney Boston Bruins C 1
1960–61 Red Kelly Toronto Maple Leafs C 4
1961–62 Dave Keon Toronto Maple Leafs C 1
1962–63 Dave Keon Toronto Maple Leafs C 2
1963–64 Ken Wharram Chicago Black Hawks C 1
1964–65 Bobby Hull Chicago Black Hawks LW 1
1965–66 Alex Delvecchio Detroit Red Wings C 2
1966–67 Stan Mikita Chicago Black Hawks C 1
1967–68 Stan Mikita Chicago Black Hawks C 2
1968–69 Alex Delvecchio Detroit Red Wings C 3
1969–70 Phil Goyette St. Louis Blues C 1
1970–71 John Bucyk Boston Bruins LW 1
1971–72 Jean Ratelle New York Rangers C 1
1972–73 Gilbert Perreault Buffalo Sabres C 1
1973–74 John Bucyk Boston Bruins LW 2
1974–75 Marcel Dionne Detroit Red Wings C 1
1975–76 Jean Ratelle Boston Bruins C 2
1976–77 Marcel Dionne Los Angeles Kings C 2
1977–78 Robert "Butch" Goring Los Angeles Kings C 1
1978–79 Bob MacMillan Atlanta Flames C 1
1979–80 Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers C 1
1980–81 Rick Kehoe Pittsburgh Penguins C 1
1981–82 Rick Middleton Boston Bruins RW 1
1982–83 Mike Bossy New York Islanders RW 1
1983–84 Mike Bossy New York Islanders RW 2
1984–85 Jari Kurri Edmonton Oilers RW 1
1985–86 Mike Bossy New York Islanders RW 3
1986–87 Joe Mullen Calgary Flames C 1
1987–88 Mats Naslund Montreal Canadiens LW 1
1988–89 Joe Mullen Calgary Flames C 2
1989–90 Brett Hull St. Louis Blues RW 1
1990–91 Wayne Gretzky Los Angeles Kings C 2
1991–92 Wayne Gretzky Los Angeles Kings C 3
1992–93 Pierre Turgeon New York Islanders C 1
1993–94 Wayne Gretzky Los Angeles Kings C 4
1994–95 Ron Francis Pittsburgh Penguins C 1
1995–96 Paul Kariya Mighty Ducks of Anaheim LW 1
1996–97 Paul Kariya Mighty Ducks of Anaheim LW 2
1997–98 Ron Francis Pittsburgh Penguins C 2
1998–99 Wayne Gretzky New York Rangers C 5
1999–2000 Pavol Demitra St. Louis Blues C 1
2000–01 Joe Sakic Colorado Avalanche C 1
2001–02 Ron Francis Carolina Hurricanes C 3
2002–03 Alexander Mogilny Toronto Maple Leafs RW 1
2003–04 Brad Richards Tampa Bay Lightning C 1
2004–05 2004-05 NHL lockout
No winner		 - - -
2005–06 Pavel Datsyuk Detroit Red Wings C 1
2006–07 Pavel Datsyuk Detroit Red Wings C 2

[edit] 2007-08 nominees

The finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy for the 2007-08 NHL season were announced on April 24. The winner will be announced on June 12, 2008. The three finalists are:[8]

[edit] References

General
Specific
  1. ^ a b Lady Byng Memorial Trophy history. Legendsofhockey.net. Retrieved on 2007-08-20.
  2. ^ a b Lady Byng Memorial Trophy history. NHL.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-20.
  3. ^ Hunter, Douglas (1997). Champions: The Illustrated History of Hockey's Greatest Dynasties. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN 1572432166. 
  4. ^ Frank Nighbor at the Hockey Hall of Fame site
  5. ^ Lady Byng Trophy history. canadianencyclopedia.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-20.
  6. ^ Hart Memorial Trophy history. NHL.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-31.
  7. ^ Jon Dolezar (2003-04-20). Foppa shows the most Hart. SI.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-01.
  8. ^ Datsyuk, Pominville and St. Louis nominated for Lady Byng. TSN.ca (2008-04-24). Retrieved on 2008-04-24.

[edit] See also

v • d • e
NHL awards and trophies
Team
Individual
Adams · Art Ross · Calder · Conn Smythe · Crozier · Hart · Jennings · King Clancy · Lady Byng · Masterton · Messier · NHL Foundation · Norris · Patrick · Pearson · Plus/Minus · Rocket Richard · Selke · Vezina
Defunct
v • d • e
National Hockey League
Eastern Conference Western Conference
Atlantic Northeast Southeast Central Northwest Pacific
New Jersey Devils Boston Bruins Atlanta Thrashers Chicago Blackhawks Calgary Flames Anaheim Ducks
New York Islanders Buffalo Sabres Carolina Hurricanes Columbus Blue Jackets Colorado Avalanche Dallas Stars
New York Rangers Montreal Canadiens Florida Panthers Detroit Red Wings Edmonton Oilers Los Angeles Kings
Philadelphia Flyers Ottawa Senators Tampa Bay Lightning Nashville Predators Minnesota Wild Phoenix Coyotes
Pittsburgh Penguins Toronto Maple Leafs Washington Capitals St. Louis Blues Vancouver Canucks San Jose Sharks
Seasons (structure) · Stanley Cup (Playoffs–Champions) · Presidents' Trophy · All-Star Game · Draft · Players (Association) · All-Star Teams · Awards
History · Timeline · Defunct teams · NHA · Original Six · 1967 Expansion · WHA · Streaks · Droughts · Hall of Fame (members) · Rivalries · Arenas · Rules · Violence
Category · Portal