The NHL announced its 2023-24 finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy : Auston Matthews, Elias Pettersson, and Jaccob Slavin. The “player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability,” is who the award will be granted to.
The Lady Byng Trophy isn’t necessarily the most notable of the NHL awards, but it is important. Hall of Fame players such as Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy, and Marcel Dionne found themselves winning it multiple times. Let’s take a look at our contestants this time around.
Auston Matthews
Since he entered the league in 2016-17, Matthews has always been in contention for this award. In eight NHL seasons, this is now his third time being a finalist – he hasn’t won it yet. He has never gone a campaign without at least getting a few votes, which speaks to his consistency as a player with great sportsmanship.
In 2023-24, Matthews scored a whopping 69 goals, a mark that was last reached in 1995-96 by Mario Lemieux. No player has hit 70 since 1992-93. Finishing with 108 points, it is clear that the centerman is one of the best athletes in the entire NHL.
Among the 130 skaters with at least 1,500 minutes of total ice time in 2023-24, Matthews was tied for the fifth-least total penalties taken at six. Drawing 18 of them, that’s a pretty solid differential. The Toronto Maple Leafs are definitely lucky to have him, and he has a real shot at winning the award.
Elias Pettersson
Pettersson, the top-line center for the Vancouver Canucks, also had a great campaign. Scoring 34 goals and 55 assists for 89 points, he was arguably the best forward on a team that finished sixth in the NHL standings. He did so with class, too.
This isn’t Pettersson’s first rodeo in Lady Byng Trophy territory, accumulating at least some votes in all but one season where he only played in 26 contests. It’s his first time being a finalist, though, and that is largely due to the fact that he stayed out of penalty trouble throughout the season.
Just like Matthews, Pettersson only took six total penalties in over 1,500 minutes of ice time, making him one of the most well-disciplined players in the NHL. He drew 28 penalties, giving him an elite differential of 22 more infractions drawn than taken. It takes a true star to be able to do this.
Jaccob Slavin
Finally, Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes will try to win the second Lady Byng Trophy of his career. The defenseman did so back in 2020-21, finishing as a finalist with Matthews.
In nine NHL seasons, this will be Slavin’s eighth time getting at least a vote for the award. He hasn’t finished outside the top four vote-receivers for the Lady Byng Trophy since 2018-19, so he is definitely a strong contender.
In 81 contests, Slavin scored six goals and 31 assists for the second-best point total of his career with 37. He blocked 120 shots and registered 55 hits, too.
No NHL player with 1,500 minutes of ice time finished with as many or fewer penalties taken than Slavin did, ending up with just four. Considering his role as a shutdown defenseman, his discipline is pretty impressive. Since entering the league in 2015-16, Slavin has only taken 43 total penalties in 665 regular season games, with none of them being majors. He has been one of the most consistently well-behaved players in the NHL for quite some time now.
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