The low penalty minutes and high point totals are in, and thus we have the 2016 NHL Awards’ three finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy: Aleksander Barkov, Loui Eriksson and Anze Kopitar.
OK, the actual definition for the award is that it goes “to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.”
Same difference, eh?
Barkov really made a breakthrough this season with the Florida Panthers, scoring 59 points versus just eight penalty minutes. He only has 34 PIM in 191 career regular season contests.
You can see Eriksson and Kopitar representing their respective countries in this post’s main image. Eriksson enjoyed his best (and maybe last?) season with the Boston Bruins while Kopitar hopes to win the 2016 Selke as the Los Angeles Kings’ defensively adept - yet apparently courteous - forward.
The 2015-16 finalists for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy are... https://t.co/3SzqDDjQz3 #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/b7l8mIuUOj
— NHL (@NHL) April 30, 2016
It’s unclear who wins this “fight,” but one would assume it wouldn’t be a dirty one.