Jack Eichel, Anze Kopitar, and Brayden Point are finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy
Image Via Twitter
Another award is brought forward in a biased league where physicality continually consumes the limelight, the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, which is meant to be an award that draws attention towards something farther from brutal domination and closer to grace, control, and sportsmanship. This year, it's NHL stars
Jack Eichel
,
Anze Kopitar
, and
Brayden Point
who are finalists not just for their offensive dosage but for their fine art of playing on ice. Their inclusion signifies a season in which respect and discipline went hand in hand with elite performance.
Anze Kopitar, Jack Eichel, and Brayden Point showcasing skill with sportsmanship
King's captain Anze Kopitar, already a two-time
Lady Byng Trophy
winner, surely finds himself on the news once more after a gentlemanly and, uncommonly for him, disciplined season. At 37 years old, Kopitar remains the beacon of sporting behavior: He ended the regular season having accumulated only four penalty minutes and tallied 67 points in 81 games. Kopitar's exemplary leadership, consistency, and composure under the most difficult competition mark his worthy nomination. His sporting approach carries even more weight because, unlike before, it is justified by his current age, proving that class does not fade with age.
This is a first-time nomination for Jack Eichel, an affirmation of just how far he has come since developing his game. The Vegas Golden Knights forward posted his career-best total of 94 points, consisting of 28 goals and 66 assists in 77 games. Compelling factors in Eichel's case include not only the offensive numbers but also the limited number of four minor penalties assessed against him. For a finalist, the combination of scoring prowess while being kept less than clean in the penalty department allows him to be recognized among the league's topmost.
Similarly, Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning finds yet another Lady Byng nomination in his portfolio. Point scored 42 goals and racked up 82 points, all the while adding very little to his penalty minutes. This season, only seven minutes were penalized against him, with the offense being one minor, thus showing patience and precision, the two most important principles of the award. Point, a past finalist, builds his reputation as a player with the highest skill and respect for others in the game. He elevates his team's performance and helps the spirit of the game.
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The Lady Byng is not an award for being above board in every second of action, but rather for being able to act properly while preserving the integrity of the very game in question. Anze Kopitar's calmness and old-time reading of the game, Jack Eichel's fair share of both finesse and grit and Brayden Point's sense of discipline make each finalist a worthy contender for one of the most unique honors in hockey.
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