Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar has been awarded the prestigious Lady Byng Trophy, an annual recognition that celebrates the NHL player with the most exemplary and gentlemanly conduct.
Kopitar, while enjoying a family vacation in Slovenia and playing golf with his father, received the news of his victory. His children, Neza and Jakob, were in charge of informing him that he had won his third Lady Byng Trophy.
You won the NHL’s most friendly player award
Kopitar, two-time Stanley Cup champion, has also been recognized twice with the Selke Trophy for best defensive forward (2015-16, ’17-18) and with the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award (2021-22). In the final voting, Kopitar took first place with 856 points, followed by Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning (793 points), Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights (782), Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes (760), and Nick Suzuki of the Montreal Canadiens. The Kings selected Kopitar with the number 11 pick in the 2005 NHL draft.For me, it means being a gentleman. Hockey is a physical sport, but within those parameters, I think there’s obviously room to be a gentleman, a good guy, to have respect for your teammates and for the referees. Simply, behave in a way that children see you, and young people see you, for what you do on the ice. I guess this exemplifies that it’s feasible, and I’m honored to have won it three times and it means a lot to me.
Anze Kopitar
