The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the National Hockey League (NHL) player who best exemplifies sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct, and a high standard of play. The trophy is named after Lady Byng of Vimy, who was the wife of Canada’s Governor-General from 1921 to 1926.
Lady Byng was born as Marie Evelyn Moreton in 1870 in London, England. She was the daughter of a British nobleman and grew up in a wealthy family. In 1901, she married Julian Byng, a Canadian military officer who later became the Governor-General of Canada.
Lady Byng was known for her philanthropy and her support of the arts. She was also an avid hockey fan and attended many games in Ottawa during her husband’s tenure as Governor-General. She became known for her graciousness and kindness towards the players, and in 1925, the NHL decided to name an award in her honor.
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is awarded each year to the NHL player who best exemplifies sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct, and a high standard of play. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association at the end of the regular season. The trophy is presented during the NHL Awards ceremony, which is held annually in June.
Over the years, many great players have won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. Some of the most notable winners include Wayne Gretzky, who won the award five times, and Pavel Datsyuk, who won it four times. Other winners include Joe Sakic, Ron Francis, and Martin St. Louis.
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is one of the most prestigious awards in the NHL. It is a testament to the importance of sportsmanship and fair play in the game of hockey. The trophy honors Lady Byng’s legacy of kindness and graciousness towards the players, and it encourages current players to follow in her footsteps.
In conclusion, the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is a fitting tribute to a remarkable woman who embodied the spirit of sportsmanship and fair play. It is an award that recognizes the importance of these values in the game of hockey and celebrates the players who embody them. Lady Byng’s legacy lives on through this award, and she continues to inspire new generations of hockey players to play the game with honor and integrity.
- 1925 – Frank Nighbor, Ottawa Senators
- 1926 – Frank Nighbor, Ottawa Senators
- 1927 – Billy Burch, New York Americans
- 1928 – Frank Boucher, New York Rangers
- 1929 – Frank Boucher, New York Rangers
- 1930 – Frank Boucher, New York Rangers
- 1931 – Frank Boucher, New York Rangers
- 1932 – Joe Primeau, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1933 – Frank Boucher, New York Rangers
- 1934 – Frank Boucher, New York Rangers
- 1935 – Frank Boucher, New York Rangers
- 1936 – Babe Siebert, Montreal Canadiens
- 1937 – Bill Cook, New York Rangers
- 1938 – Gordie Drillon, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1939 – Bobby Bauer, Boston Bruins
- 1940 – Clint Smith, New York Rangers
- 1941 – Bobby Bauer, Boston Bruins
- 1942 – Syl Apps, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1943 – Max Bentley, Chicago Blackhawks
- 1944 – Clint Smith, Chicago Blackhawks
- 1945 – Bill Mosienko, Chicago Blackhawks
- 1946 – Toe Blake, Montreal Canadiens
- 1947 – Bobby Bauer, Boston Bruins
- 1948 – Buddy O’Connor, New York Rangers
- 1949 – Johnny Gagnon, Chicago Blackhawks
- 1950 – Edgar Laprade, New York Rangers
- 1951 – Red Kelly, Detroit Red Wings
- 1952 – Sid Smith, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1953 – Red Kelly, Detroit Red Wings
- 1954 – Red Kelly, Detroit Red Wings
- 1955 – Sid Smith, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1956 – Earl Reibel, Detroit Red Wings
- 1957 – Alex Delvecchio, Detroit Red Wings
- 1958 – Camille Henry, New York Rangers
- 1959 – Johnny Bower, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1960 – Don McKenney, Boston Bruins
- 1961 – Red Kelly, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1962 – Dave Keon, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1963 – Dave Keon, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1964 – Ken Wharram, Chicago Blackhawks
- 1965 – Roger Crozier, Detroit Red Wings
- 1966 – Alex Delvecchio, Detroit Red Wings
- 1967 – Stan Mikita, Chicago Blackhawks
- 1968 – Stan Mikita, Chicago Blackhawks
- 1969 – Phil Goyette, St. Louis Blues
- 1970 – Jean Ratelle, New York Rangers
- 1971 – Johnny Bucyk, Boston Bruins
- 1972 – Jean Ratelle, New York Rangers
- 1973 – Gilbert Perreault, Buffalo Sabres
- 1974 – Jean Ratelle, Boston Bruins
- 1975 – Marcel Dionne, Detroit Red Wings
- 1976 – Jean Ratelle, Boston Bruins
- 1977 – Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles Kings
- 1978 – Butch Goring, Los Angeles Kings
- 1979 – Bob MacMillan, Atlanta Flames
- 1980 – Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
- 1981 – Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
- 1982 – Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers
- 1983 – Mike Bossy, New York Islanders
- 1984 – Mike Bossy, New York Islanders
- 1985 – Jari Kurri, Edmonton Oilers
- 1986 – Mike Bossy, New York Islanders
- 1987 – Joe Mullen, Calgary Flames
- 1988 – Mats Naslund, Montreal Canadiens
- 1989 – Joe Mullen, Calgary Flames
- 1990 – Brett Hull, St. Louis Blues
- 1991 – Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Kings
- 1992 – Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Kings
- 1993 – Pierre Turgeon, New York Islanders
- 1994 – Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Kings
- 1995 – Ron Francis, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 1996 – Paul Kariya, Anaheim Ducks
- 1997 – Paul Kariya, Anaheim Ducks
- 1998 – Ron Francis, Pittsburgh Penguins
- 1999 – Wayne Gretzky, New York Rangers
- 2000 – Pavol Demitra, St. Louis Blues
- 2001 – Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche
- 2002 – Ron Francis, Carolina Hurricanes
- 2003 – Alexei Yashin, Ottawa Senators
- 2004 – Brad Richards, Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2005 – Lockout (No winner)
- 2006 – Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
- 2007 – Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
- 2008 – Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
- 2009 – Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
- 2010 – Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2011 – Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2012 – Brian Campbell, Florida Panthers
- 2013 – Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2014 – Ryan O’Reilly, Colorado Avalanche
- 2015 – Jiri Hudler, Calgary Flames
- 2016 – Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
- 2017 – Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames
- 2018 – William Karlsson, Vegas Golden Knights
- 2019 – Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
- 2020 – Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
- 2021 – Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
- 2022 – Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
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