Jordan Eberle For The Lady Byng Trophy?

by Brett Gee on Jan 5, 2012 1:00 PM MST

via Getty Images

I'm not too sure how it all works, but from what I can recall it seems like a guy who scores a lot of points and keeps his penalty minutes down has a fair chance at winning this award. The official criteria, as per the NHL:

The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.

Jordan Eberle currently sits in 8th place in scoring, 4 behind the leaders. Out of the top 10 players, he's also got the fewest penalty minutes with 6. The next highest scorer with fewer penalty minutes is Anze Kopitar, who has 4 penalty minutes and is tied for 20th in scoring.

What else do they take into consideration? I assume 'gentlemanly like' character is taken into account, whatever that entails.

Who will win this year's Lady Byng Award?

Jordan Eberle

110 votes

Anze Kopitar

4 votes

Tambellini's swivel chair and trade prowess

24 votes

That guy at Rexall who opens the door for you

32 votes

Pavel Datsyuk

90 votes

260 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Yeah but who cares about the Lady Bing trophy? Honestly it would be a pretty shit consolation prize for a bad team.

by John Chambers on Jan 4, 2012 9:49 AM MST reply actions

Yeah but who cares about the Lady Bing trophy?

Well to be honest Mr. Chambers, I do. :) I think it’s a good thing that the NHL officially recognizes sportsmanship (I’m pretty sure that none of the other major North American pro sports leagues do that).

There’s some interesting history behind the award as well. Evelyn Byng, 1st Viscountess Byng of Vimy, was the Viceregal Consort of Canada, which is to say the spouse of the Governor General, from 1921 to 1926. Her husband, Field Marshall Julian Byng (1st Viscount Byng of Vimy, obviously), commanded the Canadian Corps at Vimy Ridge. During his term as Governor General, the couple apparently became devoted fans of the Ottawa Senators, and Lady Byng’s donation of the trophy stemmed from that. Evelyn Byng actually returned to Canada after her husband’s death in 1935, and lived out the rest of her life in Ottawa.

As for this year’s recipient of her award, I’d love to see it go to Eberle, but I kind of suspect that it will be Datsyuk’s yet again, provided he doesn’t go on a PCP-fuelled shooting rampage or anything like that.

by Chunklets on Jan 4, 2012 10:32 AM MST up reply actions

Eberle might be a good candidate but he wouldn’t win because he doesn’t meet the voters criteria of having lost the award before. With an award like the Lady Byng it always seems to go to a player that’s been around for a while and is considered to be worthy of winning the award rather than the players who might be the most deserving that year.

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by ryanbatty on Jan 4, 2012 12:15 PM MST reply actions

I think they only award it to Detroit or Tampa.

In theory, there is little difference between practice and theory, but in practice there is!

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by dawgbone98 on Jan 4, 2012 1:18 PM MST up reply actions

Agreed, it’s going to be Datsyuk.

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by exsanguinator on Jan 5, 2012 11:14 PM MST up reply actions

As much as it pains me to say it, the one who deserves it is Matt Cooke(!)

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by Ubiquitous on Jan 5, 2012 2:09 PM MST up reply actions

You’re insane. You want to give it to him just because he’s yet to concuss someone?

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by Derek Zona on Jan 5, 2012 3:43 PM MST up reply actions

Because he decided that the safety of his fellow players is more important than his own effectiveness on the ice!

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by red army line on Jan 6, 2012 6:23 AM MST via Android app up reply actions

40 games of good behaviour doesn’t make up for being an ass clown for 8 seasons.

In theory, there is little difference between practice and theory, but in practice there is!

Tactical contributor to the Copper & Blue and just as boring on the twitters... @dawgbone98

by dawgbone98 on Jan 6, 2012 7:33 AM MST up reply actions

Why not? One season of proficient goal-scoring is enough to make up for 8 seasons of barren offensive waste-landery for the Rocket Richard trophy (see Cheechoo, Jonathan, though he saved the barren wasteland for after winning the trophy). It’s a single season award.

by sarcasticidealist on Jan 6, 2012 12:26 PM MST up reply actions

Actually, didn’t Stan Mikita win it on the strength of one season of good behaviour after being a (superbly talented) goon for X seasons? I’m too young to remember, but I thought I’d heard that.

by sarcasticidealist on Jan 6, 2012 12:27 PM MST up reply actions

The only other thing taken into consideration

is the name of the player. Eberle won’t win it because he isn’t a big name yet. Sure, in Edmonton he is, and he has had a few highlight goals, but talk to someone on the East coast, ask them who Jordan Eberle is, and they probably won’t know. Many of these Trophies go to the big name players. Ryan O’Reilly could probably lead the league in takeaways by the end of the year but I bet you the three players considered for the Selke will be Datsyuk, Toews and Kesler. It’s all about the brand name.

I'm not questioning your powers of observation; I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is.

by ProfessorOak on Jan 15, 2012 12:49 PM MST reply actions

Oh, they know.

Don’t forget, he was famous for some pretty huge goals for Canada before he was famous for being an Oiler.

In theory, there is little difference between practice and theory, but in practice there is!

Tactical contributor to the Copper & Blue and just as boring on the twitters... @dawgbone98

by dawgbone98 on Jan 16, 2012 10:47 AM MST up reply actions

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