Forwards Jack Eichel, Anze Kopitar and Brayden Point named Lady Byng finalists

NEW YORK — Forwards Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights, Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings and Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning were named the finalists Friday for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.

The award is presented annually to the player who exhibits sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct with a high standard of play. Voting was conducted by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Eichel posted a career-best 94 points (28 goals, 66 assists), setting a new franchise record for Vegas. The 10-year veteran is a first-time awards finalist and is looking to become the second Golden Knight to earn the honour, following William Karlsson in the team’s inaugural season (2017-18).

Kopitar, in his 19th NHL season, registered 81 points (21 goals, 46 assists) to help L.A. (48-25-9, 105 points) match franchise records for wins and points in a season. Kopitar, 27, has won this award twice (2015-16, 2022-23) and is looking to become just the third player this century to win it at least three times after Pavel Datsyuk (four times) and Martin St. Louis (three).

Point had 82 points (42 goals, 40 assists) to reach the 40-goal and 80-point plateaus for a third straight year. He led the NHL by scoring on a career-best 22.2 per cent of his shots on goal and is looking to join St. Louis (most recently 2012-13) and Brad Richards (2003-04) as Lightning players to capture the honour.

Forwards Jack Eichel, Anze Kopitar and Brayden Point named Lady Byng finalists | iNFOnews.ca
Tampa Bay Lightning centre Brayden Point (21) celebrates his goal against the Florida Panthers with defenceman Ryan McDonagh (27) during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 2, 2025.

Forwards Jack Eichel, Anze Kopitar and Brayden Point named Lady Byng finalists | iNFOnews.ca
Los Angeles Kings centre Anze Kopitar looks on before an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/William Liang)

News from © The Canadian Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Canadian Press

The Canadian Press is Canada's trusted news source and leader in providing real-time, bilingual multimedia stories across print, broadcast and digital platforms.