Anze Kopitar Wins Lady Byng Trophy for Sportsmanship

‌ Updated June 12,2025

los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar has been ‍awarded the Lady Byng ⁢Trophy,an honor given to the NHL player who best exemplifies sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct.This marks the third time ​Kopitar has received the award, solidifying his⁣ reputation⁤ as a respected player in‌ the league.

Kopitar,a ⁤two-time Stanley Cup champion,learned of his‌ achievement while on vacation in⁢ Slovenia. His children, Neza and Jakob, shared the news with ⁣him during a round of golf with his father.

During the 2024-25 season,the 37-year-old Kopitar⁣ demonstrated remarkable discipline,accumulating only four penalty minutes across⁤ 81 regular-season games. He​ also contributed significantly on offense, scoring 21 goals and 46 assists for a total of 67 points. In six‌ playoff games, he added two goals ⁤and seven assists.

Kopitar previously won the⁢ Lady Byng Trophy in 2015-16 and 2022-23.He joins a select group of 10 players who have⁤ won the award at least three times.

To me,it just ‍means‌ being so-called a gentleman,” ‍the Kings’ captain saeid. ​”Hockey is a physical sport, but within those parameters, I think there’s obviously room, I ​guess, [to be] a gentleman, a good guy, having respect toward your peers, ​toward the officials. Just carry yourself in a way⁤ to were kids look at you, young kids look at you, what ⁣you do on the ⁣ice. I guess this exemplifies that its doable, and I’m honored to have ⁤won it three times now and it means a great deal to me.”

Beyond the Lady ​Byng, Kopitar’s career accolades include two Selke Trophies (2015-16, 2017-18) for best defensive forward and the ​Mark Messier NHL ‌Leadership Award (2021-22).

In⁤ the Lady Byng Trophy voting, Kopitar led with 856 points. Following him were 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 Los Angeles kings drafted Kopitar as the 11th overall pick in the 2005⁤ NHL draft.

What’s ‍next

With another Lady Byng Trophy⁣ under his belt,Anze Kopitar ‍looks to continue his leadership role with the Kings,aiming ⁤for further ‌success both on and off the ice. His ⁤commitment to sportsmanship sets a high standard‍ for players throughout the NHL.