The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is an award presented annually by the National Hockey League to a player who demonstrates true sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct towards the game. This award is named after Lady Byng of Vimy, the wife of then Governor General Julian Hedworth George Byng.
Previously known as the Lady Byng Trophy, the award has been awarded 89 times since its introduction to the NHL. A player must have played a minimum number of games during the regular season to receive the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy while following the discipline of the game. A player's behaviour on-ice, respect for opponents, and overall conduct on both off and on-ice are considered during the voting process.
The award was introduced in the NHL in the 1924-1925 season and since then the trophy has been a symbol of recognizing players who represent true sportsmanship and fair play.
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy Winners List
Marie Evelyn Moreton (Lady Byng), wife of the Governor General of Canada, introduced the Lady Byng Trophy in the NHL in 1925. Frank Nighbor, who played for the Ottawa Senators and later for the New York Rangers became the first player to win this award. After 6 more awards in the next 7 seasons, Lady Byng gave him the original trophy for keepsake. Unfortunately, Lady Byng died in 1949 and to keep her legacy alive, the NHL started presenting another trophy, naming it the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.
Around 53 players have claimed this trophy for their true sportsmanship and their love for ice hockey. Hockey legends like Wayne Gretzky, Martin St. Louis, and Pavel Datsyuk have been the winners of this award multiple times. Anze Kopitar is the current holder of the award.
A list of all Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winners is given below:
| Season | Winner | Team |
| 2022-23 | Anze Kopitar | Los Angeles Kings |
| 2021-22 | Kyle Connor | Winnipeg Jets |
| 2020-21 | Jacob Slavin | Carolina Hurricanes |
| 2019-20 | Nathan MacKinnon | Colorado Avalanche |
| 2018-19 | Aleksander Barkov | Florida Panthers |
| 2017-18 | William Karlsson | Vegas Golden Knights |
| 2016-17 | Johnny Gaudreau | Calgary Flames |
| 2015-16 | Anze Kopitar | Los Angeles Kings |
| 2014-15 | Jiri Hudler | Calgary Flames |
| 2013-14 | Ryan O'Reilly | Colorado Avalanche |
| 2012-13 | Martin St. Louis | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2011-12 | Brian Campbell | Florida Panthers |
| 2010-11 | Martin St. Louis | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2009-10 | Martin St. Louis | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2008-09 | Pavel Datsyuk | Detroit Red Wings |
| 2007-08 | Pavel Datsyuk | Detroit Red Wings |
| 2006-07 | Pavel Datsyuk | Detroit Red Wings |
| 2005-06 | Pavel Datsyuk | Detroit Red Wings |
| 2003-04 | Brad Richards | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2002-03 | Alexander Mogilny | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 2001-02 | Ron Francis | Carolina Hurricanes |
| 2000-01 | Joe Sakic | Colorado Avalanche |
| 1999-2000 | Pavol Demitra | St. Louis Blues |
| 1998-99 | Wayne Gretzky | New York Rangers |
| 1997-98 | Ron Francis | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 1996-97 | Paul Kariya | Anaheim Mighty Ducks |
| 1995-96 | Paul Kariya | Anaheim Mighty Ducks |
| 1994-95 | Ron Francis | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 1993-94 | Wayne Gretzky | Los Angeles Kings |
| 1992-93 | Pierre Turgeon | New York Islanders |
| 1991-92 | Wayne Gretzky | Los Angeles Kings |
| 1990-91 | Wayne Gretzky | Los Angeles Kings |
| 1989-90 | Brett Hull | St. Louis Blues |
| 1988-89 | Joe Mullen | Calgary Flames |
| 1987-88 | Mats Naslund | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1986-87 | Joe Mullen | Calgary Flames |
| 1985-86 | Mike Bossy | New York Islanders |
| 1984-85 | Jari Kurri | Edmonton Oilers |
| 1983-84 | Mike Bossy | New York Islanders |
| 1982-83 | Mike Bossy | New York Islanders |
| 1981-82 | Rick Middleton | Boston Bruins |
| 1980-81 | Rick Kehoe | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 1979-80 | Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers |
| 1978-79 | Bob MacMillan | Atlanta Flames |
| 1977-78 | Butch Goring | Los Angeles Kings |
| 1976-77 | Marcel Dionne | Los Angeles Kings |
| 1975-76 | Jean Ratelle | Boston Bruins |
| 1974-75 | Marcel Dionne | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1973-74 | John Bucyk | Boston Bruins |
| 1972-73 | Gilbert Perreault | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1971-72 | Jean Ratelle | New York Rangers |
| 1970-71 | John Bucyk | Boston Bruins |
| 1969-70 | Phil Goyette | St. Louis Blues |
| 1968-69 | Alex Delvecchio | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1967-68 | Stan Mikita | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1966-67 | Stan Mikita | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1965-66 | Alex Delvecchio | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1964-65 | Bobby Hull | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1963-64 | Ken Wharram | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1962-63 | Dave Keon | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1961-62 | Dave Keon | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1960-61 | Red Kelly | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1959-60 | Don McKenney | Boston Bruins |
| 1958-59 | Alex Delvecchio | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1957-58 | Camille Henry | New York Rangers |
| 1956-57 | Andy Hebenton | New York Rangers |
| 1955-56 | Earl Reibel | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1954-55 | Sid Smith | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1953-54 | Red Kelly | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1952-53 | Red Kelly | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1951-52 | Sid Smith | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1950-51 | Red Kelly | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1949-50 | Edgar Laprade | New York Rangers |
| 1948-49 | Bill Quackenbush | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1947-48 | Buddy O'Connor | New York Rangers |
| 1946-47 | Bobby Bauer | Boston Bruins |
| 1945-46 | Toe Blake | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1944-45 | Bill Mosienko | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1943-44 | Clint Smith | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1942-43 | Max Bentley | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1941-42 | Syl Apps | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1940-41 | Bobby Bauer | Boston Bruins |
| 1939-40 | Bobby Bauer | Boston Bruins |
| 1938-39 | Clint Smith | New York Rangers |
| 1937-38 | Gordie Drillon | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1936-37 | Marty Barry | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1935-36 | Doc Romnes | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1934-35 | Frank Boucher | New York Rangers |
| 1933-34 | Frank Boucher | New York Rangers |
| 1932-33 | Frank Boucher | New York Rangers |
| 1931-32 | Joe Primeau | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1930-31 | Frank Boucher | New York Rangers |
| 1929-30 | Frank Boucher | New York Rangers |
| 1928-29 | Frank Boucher | New York Rangers |
| 1927-28 | Frank Boucher | New York Rangers |
| 1926-27 | Billy Burch | New York Americans |
| 1925-26 | Frank Nighbor | Ottawa Senators |
| 1924-25 | Frank Nighbor | Ottawa Senators |
Note: The trophy was not awarded for the 2004-2005 season due to the NHL lockout.
Players With The Most Lady Byng Memorial Trophies
Throughout the years, many players have claimed the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for their display of true sportsmanship and gentleman conduct. However, there have been instances where some players have won the Trophy multiple times. Frank Boucher, who played during the establishment of the NHL, claimed the trophy seven times in eight seasons. This was followed by Wayne Gretzky who won the Trophy five times in his career.
A list of players who have won the most Lady Byng Memorial Trophies is given below.
| Players | Teams | No. of Trophies |
| Frank Boucher | Ottawa Senators, New York Rangers | 7 |
| Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings | 5 |
| Red Kelly | Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs | 4 |
| Pavel Datsyuk | Detroit Red Wings | 4 |
| Bobby Bauer | Boston Bruins | 3 |
| Alex Delvecchio | Detroit Red Wings | 3 |
| Mike Bossy | New York Islanders | 3 |
| Martin St. Louis | Tampa Bay Lightning | 3 |
| Ron Francis | Carolina Hurricanes, Pittsburgh Penguins | 3 |
FAQ's Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
A. Frank Nighbor, who played for the Ottawa Senators and later for the New York Rangers became the first player to win this award and he claimed this trophy seven times.
A. No player has won the Lady Byng Memorial award during their rookie season. However, the legendary player Wayne Gretzky won this award in his second season in the NHL.
A. Goaltenders have the least opportunities to secure the Lady Byng Memorial Award due to their position.
A. Brayden Point and Jack Hughes were the nominees for the 2022-2023 season, however Anze Kopitar managed to claim it.
A. Lady Byng, the wife of the Governor General of Canada, introduced the Lady Byng Trophy in in 1925. The Trophy is presented to recognize the player who demonstrates true sportsmanship and gentle values on and off-ice.
