The Lady Byng. Every player’s least favorite award. The official description reads as such: “Outstanding sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.” In general, this award tends to go to the good player with the least number of penalty minutes. Or, as many think of it, the good player who is also the biggest pansy. I object to that description, as there are a number of Jacket players who fit the bill this year, while also playing very hard shift in, and shift out, taking abuse, going to the corners, and playing a tough game in general. However, what sets those players apart from the Dubinsky’s is their ability to do so without putting the Jackets shorthanded very often, constantly being good sports, and playing like gentlemen. We actually had a tie this year, with most first place votes used to break it. Last year’s winner was Cam Atkinson. Can he repeat? Let’s find out…
WINNER: Ryan Murray
Brett (1): “Going by sheer penalty minutes, Murray wins easily with a scant 10 over the course of 66 games. Dude is a defenseman, that alone is an impressive stat. One might say that it’s just smart play but what better way to be “gentlemanly” by never having to cheat to do your job? Couple that with Murray’s stellar rookie year and by golly, you’ve got a choice for the Lady Byng CBJ Memorial Trophy”
CBJProspects (2): “The young man that could be the next “Jeepers” with the same aw schucks attitude as John Moore along with being one of the Jackets best Demen despite being a rookie, along with setting a new points record for rookie dmen.”
The Coach (1): “Murray gets my vote. He plays such an integral defensive role, one in which it is very easy to pile up penalty minutes. Yet he finished with only 10 PIMs, in his rookie year. That is amazing. He is also super calm and never gets rattled. Oh he’s also wicked good, which satisfies the ‘high standard of playing ability’ portion.”
Runner Up: Mark Letestu
AlisonL (1): “Mark Letestu spent the majority of his year on the fourth line, played every single game of the season (with just over 1200 total minutes on ice), and racked up only 20 PIM. To play on a line charged with generating energy and driving their teammates to step up many a night Letestu still went 12-22-34 which earned him the most points among his most frequent linemates while getting the fewest PIMs.
55 was with Derek MacKenzie the most and he got 47 PIM’s (and a couple game suspension) and then Blake Comeau who notched 37 PIM. A gritty, hard working line and yet still Letestu returned one hell of a season.”
CBJProspects (3): “Letestu had a career year a season after leading the CBJ in goals while having under 20 penalty minutes while playing in every game for the first time in hos NHL career.”
GregIn120 (2): “ I like the way Letestu plays the game and what you get out of him you get on a consistent basis. Always a good sport, a gentleman.and a class act.”
The Coach (3): “For someone in a checking role, on a checking line, he’s pretty good at staying out of the box. Like Murray, he always seems calm and collected on the ice. ”
Honorable Mention: Cam Atkinson
CBJProspects (1): “Much like Last year Cam was among the team’s leading scorers finishing fourth in points and third in goals and the second lowest amount of penalties among regulars and well as for gentlemanly conduct we all heard the story of him paying for fans tickets in the playoffs”
GregIn120 (3): “Cam went through a tough year. Other teams seemed to figure out how to get a body on him in order slow him down. Despite his struggles at times, he still played the game the right way.”
Honorable Mention: Artem Anisimov
AlisonL (2): “…”
Brett (2): “…”
Also Receiving Votes:
Sergei Bobrovsky – Derdrache (1): “I’m going to go with Bobrovsky for Lady Byng. Always, worried about the safety of fellow players and on-ice officials, this video shows him sliding stick out of the way in a clear attempt to make sure there are no obstructions that a skater or referee might trip on. Sadly this video also shows a completely unprovoked Nash savagely attacking Sergei. No clue what that guy’s problem was.”
Matt Calvert – GregIn120 (1): “You have to love how Calvert plays the game. which is to say all out, all the time. He definitely toes the line between sportsmanship and trying to get under the skin of the other team, but I can’t recall him ever crossing that line. And yes, I saw his fight with Nash. I didn’t factor that in to my vote because Nash is now officially a douche bag.”
Boone Jenner – The Coach (2): “A little out of the box considering how physical he is, but have you ever seen a player who hits that much remain so calm all the time? Boone never gets rattled, takes very few penalties for someone so physcial, and draws way more penalties than he takes (led the Jackets, tied for 36th in the NHL in penalty plus-minus).”
Jack Skille – AlisonL (3): “…”
Stay tuned, as next week we hand out the Jackets’ Norris (best defensman) and Vezina (best goaltender) trophies!
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