The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is awarded to the NHL player deemed to have displayed the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability. It is named after Marie Evelyn Moreton, known as Lady Byng, who was a huge fan of hockey. In the 1920s and 1930s, Frank Boucher of the New York Rangers won the trophy the most times, netting 7 awards. Next up, Wayne Gretzky has won the trophy five times. Other famous skaters include Stan Makita, Mike Bossy and Pavel Datsyuk. Anze Kopitar won the trophy in 2016 and is the current holder. This season Johnny Gaudreau, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Mikael Granlund are the nominees for the Lady Byng. Here is why they were nominated:

Johnny Gaudreau: Left Wing, Calgary Flames

Gaudreau led the Calgary Flames with 61 points scoring, 18 goals and recording 43 assists. In 72 games this season, Gaudreau only took 2 penalties and recorded 9 hits averaging 18 minutes of playing time a game. The Flames qualified for the 2017 NHL playoff but were swept in the first round by the Pacific Division Champions, the Anaheim Ducks. In the 4 games played, Gaudreau registered 2 assists, 0 penalties, and 0 hits. This is Gaudreau’s first nomination for the Lady Byng in his third year in the league.

Vladimir Tarasenko: Right Wing, St. Louis Blues

Vladimir Tarasenko finished an impressive fourth in goals scored in the NHL with 39. He also recorded 36 assists and finished the season with 75 points, a career high. In 82 games, he had 12 penalty minutes and 50 hits during the season. Tarasenko averaged 18 minutes of playing time for each game during the regular season. The Blues reached the second round of the playoffs before being eliminated by the Nashville Predators in 6 games. In 11 playoff games, Tarasenko recorded 3 goals and 3 assists for 6 points. He had 0 penalties and 13 hits during the Blues playoff run. This will be Tarasenko’s first nomination for any type of NHL award in his 5th season.

Mikael Granlund: Center, Minnesota Wild

Mikael Granlund had a breakout season leading the Minnesota Wild in points with 26 goals and 43 assists totaling 69 points. With a notable +/- rating of 23, he scored a career high in each category in 81 games played. Meanwhile, he recorded 50 hits and 12 penalty minutes and averaged 18 minutes of playing time a game. In the playoffs, the Wild were eliminated by the St. Louis Blues in 5 games. Granlund recorded 2 assists, 1 penalty, and 6 hits in those 5 games. This is Granlund’s 5th year in the NHL.

Although all the skaters nominated are noteworthy, the inside edge goes to Johnny “Hockey”. The fact he only took 2 penalties and recorded 9 hits in 72 games is quite an accomplishment; both Granlund and Tarasenko wound up with 50 hits and 6 penalties. Gaudreau is the leader of the Flames and a star in the making; he has managed to score 60 points or more in all three season played. Even though Granlund and Tarasenko managed to record more points than Gaudreau, they also played more games. The key factor in the decision focuses on the fact that Gaudreau ended up tied for the least number of penalties taken by players that played a minimum of 41 games. Because of his stellar offensive presence and disciplined approach to the game, Gaudreau looks like the likely recipient of the 2017 Lady Byng trophy with future consideration for years to come.

Featured Image via NHL