The Lady Byng isn't just lowest PIMS. You also have to be a good player.
Emaple, Loui Eriksson only has 12 PIMS this year and put up a solid amount of points.
This.
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is an annual award given to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.
Datsyuk
Lidtsrom
Alfredsson
Kopitar
Eriksson
... and a bunch of other guys would be way ahead of any guy with 40+ PIMs and ~40 points - whether it is Cooke or anyone else.
Last edited by burgess1978: 04-12-2012 at 11:37 PM.
Awards aren't given out based on biggest improvement. We aren't giving the Art Ross to Neal because of his big improvement in points - why would we give the Lady Byng to Cooke because he doesn't get "as many penalties as he used to"?
Patrik Elias would be my vote, put up a 78 point season with only 16 penalty minutes while also switching to center and filling in beautifully all year long.
I'm wondering why a trophy for one of the toughest sports around still has "Lady" in the title. And yes, I know it's origin, but "Lady Byng" died in 1949.
As funny as it would be to see his name on the final nominees list next to two of Datsyuk/St. Louis/Eriksson/Eberle, there is absolutely no chance of it happening.
I understand the reasoning, but something doesn't quite sit with that. He's thrown a couple hits this year I'd qualify as ungentelmanly, they just weren't particularly dangerous, illegal or designed to injure.
Eh, maybe a token 5 vote on the old top 5 guys ballot, just as a nod to progress.
I'm wondering why a trophy for one of the toughest sports around still has "Lady" in the title. And yes, I know it's origin, but "Lady Byng" died in 1949.
Well, in the toughest sport, it's the award given to the pansiest player in the league, so the "lady" is pretty descriptive.