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Anze Kopitar is an LA Kings legend.

Los Angeles Kings legend Anze Kopitar is one of the three finalists for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in his final NHL season.

The NHL announced that Kopitar, Jake Sanderson of the Ottawa Senators, and Cole Caufield of the Montreal Canadiens are the three finalists for the award, which is given annually to the league’s most gentlemanly player. Generally, the award is given to a player who is highly respected in the league, who has a high point total while also taking very few penalty minutes.

Anze Kopitar the Frontrunner for the Lady Byng Award

For Kopitar, this is the fifth time he has been a finalist for the Lady Byng. He has previously won the trophy four times, and he is the frontrunner to win it again this year. In 67 games, Kopitar scored 12 goals and 38 points while taking only 10 penalty minutes.

The 38-year-old Kopitar from Slovenia was drafted 11th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He has been with the Los Angeles Kings for the past 20 seasons, winning Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014. In addition to his three Lady Byng awards, Kopitar has also won two Frank J. Selke awards as the best defensive forward in the NHL, plus the Mark Messier award as the league’s best leader. Kopitar has been the captain of the Kings since the 2015-16 season.

Kopitar recently played his final NHL game when the Kings were swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs. Regardless, he finishes his career as one of the best two-way players of his era, not to mention one of the most respected. The next step for Kopitar is the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Sanderson, Caufield Get First-Time NHL Award Nominations

For Sanderson and Caufield, this is the first time that either player has been named a finalist for an NHL award, a major feather in the cap for both of these young players after they each had terrific seasons.

Sanderson is one of the top defensemen on the Ottawa Senators, who made the playoffs this year only to get swept in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes. The 23-year-old American was drafted 5th overall by the Senators in 2020 and just finished his fourth season in the NHL. Sanderson played 67 games this year and scored 14 goals and 54 points while only taking 8 penalty minutes. If he wins the award, Sanderson will become the first Senators player to capture the Lady Byng Trophy in the franchise’s history.

Caufield is one of the league’s top goal scorers. Just 25, Caufield was the 15th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, and he has emerged as a legitimate first-line sniper for the Canadiens since then. Caufield played in 81 games and scored 51 goals and 88 points while only taking 14 penalty minutes. Caufield would be the first Canadiens player to win the Lady Byng Trophy since Mats Naslund in 1987-88 if he wins.

It is worth noting that, unlike many of the other major NHL awards, you cannot bet on the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy at the sportsbooks. But if you could, Kopitar would likely be a heavy favorite to win, though upsets do happen with these awards on occasion.