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The 2024 Lady Byng Trophy was awarded to Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jacob Slavin. Slavin captured 81 first-place votes, totaling 1174 points, capturing more than double the 508 votes of runner-up Vancouver Canucks' Elias Pettersson.
The Lady Byng trophy is awarded every year to an NHL player "adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability." Given the names on the list of finalists, it was surprising to see Slavin win with such a huge margin, along with other names that didn’t get higher up in the rankings.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five most surprising 2024 Lady Byng Trophy voting results.
Top 5 most surprising 2024 Lady Byng Trophy voting results
#1: Jacob Slavin ran away with the votes
While seeing Jacob Slavin with the Lady Byng Trophy is not a surprise in and of itself, it’s surprising to see him win by such a wide margin.
Slavin finished the regular season with a total eight penalty minutes, giving him the edge over other worthy candidates on the list.
#2: Aleksander Barkov at #12
Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, winner of the Selke Trophy, should have gotten much more consideration for the Lady Byng Trophy.
Barkov accrued 24 penalty minutes during the regular season. However, unlike Slavin, Barkov plays tough minutes against the opposition’s top players. He’s an elite defensive forward and, given his position, should have garnered more support than a single first-place vote.
#3: Austin Matthews finished below Pettersson
Like Barkov, Auston Matthews was a finalist for the Selke. Matthews combines speed, scoring ability, and an elite two-way presence.
Matthews notably got more first-place votes than Pettersson, and would have been expected to close the gap on Slavin.
Like Barkov, Matthews plays against the opposition’s best players. However, Matthews is generally on the receiving end of the other teams’ best checkers.Matthews only racked up 20 penalty minutes during the regular season. That total should have put him at least higher than Pettersson.
#4: Elias Pettersson is the runner-up
Elias Pettersson is hardly known for his aggressive, physical style of play. He’s a smooth-skating forward that avoids needless contact. His 12 penalty minutes this season justify his second-place finish.
However, Pettersson doesn’t match up against the opposition’s best players the way Barkov and Matthews do. Pettersson tends to shy away from tough, grinding minutes in a way that Slavin has played.
#5: Anze Kopitar didn’t get much support
Anze Kopitar is another elite defensive forward who plays hard minutes against the opposition’s best players. He’s the heart and soul of the Los Angeles Kings, playing in virtually every type of situation.
Despite this, Kopitar registered only 22 penalty minutes. Considering Matthews notched 20 penalty minutes, Kopitar should have at least finished in the top five.
Yet, voters didn’t see it that way. Kopitar got three first-place votes, leaving him in 11th spot.
