Los Angeles Kings centre Anze Kopitar has won the Lady Byng Trophy.
The trophy is awarded annually to the NHL player who best combines sportsmanship with on-ice ability as judged by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
The 37-year-old Kopitar won the award for the third time after finishing second on the Kings with 67 points (21 goals, 46 assists) in 81 contests while recording only four penalty minutes.
He received 50 first-place votes en route to earning 856 voting points, ahead of Tampa Bay Lightning centre Brayden Point (793) and Vegas Golden Knights centre Jack Eichel (782).
Kopitar also won the award in 2015-16 and 2022-23.
The Kings’ captain, who is spending his off-season in his native Slovenia, learned of his latest award win from his children, who handed him drawings of the Lady Byng before giving him a replica trophy.
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