Sports
NHL Reveals Finalists for 2020 Lady Byng, Bill Masterton Memorial Trophies
Mary Altaffer/Associated PressBefore the NHL begins its restarted 2019-20 campaign, the league announced the finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy and Masterton Trophy on Thursday:NHL Public Relations @PR_NHLNathan MacKinnon (@Avalanche), Auston Matthews (@MapleLeafs) and Ryan O’Reilly (@StLouisBlues) are the three finalists for the 2019-20 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. https://t.co/JRd3a5BWLY #NHLAwards https://t.co/HUWMG7MjovNHL Public Relations @PR_NHLStephen Johns (@DallasStars), Oskar…
Mary Altaffer/Associated Press
Before the NHL begins its restarted 2019-20 campaign, the league announced the finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy and Masterton Trophy on Thursday:
NHL Public Relations @PR_NHL
Nathan MacKinnon (@Avalanche), Auston Matthews (@MapleLeafs) and Ryan O’Reilly (@StLouisBlues) are the three finalists for the 2019-20 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. https://t.co/JRd3a5BWLY #NHLAwards https://t.co/HUWMG7Mjov
NHL Public Relations @PR_NHL
Stephen Johns (@DallasStars), Oskar Lindblom (@NHLFlyers) and Bobby Ryan (@Senators) are the three finalists for the 2019-20 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. https://t.co/CCR177eGjN #NHLAwards https://t.co/pL7xrRtI9R
While the list of players features some elite talent, these two honors go beyond just skill on the ice.
The Lady Byng Trophy is awarded to the player who exhibits “sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and ability.” The Masterton Trophy goes to the player who showcases “perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”
Ryan O'Reilly won the Lady Byng in 2013-14 and is a four-time finalist for the award.
Though O'Reilly earned plenty of hardware last season with the Conn Smythe Award as the playoff MVP and Frank Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward to go with his Stanley Cup title, he acknowledged the honor of the Lady Byng, per the St. Louis Blues' team site:
“It's amazing to be nominated for the Lady Byng. (There's some) great company there with MacKinnon and Matthews, incredible players. It's a special thing. For myself, I take a lot of pride to be able to impact the game and also be respected in it, stay out of the box and be respected that way. (I can) be one that's respected by refs and feel like whenever guys are freaking out, I can kind of be a calm voice there.
“To be recognized for that is an amazing thing.”
The 29-year-old had only 10 penalty minutes this season and hasn't had more than 12 PIM in any of the last nine seasons.
MacKinnon (12 PIM) and Matthews (eight PIM) also excelled at staying out of the penalty box. With 93 points in 69 games this season, MacKinnon is also a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award as the top player as voted by his peers.
The Masterton finalists were all forced to miss time because of a variety of reasons.
Oskar Lindblom was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a form of bone cancer, and supported his Philadelphia Flyers while undergoing chemotherapy. Stephen Johns returned to the ice in January for the Dallas Stars after missing nearly two years due to post-traumatic headaches. Bobby Ryan stepped away from the sport last November to help recover from alcohol abuse and returned to the Ottawa Senators for eight games before the NHL season was suspended in March because of the coronavirus.
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