The Lady Byng Trophy is awarded to the player who is best at combining sportsmanship and ability.
Kopitar was selected as a finalist for the Lady Byng in 2015 and 2010. The following Kings have won the Lady Byng: Wayne Gretzky-1994, 1992 and 1991; Butch Goring-1978; Marcel Dionne-1977. Other Kings to have been a finalist are: Ziggy Palffy (2001), Gretzky (1990 and 1989), Jimmy Carson (1988), Dionne (1983, 1980 and 1979), Goring (1976, 1975 and 1974) and Bob Nevin (1975).
The other finalists this year are Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers and Loui Eriksson of the Boston Bruins.
On Thursday Kopitar was nominated for the 2016 Selke Trophy.
Below is a look at Kopitar’s 2015-16 regular season notes and statistics:
2015-16 Notes: Recipient of Kings Leading Scorer Award for the ninth straight season (longest in Kings history, previously Marcel Dionne held the record with eight straight years from 1975-76 to 1982-83)…Awarded the Bill Libby Memorial Award as the Kings Most Valuable Player and was voted the McDonald’s Player of the Month by the fans three times (November, December and January)…From Nov. 20 through the end of the season he posted 66 points (20-46=66), good for fourth in scoring and third in assists…Led the team in points (74), assists (25), GWG (8), overtime goals (4; franchise record), ranked second in goals (25) and in plus/minus (+34)…Registered an assist in each of the last three games of the season (0-4=4), April 5-April 9…Had a six-game point-streak (4-5=9), March 12-March 21…Surpassed Bernie Nicholls (431) for 5th on the Kings all-time assist list, March 15 at DAL…Tallied a four-game point streak (2-4=6), Feb. 28-March 7…Registered his third career hat-trick (3-0=3; last: Mar. 11, 2011 at CBJ), Feb. 12 at NYR…Surpassed Butch Goring for seventh on the Kings all-time games played list (736) and the all-time points list (659), Feb. 12 at NYR…Had a five-game assist streak (0-7=7), Jan. 24-Feb. 9…Had a five-game point streak (3-7=10), Jan. 9-Jan. 19, and a four-game assist streak (2-7=9), Jan. 11-Jan. 19…Had a career-tying six-game assist streak (1-9=10), Dec. 26-Jan. 4…Tied his career-high for assist in a game (0-4=4), Dec. 28 at VAN (third time, last: Dec. 18, 2014 vs. STL)...Tallied his 400th career NHL assist (0-1=1), Dec. 6 vs. TBL, becoming the sixth Kings player to reach 400 assists…Appeared in his 700th NHL game, Nov. 14 vs. EDM…Surpassed Charlie Simmer (222) for seventh on the Kings all-time goals list, Nov. 7 vs. FLA.
