Days after Anze Kopitar's Lady Byng Trophy win, NHL insiders rally for major change in voting process of prestigious NHL award

LA Kings star Anze Kopitar won the Lady Byng Trophy, awarded annually for gentlemanly conduct, marking his third win after 2015-16 and 2022-23.

He became the 10th player in NHL history to earn the award three times. During an appearance on "The Sheet with Jeff Marek" podcast on Sunday, NHL insider Greg Wyshynski suggested changing the voting process, proposing that referees, rather than hockey writers, should select the winner.

"The Professional Hockey Writers Association has turned the Lady Bing voting into who has the most points and the fewest penalty minutes. We don't know any, we don't know how to assess gentlemanly play on the ice," he said."

Wyshynski believes on-ice officials are best suited to evaluate gentlemanly conduct.

"We know who's nice to us in the locker room after the game, but we sure don't know who's nice on the ice. The only people who do are the players who simply can't be bothered with having to vote on awards because they'll just vote for their buddies, or the on-ice officials who should vote for something that assesses gentlemanly play on the ice," Wyshynski added.

Anze Kopitar makes feelings known after winning Lady Byng Trophy

Anze Kopitar accumulated two minor penalties this season. He shared his thoughts after winning the Lady Byng Trophy, noting he was pleasantly surprised when his kids presented the trophy on the golf course.

"Two [penalties] this year, I think. But well earned," Kopitar said via NHL. "I thought it was going to just be a friendly 10 holes of golf with family golf and then a little bit of lunch, so this was a very pleasant surprise when the kids brought it out on the ninth green."

"To me, it just means being so-called a gentleman. Hockey is a physical sport but within those parameters, I think there's obviously room, I guess a gentleman, a good guy, having respect toward your peers, toward the officials. Just carry yourself in a way to where kids look at you, young kids look at you, what you do on the ice," he added.

Anze Kopitar, drafted 11th overall by the Kings in the 2005 NHL draft, racked up 67 points through 21 goals and 46 assists in 81 games. In the playoffs, he notched nine points through two goals and seven assists in six games.