The NHL announced Thursday night (May 30) that Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for the 2023-24 season. The award is given annually to the player who best combines sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct with a high standard of playing ability. It is the second time Slavin has won the award, the first time back during the 2020-21 season. He has finished in the top five of Lady Byng voting in each of the last five seasons dating back to 2019-20. Back in 2020-21, he became only the fourth defenseman in NHL history to win the trophy. However, that is not all when it comes to history for the Erie, CO native when it comes to the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.
Slavin Makes History
While winning the Lady Byng for the second time in his career, he joins four-time winner Red Kelly to become the second blueliner to receive the honor in multiple seasons. Kelly won the award in the 1950-51, 1952-53, 1953-54, and 1960-61 seasons, three of those with the Detroit Red Wings and his last one with the Toronto Maple Leafs. For Slavin to join a Hall of Famer in Kelly puts him in some elite company when it comes to winning the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. Regarding franchise history (Hurricanes and Hartford Whalers), Slavin joined Ron Francis (2001-02) to win the award. Furthermore, he is the only Whalers/Hurricanes player to be selected as a finalist in multiple seasons.
Slavin during the 2023-24 season had 37 points while only committing four minor penalties through 81 games for the Hurricanes. This is back-to-back seasons where he only had eight penalty minutes (PIMs) all season. Plus, it was the fifth straight season where he had 10 minutes or less of PIMs. That is otherworldly stuff and it makes people wonder how he has only won the award twice in the last four seasons. Slavin received 81 first-place votes and finished with 1,174 points with Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks finishing with 508 points. Undoubtedly, he deserved the award, to say the least. When it comes to the playoffs, Slavin holds the franchise records for career playoff games played (71), assists (29) and points (36) by a defenseman.
Slavin began his postseason career by going 36 games without committing a penalty, the most by any defenseman in league history. It seems fitting that that particular record will not be broken anytime soon, if ever.
When asked about Slavin’s ability to limit his penalty minutes, head coach Rod Brind’Amour stated, “You’re not just giving it to somebody who doesn’t take penalties. It’s elite players who are able to play within the confines of the rules, is the way I look at it. Any of these awards that you get nominated for are special, and the way he does it, it’s special.” It goes to show that someone like Slavin can help his team by staying out of the box and being the shutdown defenseman that he is known to be. He is the best defensive defenseman in the league and it shows when he keeps the top players in the NHL at bay from scoring. Furthermore, it goes to show why him staying out of the box leads to the Hurricanes being a top-three penalty-killing unit every season.
Related: Jaccob Slavin Wins 2024 Lady Byng Trophy
When asked about playing the game the way he does, Slavin stated, “The game’s a hard game. I think you can still play the game hard, but you do it in the right way and treat people with respect out there.” He more than shows why the trophy is given to the most gentlemanly player while being the best shutdown defenseman in the NHL. Slavin is more than deserving of winning the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. There is a case to be made that he should have won three or four by this point, however, it is good to see he once again got the recognition he deserved by winning it for the 2023-24 season.
More Awards to Be Announced
The Lady Byng Trophy was the sixth trophy to be handed out during the 2024 NHL Playoffs. Nine more awards are being handed out in June, including five at the NHL Awards at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on June 27.
