Looking at the Vegas Golden Knights this past season, you'll notice they're at the bottom of the penalty minutes category. They were 31st in the NHL this season with 463, marking an incredible style of play. Be sure to send your regards to Bruce Cassidy for that one.
Therefore, it shouldn't surprise Golden Knights fans that the team had plenty of representation in the Lady Byng Trophy. Sure, it was won by Anze Kopitar, who's the anti-Evander Kane. But recent voting shows how strong Vegas is at playing a clean game of hockey.
The race itself was close. Kopitar had 856 points, while Brayden Point, true to his name, was second with 793 points. Jack Eichel finished third with 782, followed by Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Final voting results for the 2024-25 Lady Byng Trophy: pic.twitter.com/StMrR8Klns
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 12, 2025
Other Golden Knights to be represented include William Karlsson (six points) and Brandon Saad (one point). Karlsson had four penalty minutes all season, while Eichel had eight and Saad had six (none with the Golden Knights).
As for Kopitar? He only had four. The Los Angeles Kings legend grabbed his third Lady Byng Trophy of his career, exemplifying a clean, professional style of play that marked his career.
There's a reason why the Golden Knights did well in the Lady Byng voting
This past season isn't a mere aberration for Vegas, though. They were also 31st in penalty minutes in 2023-24 (585) and had the fewest penalty minutes in their Stanley Cup season (589).
Ever since Bruce Cassidy came in, the Golden Knights have evolved their brand of hockey into letting their opponents make mistakes. It has served them well in the long run, starting with his first season.
It goes beyond the current players, though. Marc-Andre Fleury (195 points) got representation, as did former Vegas prospect Nick Suzuki (694, fifth in voting). Maybe it's just a team philosophy? Who knows?
While other fans are punching air while trying to explain how Vegas isn't called for everything under the sun, it's a simple explanation. Cassidy doesn't take kindly to players making big mistakes in key moments. If they screw up, they get put in the doghouse.
In fact, don't be surprised if Jack Eichel, William Karlsson, and company continue making appearances on the voting list. After all, Karlsson won the Lady Byng Trophy in 2017-18. It might cause a meltdown among the other 31 teams, something to the effect of this.