Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov was named as a finalist for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy on Friday.
The trophy which is named in honor of Marie Evelyn Moreton, is awarded to "the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability."
This is the second time that Barkov has been named as a finalist for this award, with his first chance coming following the 2015-16 season. Barkov finished second in voting that time around and will hope for better results this time. Brian Campbell captured the trophy for Florida after the 2011-12 season. Campbell remains the only Florida player to ever bring home the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.
William Karlsson of the Las Vegas Golden Knights and Ryan O’Reilly of the Buffalo Sabres are also finalists for the trophy. Voting for the trophy took place after the regular season and playoff performance will not be a factor.
Barkov was an All-Star this past season and led Florida with his 78 points. The 22-year old had 51 assists and was Florida's most consistent player. Barkov also stayed on the ice all season long, while playing in a career-high 79 games. Even though Florida fell short of the playoffs, Barkov is a big reason for the team remaining in contention.
The winner of the trophy will be revealed during the NHL Awards on June 20th.
