The NHL announced that Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin was the winner of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for the second time in his career.
The award is give annually “to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability,” as selected by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
"Playing the game the right way, not being dirty between whistles," Slavin said when asked what it means to be a 'gentlemanly player.' "The game's a hard game and you can still play the game hard, but just doing it the right way and treating people with respect still. That's what it is to me at least."
Slavin, 30, is well known for both his beliefs and abilities.
On top of being one of the NHL's top defenders, Slavin is also a devote Christian who not only talks the talk, but walks the walk as well.
"For myself, it is [an honor]," Slavin said when he was first nominated. "You guys know my values. Being a Christian, that's how I try to live. I try to live with a good character and one that glorifies God. This is an award that I appreciate just being gentleman."
This is a guy who never has a bad thing to say about someone and who hasn't uttered a curse word since he was like 10 years old.
That's also reflected in how he plays the game with just eight total penalty minutes this season, a few of which were because of delays of game.
The veteran defender was on 149 out of the 194 ballots and received 81 first place votes.
In total, he earned more than double the amount of total points as the second place finisher, Elias Pettersson.
Slavin is also just the second defenseman in NHL history to win the award twice (Red Kelly) and the second American to win it twice (Joe Mullen). Slavin first won the Lady Byng in 2021.
Other Hurricanes also receiving votes were Teuvo Teravainen (18th), Seth Jarvis (20th), Jake Guentzel (37th), Sebastian Aho (57th), Brent Burns (64th) and Jordan Staal (71st).