Notable Lady Byng Winners

SI Staff | Mar 13, 2007

Notable Lady Byng Winners /

Notable Lady Byng Winners

Frank Boucher

The Rangers center won the award seven times between 1928 and 1935 -- so often that "Gentleman Frank" was allowed to keep the original trophy. The replacement has been awarded since 1936.

Wayne Gretzky

The Great One was the personification of the virtues of skating, passing and shooting -- engaging in just three documented fights in his 21 seasons while winning the Lady Byng five times (1980, '91, '92, '94, '99) and finishing second on five other occasions.

Red Kelly

A four-time winner (1951, '53, '54, '61), the elite defenseman -- who later became a top-flight center -- was so gentlemanly he rarely even swore, thus defying Red Wings teammate Gordie Howe's statement that hockey players are bilingual: "They know English and profanity."

Ron Francis

One of the game's pre-eminent two-way players, Francis roomed with two-time Byng winner Dave Keon during his first few seasons with the Hartford Whalers and obviously learned something as he went on to win the trophy three times (1995, '98, 2002).

Mike Bossy

An on-ice target who was often taunted by rival Rangers fans' cries of ''Hit 'em with your purse, Bossy!'', the Islander sniper answered with his stick, scoring 50 goals in a season nine times while winning the Byng three times (1983, '84, '86).

Alex Delvecchio

The versatile forward was the gentlemanly mainstay on Detroit's "Production Line" with Ted Lindsay and the more pugnacious Gordie Howe. The beloved and respected "Fats" helped the Wings win three Stanley Cups and was awarded the Byng three times (1959, '66, '69).

Bobby Bauer

The right wing on Boston's legendary Kraut Line with Milt Schmidt and Woody Dumart won the Byng three times (1940, '41, '47). Bauer and his linemates served a mid-career stint in the Royal Canadian Air Force, seeing combat during World War II.

Brett Hull

During his 17-season career, The Golden Brett's tongue likely dished out more stinging punishment than his 5-10, 200-pound frame, as he won the Byng in 1990 with the Blues, completing the first father-son duo to earn the award.

Bobby Hull

The rugged, durable Golden Jet was feared for his ferocious, 120-mph slapper. The only Byng winner (1965) to father a winner, Hull and Stan Mikita (Lady Byng: 1967, '68) led the Blackhawks to their last Stanley Cup, in 1961. Nice guys do finish first.

Paul Kariya

Nashville's speedy, diminutive (5-10, 175) winger is the active leader with two Byngs (1996, '97).

Adam Oates

Exceedingly generous (he was Brett Hull's acclaimed set-up man in St. Louis) and gentlemanly, Oates never won the Byng although he did finish second in the voting four consecutive times (1993-96).

Published Mar 13, 2007

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