Moose Alumni Kyle Connor Wins Lady Byng Memorial Trophy

The Winnipeg Jets, in conjunction with the National Hockey League, today announced that forward Kyle Connor is the 2021-22 recipient of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, awarded "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. Connor is the first player in Jets/Thrashers franchise history to capture the award and the first Winnipeg player (Jets 1.0 or 2.0) to win the Lady Byng Trophy. Jets 1.0 forward Alexei Zhamnov was a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy in 1994-95 and Teemu Selanne was also a finalist the following season in a year he split between Winnipeg and Anaheim.

Connor was named on 181 of the 195 ballots cast, including 122 first-place selections, for 1,527 voting points, ahead of second-place Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes, the 2020-21 Lady Byng Trophy recipient. Slavin received votes on 141 ballots and was the top choice on 31 for 904 points. Jared Spurgeon of the Minnesota Wild, a Lady Byng Trophy finalist for the second consecutive season, finished third in voting with 272 points (six first-place selections).

Connor, 25, produced the best offensive season in his fifth full season with the Jets, setting personal highs and ranking among the NHL leaders in goals (t-5th: 47), points (13th: 93), even strength goals (2nd: 36), shorthanded goals (t-7th: 3), game-winning goals (t-6th: 9), and shots on goals (4th: 317). He also led the Jets and established career highs in assists (46), power-play assists (20), and power-play points (28). The Shelby Township, Mich. native finished fourth among NHL forwards in average time on ice (21:47) and 12th among all skaters in takeaways (66), while receiving only four penalty minutes during his 79 appearances - the fewest among the NHL's top-100 scorers (minimum 50 games played).

Connor becomes the fourth player in franchise history to win one of the NHL's individual awards. He joins Connor Hellebuyck, who won the Vezina Trophy in 2019-20, Ilya Kovalchuk, who won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy in 2003-04, and Dany Heatley, who won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2001-02. Several players also won individual NHL awards for the Winnipeg Jets 1.0 era: Dale Hawerchuk (1981-82) and Teemu Selanne (1992-93) won the Calder Memorial Trophy and Kris King (1995-96) won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. Two Jets 1.0 coaches also won the Jack Adams Award: Tom Watt (1981-82) and Bob Murdoch (1989-90).

Over the course of two seasons, Connor suited up in 56 games for the Moose and recorded 49 points (29G, 21A) over that span.