Connor named finalist for Lady Byng Trophy

Kyle Connor is only 25-years-old, but his trophy case for his personal accomplishments is already incredibly impressive.

He’s got gold medals from the World Junior A Challenge and the World Under-18s. The Tim Taylor Award for being college hockey’s top rookie in 2016, the same year he won the Jim Johannson Award as USA Hockey’s College Player of the Year.

Oh yes, he was also a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s top collegiate player that season.

He earned his first National Hockey League All-Star nomination in 2021-22 and has set career highs in every single offensive statistical category.

But with all that being said, his trophy case should have a new addition at the end of this season:

The Lady Byng Trophy.

He’s one step closer to that after being named a finalist for the award on Wednesday.

It’s the trophy awarded each year to the player judged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability, and while Connor certainly has competition for the award – his fellow nominees are Jared Spurgeon of the Minnesota Wild and Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes – Connor makes a fantastic case as the one who should take it home.

The Michigan product finished the 2021-22 campaign with 47 goals, nine more than his previous career best set in 2019-20, and tied for the fifth most in the NHL.

His 93 points are the 13th most in the league, and led the Jets roster by 23 over the next closest player.

The 21:47 he averaged every game day are the second most on the Jets roster – and highest among forwards. Compared to all the left wingers in the NHL, it’s the highest average TOI in the league, 56 seconds more than Chicago’s Alex DeBrincat.

He did all this – and still only had four penalty minutes.

“For me, from that standpoint it’s not like I’m looking to change the way I play, it’s just how I play,” said Connor. “I don’t think anybody wants to take a penalty or put their team down on a penalty kill with all the power plays, talented top end guys.”

Connor has been one of the top-end guys in the NHL for a while. While this is the first time he’s hit 40 goals in a season, he already has three 30-goal campaigns under his belt.

What makes his numbers more impressive this season is that only 11 of his 47 goals have come on the power play, and 28 of his 93 points have come on the man advantage.

Only one player, Toronto’s Auston Matthews, had more goals at even strength (44) than Connor’s 36.

Matthews had 18 penalty minutes this season, 14 more than Connor.

In fact, Connor is one of only four players who have played 50+ games, with 19-plus minutes per-game, that have less than 10 penalty minutes. That list of players includes Anton Stralman, Ryan Pulock, and Mikey Anderson. 

Connor has played almost a minute more per game than those three, and has 70 more points than any of them.

Someone who had a front row seat to the majority of Connor’s brilliance this season was line mate Pierre-Luc Dubois.

“Even though he’s two years older than me he’s a guy that I can learn from. He’s fun to be around,” said Dubois. “To see him finally get the credit he deserves, I think he’s one of the most underrated players in the league. A lot of people just hear about our games or just see the stats sheet, they don’t necessarily watch our games. For him to finally get the recognition he deserves is nice.”

Connor is the new franchise leader when it comes to goals and points in a season. Still, it’s a level he expects out of himself after all the work he puts in during the off-season.

“It’s not like I’m popping champagne because I hit a certain amount of goals or something,” said Connor. “You put in all the hard work and so when the results come, you’re ready for it, you’re ready for this stage.”

Perhaps, if his name is called when the NHL Awards are handed out – those dates are still to be finalized – he’ll allow himself to celebrate a little bit.

Then, it’s back to work, preparing to best his career-high numbers next season.

After all, it’s what he expects out of himself.