Jaccob Slavin of Hurricanes wins Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly conduct

RALEIGH, NC – Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes won the Lady Byng Trophy on Thursday. The award is presented annually to the NHL player voted to best combine sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and ability.

“I think, first and foremost for myself, I want to give all the glory to God,” Slavin said on ESPN’s “The Point” on Thursday. “He’s given me the abilities to play this game and have the opportunity to do everything that I do. So, it’s a tremendous honor to win this award. I think for myself it means a lot.

“It is strange being a gentleman and trying to play really hard defense. But I greatly appreciate it. I think, for myself, just playing the game simple, playing the game hard, but obviously not taking any penalties. And then doing in it in a way where I respect everybody on the ice — officials, coaches, whatever it is — but making sure I’m doing my job out there and being hard to play against.”