Why Is The Byng A Joke?

YEM

Registered User
Mar 7, 2010
5,718
2,697
Why is that?
my meager opinion; if you asked 10 respected hockey "people" who should win in any given year, you're likely to get at least a half dozen different answers, maybe more, who all may be deserving.
 

Tarantula

Hanging around the web
Aug 31, 2017
4,451
2,863
GTA
yeah, seems its because most people agree that not all PIM are made the same. They want their players to get some penalties because sometimes the situation warrants it. Either sticking up for a teammate, pushing back when pushed, etc. Even playing physically will lead to some PIM because every so often you'll miss or be late, etc.

Seems the Lady Byng trophy has the stink of passive play on it. Winning it almost brands the player as soft/passive/a push over.

I wouldn't say that to The Chief, Johnny Buyck!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Killion

Big Phil

Registered User
Nov 2, 2003
31,703
4,144
I like the award. Does it have the value that helps boost a HHOF career? No, not really. It is a bit of a cherry on top, that's it. Ron Francis isn't a HHOFer because he won three of them. He's in even if he never won.

Lots of players you assume could have won, didn't. Beliveau, Stastny, Lidstrom, Oates, etc. They never won. I have no idea why more defensemen don't win it. Red Kelly won it and then no defenseman until Brian Campbell. That's crazy.

But keep in mind, only a good player can win this award. You have to have had a great year to win this. And let's face it, bad reputation all you want let's look at the names of the "wimps" that have won it: Hull, Mikita, Bucyk.........guys like Goring and Keon were very much involved and would be considered tenacious yet barely got a penalty. Yeah, I think it is a lost art at times. Keon had 7 more PIM in his career than Crosby in his first season.

The name doesn't help, but that's who it is named after. They can't change the name to the Chuck Norris award. Well, I guess they could, but it wouldn't make sense. But this award is good when you look at the context of things. Datsyuk was winning this when he was winning Selkes, so basically the league thinks you are the best defensive forward but also the most gentlemanly. Gretzky was winning scoring titles while he did this. Bucyk was still hitting people with pretty good body checks when he won his. Bossy was taking abuse in front of the net while scoring 60 goals and winning this. Mikita changed his playing style to the point where he won one of these..........while leading the NHL in points. It is only an embarrassing award because the odd player treats is like a stray cat. But this award is not unmanly.
 

Killion

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
36,763
3,211
I like the award.

The name doesn't help, but that's who it is named after....
It is only an embarrassing award because the odd player treats is like a stray cat.....
But this award is not unmanly.

Whats your problem with the name?.... Lady Byng the wife
of the 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy, a much decorated officer.

No player who was selected to be the recipient of such an award would
ever be so classless as to treat it as an unwanted pet..... Plz name one.

As for "unmanly"..... I dont even know what you mean by that.....
That its basically a "participation ribbon" for Wusses'? :squint:
 

Big Phil

Registered User
Nov 2, 2003
31,703
4,144
Whats your problem with the name?.... Lady Byng the wife
of the 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy, a much decorated officer.

No player who was selected to be the recipient of such an award would
ever be so classless as to treat it as an unwanted pet..... Plz name one.

As for "unmanly"..... I dont even know what you mean by that.....
That its basically a "participation ribbon" for Wusses'? :squint:

"Unmanly" meaning the sound of the name of the trophy. Lady Byng was actually a person as we know, but the name sounds effeminate. I don't know, ask the guys who have won it, or haven't won it.

As for ones that didn't care for it. Alex Mogilny didn't like winning it in 2003. He never even showed up to accept it. Others too weren't crazy about it. I think it's fine to be honest.

Here is a fun fact. The Don Cherry Bruins at one point had three Byng winners playing on the same team: Ratelle, Bucyk and Middleton. Granted, Middleton would win after the other two were retired, but still.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->