Caufield: who has the edge

Caufield registered 14 penalty minutes en route to a career-high 88-point season. Caufield has emerged this Saturday as one of the stories drawing attention in Canada.

Key facts

• Caufield registered 14 penalty minutes en route to a career-high 88-point season.
• The Los Angeles Kings captain is a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy alongside Cole Caufield of the Montreal Canadiens and Jake Sanderson of the Ottawa Senators, the NHL announced on Thursday.
• The National Hockey League announced on Thursday that Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield has been named a finalist for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for the 2025-26 season.
• A first-time finalist, Caufield would be the third Canadiens player to win the award, joining Mats Naslund (1987-88) and Toe Blake (1945-46).
• Caufield finished second in the league with 51 goals, by far a career high, and was a key cog for a Montreal team that looks like a legitimate contender.

What we know

Going deeper, the Los Angeles Kings captain is a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy alongside Cole Caufield of the Montreal Canadiens and Jake Sanderson of the Ottawa Senators, the NHL announced on Thursday.

On the substance, the National Hockey League announced on Thursday that Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield has been named a finalist for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for the 2025-26 season.

Beyond the headlines, a first-time finalist, Caufield would be the third Canadiens player to win the award, joining Mats Naslund (1987-88) and Toe Blake (1945-46).

More precisely, Caufield finished second in the league with 51 goals, by far a career high, and was a key cog for a Montreal team that looks like a legitimate contender.

It is worth noting that Anze Kopitar could add one last trophy to his collection.

By the numbers

At this stage, Kopitar, who retired after his Kings fell to the Colorado Avalanche in the first round, has won the 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" three times previously (2016, 2023, 2025).

On a related note, Kopitar, the Kings' franchise points leader, had just 10 penalty minutes in 67 games this season while recording 12 goals and 26 assists.

Going deeper, the Canadiens sniper led the Canadiens with 51 goals, becoming Montreal’s first 50-goal scorer in 36 years, while taking 14 penalty minutes.

On the substance, Sanderson was Ottawa’s top-scoring defenceman with 14 goals and 40 assists in 67 games, logging a team-leading average ice time of 24:50 and receiving eight penalty minutes.

The wider context

On a related note, Caufield and Sanderson would both be first-time winners of the award.

Going deeper, Carolina's Jaccob Slavin was the last defenceman to win the Lady Byng in 2024.

On the substance, Caufield is joined by Anze Kopitar and Jake Sanderson as the award’s other finalists.

Beyond the headlines, the Kings' Kopitar is a three-time winner of the annual league award for "sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct.

More precisely, Soon-to-retire Kings legend Anze Kopitar has won the Lady Byng three times.

The bottom line

• The Los Angeles Kings captain is a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy alongside Cole Caufield of the Montreal Canadiens and Jake Sanderson of the Ottawa Senators, the NHL announced on Thursday.
• The National Hockey League announced on Thursday that Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield has been named a finalist for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for the 2025-26 season.
• A first-time finalist, Caufield would be the third Canadiens player to win the award, joining Mats Naslund (1987-88) and Toe Blake (1945-46).