Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin wins Lady Byng Trophy for second time

Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes is the recipient of the 2024 Lady Byng Trophy, one the defenseman now has won twice in four years.

Slavin was selected in balloting by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The other finalists this year were Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews and Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson.

The Lady Byng Trophy is awarded to the player who has “exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.”

Slavin finished with 1,174 points in the PHWA voting. Pettersson had 508 points and Matthews 506. Carolina’s Seth Jarvis was 20th in the voting.

Slavin, who has earned a reputation of a defenseman who combines tough but clean play, first won the award in the 2020-21 season and finished second in 2021-22.

Slavin, 30, finished the 2023-24 season with a plus-21 rating and had just eight penalty minutes in 81 games. It was the fewest penalty minutes of any NHL skater playing 1,600 or more minutes in the season.

Slavin averaged 20:56 in ice time, leading the team in takeaways (71) and blocked shots (120). He also averaged a team-high 2:38 of shorthanded ice time per game, anchoring the NHL’s top penalty kill (86.4%), and had two short-handed goals.

Slavin once said of his style of play: “I’m not a physical player, really. You don’t have to worry too much about roughing penalties. It’s just good positioning, good skating and good stick work.”

Slavin has said it’s an honor to the nominated for a “character award” such as the Byng, saying, “It’s who I want to be as a person ... and carry myself on and off the ice.”

Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour, asked about Slavin and the Byng, said, “You could name it after him. He plays the right way and he does it at a high level.”