Canadiens’ Caufield and Suzuki Win Lady Byng and Selke Memorial Trophies

Fresh off historic seasons for the Montreal Canadiens, captain Nick Suzuki and star Cole Caufield were rewarded for their efforts with significant awards. They were officially announced on Friday as the winners of the Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, respectively.

Each first-time winners, Suzuki captured the Selke after being voted the league’s top defensive forward, while Caufield was recognized for the Lady Byng. The latter is awarded to the player who is determined to exhibit the most sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct, while maintaining a high standard of playing ability.

Caufield and Suzuki Hit 50 Goals, 100 Points

Caufield is coming off a season in which he scored a career-high 51 goals, ranking second in the NHL, and 88 points (while accruing 14 penalties in minutes). Meanwhile, Suzuki scored a career-high 101 points (29 goals) and earned a career-best plus-37 plus/minus rating, as the Canadiens outscored opponents 94-58 with him on the ice.

Caufield became the first Canadiens player to reach 50 goals since Stephane Richer in 1990 (earlier in the season having become the first to reach 40 since Vincent Damphousse in 1994). Suzuki became the first Hab to score 100 points since Mats Naslund in 1985-86 (110). Both contributed to a 106-point season on the part of the Habs, who were eliminated in Round 3 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the finalist Carolina Hurricanes after two separate seven-game series wins over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Round 1 and Buffalo Sabres in Round 2.

Both awards are voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PWHA). Combined with his defensive awareness, Suzuki had been widely considered as the favourite for the Selke, largely by virtue of having outscored fellow-finalists Anthony Cirelli of the Lightning and Brock Nelson of the Colorado Avalanche by at least 36 points. He finished with 1,726 possible points on the part of voters. Cirelli finished second (467) and Nelson third (406).

In sharp contrast, Caufield was an arguable underdog for Lady Byng, going up against Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar, who had won it three times before and retired at the end of the season, and Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson. Caufield finished in first place with 776 points, while Kopitar finished second (602) and Sanderson came in third (585).

First-year Canadiens forward Ivan Demidov had also been named an awards finalist, for the Calder Memorial Trophy, which is awarded annually to the player considered the NHL’s best rookie. While Demidov led all rookies in points with 62, Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders scored 59 as a defenseman, eventually going on to win the trophy with 1,980 points to Demidov’s 1,158.

Anaheim Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke finished third (958). Habs goalie Jakub Dobes finished fourth (529). Habs forward Oliver Kapanen also earned votes (16) to finish in 11th place.