2019 Lady Byng Trophy Odds: Aleksander Barkov Listed as Heavy Favorite
- Aleksander Barkov joins Olli Jokinen, Teemu Selanne and Jari Kurri as the fourth Finnish player in NHL history with at least 90 points in a season
- Ryan O’Reilly won the Lady Byng with the Colorado Avalanche in 2013-14 and was runner-up to William Karlsson last season
- Sean Monahan, who’s scored at least 20 goals in six straight seasons, took just six minor penalties last year
The Stanley Cup final is now underway and, once it wraps up, the NHL will hold its annual awards ceremony on June 19th at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Among the annual awards handed out each season is the Lady Byng Trophy which is given annually to the player voted to best combine sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and ability.
Here’s where the odds stand as of May 28.
Odds to Win 2019 Lady Byng Trophy
| Player (Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Aleksander Barkov (Panthers) | -1200 |
| Ryan O’Reilly (Blues) | +450 |
| Sean Monahan (Flames) | +1800 |
Of the three finalists, only O’Reilly (2014) has won the award before.
Barkov joins elite company for Panthers
Barkov had 96 points (35 goals, 61 assists), passing the Panthers record set by Pavel Bure (94 in 1999-00). He drew and was assessed just four minor penalties and eight penalty minutes.
He’s a Lady Byng finalist for the third time in four seasons and the odds-on favorite to win his first piece of NHL hardware.
Ryan O’Reilly looking to capture the Lady Byng Trophy again
If there is any value betting against Barkov, Ryan O’Reilly offers the best chance.
O’Reilly won the Lady Byng in 2013-14 and was a runner-up last season. He had another great season, this time with the Blues, leading the team with 49 assists, 77 points, and 0.94 points per game. He led the NHL with 1,086 face-off wins and received only six minor penalties totaling 12 minutes.
Ryan O’Reilly: “Since day one, since I got traded here and looked at the group that we had, I was excited.” #stlblues pic.twitter.com/VdgELW3kPy
— FOX Sports Midwest (@FSMidwest) May 22, 2019
He has been a key part of St Louis’ turnaround since December, when the Blues were dead-last and did not look like a team that would be in the Stanley Cup final. O’Reilly isn’t a finalist for the Hart Trophy, which is too bad given his value to the Blues.
Barkov vs O’Reilly Head-to-Head Comparison
| Player | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aleksander Barkov | 82 | 35 | 61 | 96 | 8 |
| Ryan O’Reilly | 82 | 28 | 49 | 77 | 12 |
Monahan gives the Flames a serious one-two punch at center
Sean Monahan has six straight seasons of 20 goals or more and hit career highs in 2018-19 with 34 goals, 48 assists, 82 points, 23 power-play points (12 goals, 11 assists) and 211 shots on goal .
He is the dark horse in this race given his competition and is a better bet in future seasons should he continue to accumulate these kinds of numbers and continue his gentlemanly play.
The Best Bet
Barkov was the most dominant player of the three on the ice, recorded the fewest penalty minutes, and should continue to be a big part of the Panthers success going forward. Take Barkov to win the Lady Byng.
Pick Barkov (-1200)
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Ben has been an avid sports fan since the 1980s. Specializing in hockey, baseball, and tech, Ben has contributed to CKNW via his tech blog Vancouver Gadgets and currently writes for SBD, as well as other online publications.
