Calgary Flames: Why Johnny Gaudreau Deserves to Win Lady Byng

Calgary Flames superstar forward Johnny Gaudreau is one of the three finalists for the Lady Byng award. Let’s see why he deserves it.

If you’ve been a Calgary Flames fan for a few seasons now, you may remember the 2015 NHL awards. In case you don’t know or you’re new here, hello and welcome to the best fanbase in the world. But two seasons ago, Flames forward Jiri Hudler won the Lady Byng trophy – something that Flames superstar Johnny Gaudreau is nominated for this year.

The Lady Byng trophy goes to the most “gentlemanly” player. It goes to the player who, “adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability”. The other two nominees this season are Mikael Granlund of the Minnesota Wild and Vladimir Tarasenko of the St. Louis Blues.

But before we talk about the other nominees and why Johnny Gaudreau deserves to win this season, let’s take a look at when Jiri Hudler won.

Jiri No Shoes

Like I mentioned, Jiri No Shoes, I mean Jiri Hudler (sorry – slip up) won the Lady Byng back in 2015. But, he gave his acceptance speech in style.

At one point, Calgary Flames head coach at the time, Bob Hartley, was doing an interview after the morning skate with no shoes. He called it, “The Jiri.”

Don’t worry Flames fans, Johnny won’t be doing the same (although I hope he would).

Via Calgaryflames.com:

"“I don’t even own a pair of red socks,” reports Johnny Gaudreau.“If I do end up winning, I probably won’t do the same speech or take my shoes off.“He didn’t even bring a suit from Czech. He bought a new suit, new shoes, new dress socks when he got there. I don’t even think he brought the suit home with him. I think he just left it or donated it.“That was a bit … ridiculous.“Funny, but ridiculous.”"

That season, the Calgary Flames made it to the playoffs for the first time in six years and made it to the second round for the first time in 11 years. A big reason for this? The Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, and Hudler line. They were electric and one of the best lines all season.

In the regular season, Hudler was eighth overall for points and Gaudreau and Monahan were both in the top 50. It was also Gaudreau’s rookie season that year. Fun fact: Gaudreau was nominated for the Calder trophy that season (he came in third) and Bob Hartley won the Jack Adams trophy that season.

In that season, Hudler acted as almost a father type figure to Gaudreau and Monahan. And when he was traded last season, it was a bit of a family breakup.

Via Calgaryflames.com:

"“As much as that line has had a lot of success it wasn’t a line that was together for two full years,” Treliving stated. “They seemed to have instant chemistry when they were put together in the middle of last year that Bob put them together but I think he’s had a big impact on both guys.”“I got it. They’re going to be fine, I got it.”“I was asked earlier today about one thing that stood out and it was after Game 2 in the Vancouver series,” Treliving recalled. “Many of [the media] talked about the struggles that Sean and Johnny were having and I remember walking to the back of the plane and I was going to go talk to them. Huds knew what I was doing and stopped me and said ‘I got it, they’re going to be fine. I got it’.”"

Going back to Hudler, that season, he had just 14 PIM in 78 games. Of course, I know that PIM aren’t the only contributing factor, but something to note. It was also Hudler’s best season of his career.

I also think it’s kind of nice that he had somewhat of a lasting impression on Monahan and Gaudreau and now Gaudreau is nominated for the same award Hudler won two years ago. Speaking of Gaudreau, let’s talk about him now.

Johnny’s case for Lady Byng

Johnny Gaudreau didn’t quite have the season he was hoping for this year, however 61 points in an off-year is still pretty decent. He has had 60 point seasons for three straight seasons which is also in every single one of his full NHL seasons. On top of that for this season, he was injured for ten games and he got his injury right as he started to find his game again around mid-November. He had 61 points in 78 games to lead the team in points and had 0.85 points/gp which was tied for 24th overall in the league (min. 50 games).

He also had just four PIM the entire season which was tied for the lowest amount of PIM in the league (min. 50 games).

Via Calgaryflames.com:

"“On one of them,” Gaudreau protested jokingly, “somebody else got the high-stick up, I got the penalty. And there was the one for embellishment. But I was high-sticked on that one so I’m not sure how (I got called).”"

Something else Calgary Flames fans noticed was how he doesn’t get a lot of calls on him. It’s up for debate why he got injured, with the officials not calling slashing calls on his hand many times during a game and eventually, a slash fractured his finger.

Related Story: No, Gaudreau getting injured isn't his own fault

But that’s in the past now. Johnny is also not a dirty player. Like. At all. If you’ve ever seen Gaudreau make any sort of dirty move or get under any players skin, please let me know, because I’m positive it doesn’t exist.

Except when he got under Brad Marchand‘s skin that one game last season. But that wasn’t because he was being dirty, he just outplayed Marchand.

I’m joking Bruins fans, please don’t come for me. Moving on.

He dangles and has great puck and feet movement without needing to hit other players in the process. In fact, Johnny only had nine hits all season long. Curtis Lazar had the same amount in just four games with the Flames.

Now, I’m not saying hitting makes you a dirty player or anything, but just showing how little Johnny actually touches the opponents. Because he doesn’t need to.

I mean, given he is like. REALLY small, but nonetheless, he avoids getting into scrums as much as he can.

The other two nominees, Tarasenko and Granlund, are very similar to Gaudreau. Actually, Gaudreau ended up in fourth in voting last season for Lady Byng. Tarasenko had a 75 point season with just 12 PIM while Granlund had 69 points with also just 12 PIM. Both players were contributing factors in their teams making the playoffs this season.

Johnny was too.

Via Calgaryflames.com:

"Calgary Flames Flame for Thought Fantasy Hockey: Potential Calgary Flames sleeper picks More headlines around FanSided: — Flames captaincy updates and candidate rankings — Camp Notes: Calgary Flames Prospects at the Young Stars Classic — Could Flames Goalie Dan Vladar Be A Trade Option for the Avalanche? — Roundup: Lindholm, Backlund, Hanifin Contract Updates — Luck, Goalies & Coaching: Three Questions for the 2023/24 Calgary Flames More News at Flame For Thought “People say ‘gentlemen’s award’,” said Gaudreau, “but I know I try to play hard every night and stay out of the box so I can be on the ice.“On the ice is where I help the team.“Two great players,” acknowledged Gaudreau. “They stay out of the box, as well.“Granlund had a great year, one of his best, and Tarasenko’s always a fun player to watch. I got to know him a bit over a couple All Stars and he’s always been really, really nice to me.“Both are very deserving.“I’d say I’m in good company.”"

All three of these guys are well over deserving. You can’t say anything bad about these players. And of course, I may be bias, but Johnny Gaudreau continues to be, since his rookie season, one of the best players on the Calgary Flames and one of the reasons they’ve made playoffs twice in the last three years. In Johnny’s rookie season in 2014-2015, the Flames made playoffs for the first time in six years. And they made it again two years later.

Jiri Hudler may have had a lasting impression on him, but Gaudreau’s also had a lasting impression on Hudler. Gaudreau also makes the players around him better. Look at Monahan and Micheal Ferland this season. Players that play on Gaudreau’s line tend to do well. Great, even.

Next: Flames need to pursue Ben Bishop in the Off-Season

Gaudreau’s very deserving of this award and while he may not wear red socks to the awards, the awards stage will have the honour of feeling another set of Flames feet on it.