NHL News: Kyle Connor wins Lady Byng, Nazem Kadri has surgery, and Chris Wideman signs with Habs
Anthony Scultore
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The latest roundup of NHL News starts with Kyle Connor of the Winnipeg Jets being named the winner of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy on Monday night.
The award goes to the player “adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.”
“It’s such a great honor,” Connor said upon receiving the award. “I would love to thank my family and friends. They’re always there whenever I need them, and you know, their unwavering support means the world to me. To my teammates this would not be possible without you guys. To the Jets organization thank you for the opportunity to be the player I can be every single day.”
Kyle Connor wins Lady Byng
Connor posted career highs of 47 goals and 46 assists in 2021-22. His total of just four penalty minutes was among the lowest in the league.
Connor was the Jets’ first-round pick (17th overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft and has spent his full six-year NHL career with the club. He is the first member of the Jets ever to win the award.
Of the 195 members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association to cast a ballot, 181 named Connor, and he received 122 first-place votes.
His 1,527 total points was 623 better than Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin, who came in second and tallied 31 first-place votes.
Nazem Kadri has surgery, not ruled out for return
The Colorado Avalanche confirmed on Monday that Nazem Kadri underwent thumb surgery after crashing heavily into the boards in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final. Evander Kane, who committed the foul was suspended and watched from the press box as the Avs swept the Edmonton Oilers to advance to their first Stanley Cup Final since 2001.
Reports said Kadri was not officially ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs, leaving open the possibility he can return to the ice during the Stanley Cup Final.
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar previously said Kadri would miss the rest of the Oilers series, “if not longer.”
Kadri has six goals and eight assists over Colorado’s first 13 games of the playoffs, including a hat trick in Game 4 of the second-round series against the St. Louis Blues.
In 71 games in the regular season, Kadri tallied career highs with 87 points and 59 assists along with 28 goals.
Chris Wideman signs with Habs
The Montreal Canadiens agreed to a two-year contract extension with defenseman Chris Wideman that runs through the 2023-24 season.
According to Sportsnet’s Eric Engels the financial terms are $750K in the first year and $775K in the second.
In 64 games in 2021-22, Wideman recorded 27 points (four goals, 23 assists) with the Canadiens, He signed a one-year contract on July 28, 2021.
Wideman, 32, amassed 20 goals and 52 assists in 245 career NHL games with the Ottawa Senators, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers and Canadiens.
The Senators selected Wideman in the fourth round (100th overall) in the 2009 NHL Draft.
–Field Level Media contributed to this article.