So, when I wrote about how Drew Doughty should win the Norris Trophy, I never knew the kind of attention it would receive. It appears that Doughty is well on his way to being a finalist, which is great. Drew has had a brilliant year.

But then I was asked by Yahoo's Puck Daddy to come up with my own season-ending awards, and I came across another King who deserves some recognition: Anze Kopitar.

Kopitar has already made history by becoming the first Slovenian player to make the NHL. And the 6-foot-4 centerman from Jesenice, Yugoslavia made waves as soon as he touched down in L.A.

He made the team in 2006-07, and notched a modest 20 goals in his rookie season, good enough for third on the team that season. His leadership on the ice was evident from an early age. That's when he was called on to adjust his game, to become more of a two-way player.

His overall stats dipped as he learned the intricacies of his new role. But, as good players do, his evolution as a complete player came more into focus the more he learned.

This season, he finally found the way to balance his scoring touch with his defensive responsibility, and has set career records across the board on his stat line.

But the Lady Byng is not meant to celebrate a player's stats, but his character.  ESPN's online coverage of the NHL's Trophies Tracker doesn't have an entry for the Lady Byng, and that's because voting for the Lady Byng is more subjective, compared to the other award. It's not something you can point to in the stats and say "that's why he's deserving" of the Lady Byng.

The award is presented to the player "adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship  and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability."  And Kopitar certainly fits this description.

Much like the Bill Masterton Memorial trophy, every team can genuinely make a case for a player on their roster who fits the bill as a "gentlemanly" player. The members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association send in their rankings for their top five finalists for the Lady Byng.

So, here's my case why Kopitar should be included in everyone's top five candidates for the Lady Byng. Despite putting up a career year offensively, his defensive game has greatly improved. He registered 80 hits and 51 blocked shots, and came out of that with a plus/minus of 6. Nothing earth-shattering, I admit.

And here's another interesting stat: Kopitar only has 16 penalty minutes this season. That's amazing, right? Two of those penalties were misunderstandings. How can that be? Both of those penalties were for holding former King and current Oiler Patrick O'Sullivan and the Blues' David Perron. Anze was actually greeting both of those players with a customary Slovenian hug. Talk about your classic cultural
miscommunication. But it further cements why he should win the award: he's a hugger, not a thugger.

Other Byng hopefuls, such as Martin St. Louis and Brad Richards, might have more points to Kopitar, but they don't have the defensive stats No. 11 has. (MSL has 20 hits, 40 blocked shots, Richards has 16 hits, 22 BS). Thier plus/minus is also bigger (MSL: -7, Richards: -12).

Does that make Kopitar a better player than those two guys? Who knows? Again, it's solely subjective and up to the interpretation of each member of the Pro Hockey Writers Association. But hopefully enough votes can be doled Kopitar's way to lift him above the others.

All I know is what I see, and Kopitar exemplifies all that the Memorial Trophy stands for. And who knows, he could join the likes of Butch Goring, Marcel Dionne and Wayne Gretzky as Kings who have won the Byng.

What say you? Who do you think should win the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy?