The NHL and its fans know the kind of player Marty St. Louis is and has been his entire career.  But no one knows the type of person he is better than the Bolts fans here in Tampa. Thursday morning, it was announced that St. Louis is a finalist for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy which is awarded to, in a nutshell, the best sportsman in the league. Lightning fans know just how great a guy Marty is and now he may just have some hardware to back that up.

The official NHL press release is below.

(Via NHL Release) – Right wing Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks, left wing Matt Moulson of the New York Islanders and right wing Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning are the three finalists for the 2012-13 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability,” the National Hockey League announced today.

Members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association submitted ballots for the Lady Byng Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists. The winner will be announced during the 2013 Stanley Cup Final, with more detail on format to be released at a later date.

Following are the finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy, in alphabetical order:

Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning

      St. Louis led the NHL with 43 assists and 60 points in 48 games to capture his second career Art Ross Trophy (2003-04). He averaged 1.25 points per game, becoming one of only three players in League history to achieve that mark at age 37 or older (Mario Lemieux, 2002-03; Gordie Howe, 1968-69). St. Louis also ranked second among NHL forwards in total time on ice (1,055:12), but was assessed just 14 penalty minutes. The Laval, Que., native is a two-time Lady Byng winner (2009-10, 2010-11) and has been voted a finalist for the award on four other occasions.

Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks

      Kane ranked fifth in the NHL in both goals (23) and points (55), leading Chicago to its second Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history. He played in 47 games, averaging 20:03 of playing time, but was whistled for just eight penalty minutes – the fewest among the top 20 point-producers in the League. Kane also recorded a +11 rating, his second-best plus/minus in his six-year NHL career, and tied for seventh in the League with eight power-play goals. The 24-year-old Buffalo, N.Y., native is a Lady Byng finalist for the first time.

Matt Moulson, New York Islanders

      Moulson placed in the top three on the Islanders in goals (15), assists (29) and points (44), helping the team to its first playoff berth in six years. He totaled four penalty minutes in 47 games, tied with San Jose forward Logan Couture for the fewest among the top 50 scorers in the League. Moulson also posted his fourth consecutive 15-goal season, tied for seventh in the NHL with eight power-play goals and logged an average of

19:09 per game. The 29-year-old North York, Ont., native is a Lady Byng finalist for the second straight year, having finished third in voting in 2011-12.

History

Lady Byng, wife of Canada’s Governor-General at the time, presented the Lady Byng Trophy during the 1924-25 season. After Frank Boucher of the New York Rangers won the award seven times in eight seasons, he was given the trophy to keep and Lady Byng donated another trophy in 1936. After Lady Byng’s death in 1949, the National Hockey League presented a new trophy, changing the name to the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.

NEW YORK (AP) — Marc Bergevin of the Montreal Canadiens, Bob Murray of the Anaheim Ducks and Ray Shero of the Pittsburgh Penguins were named Monday as first-time finalists to be the NHL's general manager of the year.

In his first season as an NHL general manager, Bergevin guided the Canadiens to the Northeast Division title. Montreal was also the league's most improved club this season, earning the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Murray oversaw a Ducks team that had its best regular-season finish. Anaheim won the Pacific Division winner and No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.

Shero helped lead the Penguins to their first Atlantic Division title since 2008 and the No. 1 seed in the East. Key additions solidified Pittsburgh's roster.

Voting for the award was conducted among the league's 30 general managers and a panel of NHL executives, print and broadcast media. The winner will be announced during the Stanley Cup finals.

(VIA NHL MEDIA RELEASE)

TORONTO (May 9, 2013) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) announced today that centre Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, right wing Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and right wing Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning have been nominated as finalists for the 2012-13 Ted Lindsay Award. The Ted Lindsay Award is presented annually to the “Most Outstanding Player” in the NHL, as voted by fellow members of the NHLPA.

The Ted Lindsay Award is the only award voted on by the players themselves, carrying on the tradition established by the Lester B. Pearson Award since 1970-71. The Award honours Ted Lindsay, an All-Star forward known for his skill, tenacity, leadership, and for his role in establishing the original Players’ Association.

Crosby, Ovechkin and St. Louis are all previous recipients of the “Most Outstanding Player” award, and this group of finalists will have received six of the last nine awards, including this season. The 2012-13 Ted Lindsay Award recipient will be announced during the 2013 Stanley Cup Final.

The following players are finalists for the 2012-13 Ted Lindsay Award (in alphabetical order):

Sidney Crosby, of Cole Harbour, NS, Canada, appeared in 36 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2012-13 regular season, and helped lead the Penguins to first place in the Eastern Conference. He ranked tied for third in the league in points (56), second in assists (41), fourth in plus-minus (+26), and first in points per game (1.56). This marks the second year in a row that a Penguins player has been nominated, after Evgeni Malkin received the 2011-12 Ted Lindsay Award. Crosby is vying for his second “Most Outstanding Player” award. He received the players’ award in 2006-07 and was also a finalist in 2009-10.

Alex Ovechkin, of Moscow, Russia, appeared in all 48 games for the Washington Capitals in the 2012-13 regular season, and helped lead the Capitals to a Southeast Division title. He led the league in goals (32) to win his third “Rocket” Richard Trophy, tied for third in the league in points (56), tied for fifth in points per game (1.17) and ranked first in power play goals (16). Ovechkin is vying for his fourth “Most Outstanding Player” award. He previously received the players’ award in three consecutive seasons (2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10), and he was also a finalist in 2005-06.

Martin St. Louis, of Laval, QC, Canada, appeared in all 48 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2012-13 season. He led the league in points (60) to win his second career Art Ross Trophy (2003-04), ranked first in assists (43), second in points per game (1.25), and fifth in power play assists. This marks the third consecutive year that a Lightning player has been nominated, after St. Louis’ linemate Steven Stamkos was a finalist in each of the previous two seasons. St. Louis is vying for his second “Most Outstanding Player” award. He received the players’ award in 2003-04