LA Kings Announce 2022-23 Team Award Winners

The LA Kings announced their annual Team Awards which recognize players for their performance and contributions to the team. This year's honorees are:
Bill Libby Memorial Award - "Most Valuable Player": Anze Kopitar
Anze Kopitar has been voted the Bill Libby Memorial Award by the media for a club-record ninth time, surpassing Marcel Dionne (eight times). The two-time Selke Award winner (2016, 2018) is currently tied for the team lead in scoring with 72 points (27-45=72) and ranks second in assists and goals while also leading all Kings forwards in time-on-ice per game (20:17), shorthanded time-on-ice per game (1:53) and faceoff winning percentage (55.9%, min. 100 face-offs). Kopitar is on pace to earn at least a share of the team's leading scorer honors, which would mark his fifth consecutive season leading the club in scoring and 15th time overall, the most in team history. He can join Gordie Howe (17 times) as the only two players in NHL history to lead the same franchise in points at least 15 times.
Mark Bavis Memorial Award - "Best Newcomer": Kevin Fiala
In his first season with the Kings, Kevin Fiala was named to his first-ever NHL All-Star Game and enjoyed a point-per-game pace season for the second-consecutive year, registering 72 points (23-49=72) in 69 games. Among his season highlights: first Kings skater since 1999-00 to record 60 points in 60 games or less; first Kings skater since 2017-18 to record five or more 3+ point games in a season, fifth Kings player in the last 20 years to reach the 30-point mark in 28 games or fewer; fifth-fastest skater in Kings history to eclipse the 20-assist mark; 20 multi-point games, the most by a King in their first season since 2005-06. His point total currently ranks tied with Anze Kopitar for the team lead, while his 49 assists pace the club.
Outstanding Defenseman: Drew Doughty
For the 12th time of his career, Drew Doughty has been voted Outstanding Defenseman by the media. Doughty is poised to lead all Kings blueliners in scoring for the third consecutive year and 12th time overall, posting 50 points (9-41=50) through 80 games while ranking second in the NHL in time-on-ice per game (26:16). Among all Kings defenseman, Doughty leads the team in shorthanded goals, assists, time-on-ice per game (2:21) and takeaways (22) while sitting third in hits (113) and tied for fourth in blocked shots (104).

Best Defensive Player: Anze Kopitar
Anze Kopitar was voted the team's Best Defensive Player by the media for the sixth time in his career, surpassing Mattias Norstrom (five times) for the most in team history. In addition to the previously mentioned statistical categories he leads, Kopitar also leads club forwards in on-ice even strength goal differential (+23), blocked shots (86), takeaways (45), total face-offs (1,587), shorthanded face-offs (182) and defensive zone face-offs (562) while only taking two penalties all season. He is the only player in the NHL this season to average over 20 minutes time-on-ice per night and score 70+ points while only registering four penalty minutes.
Most Inspirational Player - "Ace Bailey Memorial Award": Pheonix Copley
Voted by the Kings players, goaltender Pheonix Copley has been named the recipient of the Ace Bailey Award for Most Inspirational Player. The fastest goaltender in Kings history to reach the 20-win mark (29 appearances), Copley has established career highs in nearly every goaltending statistical category, including: starts (35), wins (24), saves (855), goals-against-average (2.64) and minutes played (2,089), while helping propel the team to a second consecutive Stanley Cup Playoff berth. After starting the season with the Ontario Reign (AHL), Copley was recalled on Dec. 1 and made his Kings debut Dec. 6 at Ottawa, stopping 33-of-35 shots for his first victory with the club.
Unsung Hero Award: Matt Roy
For the second time in his LA Kings career, Matt Roy was voted by his teammates as the Unsung Hero Award winner. Awarded to the player that made a significant contribution to the team in an unheralded manner, Roy enjoyed a career-year with highs in points (24), goals (9), game-winning goals (2), shorthanded goals (1), time-on-ice (1,522 minutes) and blocked shots (152), while also averaging 2:02 of shorthanded time-on-ice per game for 39.2% of the team's shorthanded time per game, 5.99 blocked shots per 60 minutes and 4.65 hits per 60 minutes all in an average 22 shifts per game. He is on pace to play in all 82 games in a season for the first time in his career and would be one of four Kings players to do so this season.
Most Popular Player: Adrian Kempe
The LA Kings Booster Club voted Adrian Kempe Most Popular Player for a second consecutive season. Kempe has established career highs in goals (38), assists (25), points (63), power-play goals (9), power-play points (18), and plus/minus (plus-22), and is on pace to be one of four Kings to skate in all 82 games this season. Currently, he leads the team in goals and plus/minus and ranks third in points. Kempe's 18 points on the man advantage (9-9=18) have helped the Kings to the third best power-play unit in the league working at a 25.3% success rate. Additionally, his 38 goals and nine multi-goal efforts are the most by a King in a single season since 2000-01.
Jim Fox Community Service Award: Kevin Fiala
Kevin Fiala was named the winner of this year's Jim Fox Community Service Award as the player that best exemplifies strong community outreach by actively working with local youth organizations and community groups to increase awareness and raise funds to support the Kings community signature initiatives. In just his first season with the club, the St. Gallen, Switzerland native has quickly acclimated himself with the Kings Care Foundation programs and has worked extensively with Children's Hospital Los Angeles, including hosting CHLA families at Kings home games throughout the season.
Daryl Evans Youth Hockey Service Award: Quinton Byfield
Quinton Byfield was awarded the Daryl Evans Youth Hockey Service Award for the season, given annually to the player that is determined to continue the club's efforts in growing the game of hockey in Los Angeles. On the ice, Byfield has set career highs in scoring with 22 points (3-19=22), assists, plus/minus rating (plus-13), power-play goals (1), and shots (73) all in a career-best 52 games played. Byfield has also supplemented his on-ice performance by continuing to grow the game in the Los Angeles area through various rink tours, youth practices and establishing an on-ice relationship with his friend Little Quinton Byfield.
In addition:
Summary of 2022-23 LA Kings Team Awards: