Slovenian NHL star Anže Kopitar, the captain of the Los Angeles Kings, is the winner of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, the second time he has won the award given out to the hockey player who has shown "the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct".

The NHL said that Kopitar's "four penalty minutes were the fewest among the league's top 100 scorers".

The 35-year-old scored 74 points with 28 goals and 46 assists in the regular season, the most of any player in his team this season, topping the Los Angeles Kings ranking for the 15th time.

He was fourth in the entire league in face-off wins (899) and 14th in face-off percentage (55.9%), the press release noted.

Kopitar has been nominated for the trophy given out by the Professional Hockey Writers Association three times. After being shortlisted in 2015, he won the trophy a year later and is now the only active player to have received the award twice.

This year, he was nominated alongside Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils and Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In a video address, Kopitar thanked his team and family, mentioning his grandparents, parents, wife and children.

Speaking at an event in Slovenia on 27 June, Kopitar said the award meant a lot to him as a recognition from players and opponents in the league, but he noted that "it is no secret what the biggest prize in the NHL is. We're going to try and win it once again."