Quote:
Originally Posted by Tron_fdc
Do tell.
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FWIW, one of the reasons sometimes given on why the Lady Byng Trophy exists is that the Lady Byng was dismayed by how violent hockey was, and wanted to encourage more sporting/gentlemanly play. That dates back to the 1920s. Hockey was, in fact, a rough, brutal sport in those days. Also, guys like Black Jack Stewart (a star defenceman of the 30s and 40s) earned their nicknames as a result of how violent they were.
The post war years - where hard, bitter men came back from the front lines and returned to the NHL - saw the rise of the enforcer. But, the peak came in the 70s as the massive talent dilution of major league hockey's expansion from six teams in 1966 to 28 by 1972 resulted in a lot of players who had no other skills suiting up. Especially in the minor leagues where hockey got its Slap Shot reputation.