NEW YORK – Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, Colorado Avalanche ahead Gabriel Landeskog and Columbus Blue Jackets ahead Sean Monahan are the three finalists for the 2024-25 Invoice Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded “to the participant who finest exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey,” the Nationwide Hockey League introduced at this time.
The native chapters of the Skilled Hockey Writers Affiliation (PHWA) submitted nominations for the Masterton Trophy on the conclusion of the common season and the highest three vote-getters had been designated as finalists.
Following are the finalists for the Masterton Trophy, in alphabetical order:
Marc-Andre Fleury, Minnesota Wild
Fleury posted a 14-9-1 file with a 2.93 goals-against common, .899 save share and one shutout in 26 video games with the Wild, upping profession totals over his 21 NHL seasons to 575-339-97 in 1,051 video games with a 2.60 GAA, .912 save share and 76 shutouts. He ranks second all-time in wins, video games, begins (1,017) and minutes performed (60,669:03). “I’ve had numerous ups and downs in my profession, and I believe that perseverance helped me … attempt to bounce again after the robust moments. I like the sport. I’ve beloved hockey since I’m a child, I nonetheless do. All the time really feel very lucky to be the place I’m at this time,” Fleury advised Michael Russo in The Athletic. “The always-jovial Fleury is one proud athlete, but at age 40, he signed for one closing yr and accepted his function as [Filip] Gustavsson’s backup to prioritize group success over private accolades regardless of being on the cusp of retirement,” Russo wrote. “This can be a man who has lengthy been one of many recreation’s most beloved figures for his competitiveness on the ice, how he treats folks off it and his unbridled love and enthusiasm for a sport that gained’t be the identical with out him.”
Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche
Years of rehabilitation culminated in a significant milestone when Landeskog made his AHL debut on a conditioning task with the Colorado Eagles on April 11. The 32-year-old Avalanche captain hadn’t performed since June 26, 2022, a 2-1 victory towards the Lightning in Sport 6 of the Stanley Cup Closing. He missed the whole lot of the 2022-23 season following knee surgical procedure, then opted for cartilage transplant surgical procedure, which resulted in him lacking the 2023-24 season and the 2024-25 common season. The grueling rehab work and related psychological challenges had been chronicled within the five-part documentary sequence “A Clear Sheet,” launched in March. “There have been occasions the place it will really feel prefer it was up to now to that subsequent win,” Landeskog advised Corey Masisak within the Denver Put up. “You’ve acquired to interrupt it down in incremental components. Like, can I get via this exercise? Sure, you probably did. Examine. That’s a win. All through among the harder durations, among the setbacks, particularly, it’s like, simply get via the day. That’s it … Clearly it’s been difficult mentally at occasions. So that you simply lean in your help system for these moments.”
Sean Monahan, Columbus Blue Jackets
Monahan, who signed with Columbus on July 1, 2024 to reunite with Johnny Gaudreau after the pair performed collectively for 9 seasons in Calgary, has served as an inspiration amid the unspeakable tragedy of Gaudreau’s loss of life final August. He completed with the fifth-most factors by a Blue Jackets participant in his first season with the membership (57) – a listing Gaudreau sits second on (74 in 2022-23). His 1.06 factors per recreation was the best by any first-year Columbus participant. “Even the veteran gamers, even those that have lived with grief in their very own lives, have been awed by Monahan’s skill to play at a excessive stage whereas modeling grace and vulnerability,” wrote Aaron Portzline in The Athletic. “Simply the best way Monny has persevered via actually, actually exhausting occasions. It’s been inspiring to me and to the entire group,” captain Boone Jenner stated. “The way in which he’s dealt with himself, simply stepping in right here underneath these circumstances. He’s been a frontrunner within the room and a frontrunner on the ice. He’s a real professional. Everybody can study from him.”
Invoice Masterton Memorial Scholarship Fund
A $2,500 grant from the PHWA is awarded yearly to the Invoice Masterton Scholarship Fund, primarily based in Bloomington, Minn., within the identify of the Masterton Trophy winner.
Historical past
The trophy was introduced by the NHL Writers’ Affiliation in 1968 to commemorate the late Invoice Masterton, a participant with the Minnesota North Stars who flaunted to a excessive diploma the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey and who died on Jan. 15, 1968.
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