As the 2024-25 NHL regular season nears its close, the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association (PHWA) has announced the 32 nominees for one of the league’s most meaningful honors — the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. This award recognizes a player from each NHL team who best represents perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the sport of hockey. It’s not about stats or goals — it’s about character, struggle, and passion for the game.
What Is the Masterton Trophy?
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is named after Bill Masterton, a former Minnesota North Stars player who tragically passed away after an on-ice injury in 1968. The award is given out annually to an NHL player who shows outstanding perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey — the kind of qualities that go beyond the scoreboard.
Each local PHWA chapter chooses one nominee from its respective NHL team. From these 32, the top three with the most votes become finalists. The winner is then announced during the Stanley Cup Final alongside other league awards.
Last Year’s Winner: Connor Ingram’s Inspiring Story
In 2024, Arizona Coyotes goalie Connor Ingram took home the Masterton Trophy after overcoming serious mental health challenges. He had nearly stepped away from hockey due to obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. But after entering the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program in 2021 and later joining Arizona via waivers, Ingram made a strong comeback. He finished the 2023-24 season with six shutouts — tied for most in the NHL — proving his strength both on and off the ice.
2025 Masterton Trophy Nominees – Full List
Here are the 2025 nominees, one from each NHL team:
- Anaheim Ducks – John Gibson
- Boston Bruins – Joonas Korpisalo
- Buffalo Sabres – Jason Zucker
- Calgary Flames – Justin Kirkland
- Carolina Hurricanes – Jordan Staal
- Chicago Blackhawks – Patrick Maroon
- Colorado Avalanche – Gabriel Landeskog
- Columbus Blue Jackets – Sean Monahan
- Dallas Stars – Jason Robertson
- Detroit Red Wings – Patrick Kane
- Edmonton Oilers – Calvin Pickard
- Florida Panthers – Jesper Boqvist
- Los Angeles Kings – Drew Doughty
- Minnesota Wild – Marc-Andre Fleury
- Montreal Canadiens – Josh Anderson
- Nashville Predators – Nick Blankenburg
- New Jersey Devils – Jesper Bratt
- New York Islanders – Mike Reilly
- New York Rangers – Johnny Brodzinski
- Ottawa Senators – David Perron
- Philadelphia Flyers – Ivan Fedotov
- Pittsburgh Penguins – Boko Imama
- San Jose Sharks – Marc-Edouard Vlasic
- Seattle Kraken – Jaden Schwartz
- St. Louis Blues – Ryan Suter
- Tampa Bay Lightning – Ryan McDonagh
- Toronto Maple Leafs – John Tavares
- Utah Hockey Club – Mikhail Sergachev
- Vancouver Canucks – Dakota Joshua
- Vegas Golden Knights – Tomas Hertl
- Washington Capitals – Alex Ovechkin
Why the Masterton Matters
The Masterton Trophy goes beyond skill. It highlights players who may have dealt with injuries, health issues, team changes, or personal challenges, and still showed incredible determination to return to the game they love. For many, it’s about second chances and stories of resilience.
Some players, like Gabriel Landeskog and Marc-Andre Fleury, are seasoned veterans overcoming physical setbacks. Others, like Boko Imama and Ivan Fedotov, have battled personal or external challenges to remain in the league. Each nominee has a story worth telling, reminding us that hockey is about heart as much as talent.
What’s Next?
In the coming weeks, PHWA members will vote on the top three finalists from the list above. The final winner will be announced during the Stanley Cup Final, adding an emotional and inspiring moment to the hockey season’s biggest stage.
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is one of the NHL’s most meaningful awards because it recognizes the human side of the sport. The 2025 nominees have overcome many types of adversity — physical injuries, mental health battles, or long paths back to the NHL.
Their dedication to hockey, their teammates, and the fans is what makes them special. As we prepare for the playoffs, these players remind us that real strength is often shown off the ice. No matter who takes home the trophy this year, each of these nominees deserves applause for their courage and commitment to the game.
