Photo: PhillyVoice

According to TSN’s Frank Seravalli, Dallas Stars defenseman Stephen Johns, Philadelphia Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom, and Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Ryan are the three nominees for the NHL’s Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

The Masterton Trophy is given to the player who showed the most perseverance this season.

Johns opened up about the mental health issues that he has dealt with over the past two years in an article published by The Athletic last month (here) while Ryan recorded a hat-trick in his second game back (and his first home game back) after being out of the Senators’ lineup for over four months due to a lower-body injury and the Flyers rallied around Lindblom after he was diagnosed with Ewig’s sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. He did not play after December 7 but the Flyers went 24-13-2 during his absence for a .641 points percentage, the fifth-best in the NHL, from that point.

Michal Kempny was selected as the Capitals candidate. Kempny endured six months of recovery and rigorous rehab after sustaining a thigh injury in the spring of 2019.

The NHL will announce the Lady Byng Trophy (awarded to the league’s most “gentlemanly” player) finalists later on Thursday. You can find when each award’s nominees will be announced here. The winners will be announced during the third round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

By Harrison Brown