Clayton Keller, Kris Letang and Alex Stalock were named finalists for the Masterton Trophy on Tuesday.
The award, voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, is presented annually to the NHL player voted to best exemplify the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The winner will be announced as part of the 2023 NHL Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on June 26 (8 p.m. ET; TNT, SN, TVAS).
Keller, 24, sustained a fractured femur March 30, 2022, and underwent six months of rehab to be ready for the start of the 2022-23 NHL season and did not miss a game. The forward had 86 points, the most by an Arizona Coyotes player since the franchise relocated from Winnipeg for the 1996-97 season, and his 37 goals were the third-most.
Keller also participated in the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Game and was named NHL Third Star of the Month in March, the first for a Coyotes player since February, 2012 (Mike Smith). He had 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 16 games in March, the most by an Arizona player in a month in team history. He also had a Coyotes record 14-game point streak from March 5-31 (23 points; 11 goals, 12 assists).
A first-time finalist, Keller would be the first Coyotes/Winnipeg Jets player to win the award.
Letang, 36, had a stroke Nov. 28 and returned to play 12 days later. He led the Pittsburgh Penguins in ice time (22:14) in his return, a 3-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 10. It was the second time he had a stroke during his hockey career; he previously missed more than two months after having one during the 2013-14 season.
The defenseman had 41 points (12 goals, 29 assists) in 64 games, leading the Penguins in ice time per game (24:51) during the regular season, including 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists) in 43 games after he returned. He also scored three overtime goals after returning, including one as part of a four-point game (two goals, two assists) in a 7-6 win against the Florida Panthers on Jan. 24.
A two-time finalist for the award, Letang finished third in 2014-15 and would be the first Penguins player to win the award since Mario Lemieux in 1992-93.
"Obviously, there are some tough times, there are some emotional times," Letang told the Penguins website after he was named Pittsburgh's nominee for the Masterton. "But at the end of the day, I always thought that I was going to push through it and be able to come on the other side and be the same or better."
Stalock, 35, played one NHL game in two seasons prior to 2022-23 after being diagnosed with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, in November, 2020 after testing positive for COVID-19. After meeting with numerous doctors, Stalock was cleared to play hockey and agreed to terms on a one-year, $750,000 contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 13.
He was 9-15-2 with a 3.01 goals-against average, .908 save percentage and two shutouts in 27 games (24 starts) for the Blackhawks this season.
A first-time finalist, Stalock would be the first Blackhawks player to win the award since Bryan Berard in 2003-04.
Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price won the Masterton Trophy last season.
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