Blackhawks goalie Alex Stalock a Masterton Trophy finalist

Photograph caption: 2023 Invoice Masterton Memorial Trophy Finalist

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock was named certainly one of three finalists for the 2022-23 Invoice Masterton Trophy. The trophy is awarded “to the participant who finest exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”

Native chapters of the Skilled Hockey Writers Affiliation (PHWA) submitted nominations for the Masterton Trophy on the conclusion of the common season; the highest three vote-getters had been designated as finalists. The winner might be revealed reside in the course of the 2023 NHL Awards at Nashville’s Bridgestone Area on Monday, June 26, (8 p.m. ET, TNT, SN, TVAS).

Under are the three finalists for the Masterton Trophy, in alphabetical order:

Clayton Keller, RW, Arizona Coyotes

Keller suffered a fractured femur throughout a sport versus the San Jose Sharks on March 30, 2022, and underwent six months of rehab to be prepared for the beginning of what turned a profession season in 2022-23. He appeared in all 82 video games and set profession highs in targets (37), assists (49) and factors (86), matching the best factors complete by a Coyotes participant for the reason that crew moved to Arizona (Keith Tkachuk, 52-34—86 in 1996-97).

Keller represented the Coyotes on the 2023 NHL All-Star Recreation and posted 24 factors in March, essentially the most ever in a month by a Coyote.

“His psychological toughness might be the half I’m most happy with as a result of I do know what needed to be going by his thoughts instantly after the damage and the surgical procedure,” his father, Bryan Keller, informed PHNX. “He needed to wait a few days to start out bodily remedy, however as soon as he was on the walker, he goes, ‘I’ll be skating in six weeks.’ After which as soon as he began skating, he had already set a aim that he could be prepared for opening evening, which he was.”

Kris Letang, D, Pittsburgh Penguins

Letang persevered by a stroke, the second of his lifetime, and mourning the demise of his father inside a span of 4 weeks in the course of the season. By all of it, he remained a Penguins cornerstone in his seventeenth season with the membership. He ranked tenth amongst all NHL gamers in ice time per sport (24:51) and recorded 12-29–41 in 64 video games.

Letang is a Masterton Trophy finalist for the second time, ending as a runner-up to Minnesota’s Devan Dubnyk in 2014-15. “Clearly, there are some robust occasions, there’s emotional occasions. However on the finish of the day, I at all times thought that I used to be going to push by it and be capable of go on the opposite aspect and be the identical or higher,” Letang informed The Athletic. “I at all times form of took delight to have the ability to deliver it on daily basis. That’s how I used to be raised, by no means again down from a problem or to by no means give up whenever you’re down.”

Alex Stalock, G, Chicago Blackhawks

Stalock signed as a free agent with the Blackhawks in July 2022, decided to regain an NHL roster spot. The 35-year-old, 11-year NHL veteran had appeared in a single League sport over the prior two seasons, having been identified with myocarditis after testing optimistic for COVID-19 in 2019-20.

Stalock rapidly gained over teammates together with his off-ice presence and on-ice efficiency whereas battling by setbacks starting from concussions to oculomotor dysfunction, a imaginative and prescient downside that impacts the central nervous system. He completed the season at 9-15-2 with a 3.01 GAA in 27 video games.

“The final couple of years have been robust with what I’ve gone by,” Stalock informed the Chicago Solar-Instances. “Truthfully, going by it, had been there factors the place I had doubts in my thoughts that I might ever play once more? Yeah. However on the similar time, it’s the way in which I’m wired that I wouldn’t let that be the top of it.”

Invoice Masterton Scholarship Fund

A $2,500 grant from the PHWA is awarded yearly to the Invoice Masterton Scholarship Fund, primarily based in Bloomington, Minnesota, within the identify of the Masterton Trophy winner.