Battling back from injuries and waivers, Ville Husso finds renewed confidence and purpose in Anaheim, earning well-deserved Masterton Trophy nomination.
The Anaheim Ducks announced on Wednesday that the Ducks’ chapter of the PHWA has nominated goaltender Ville Husso for the 2025-26 Bill Masterton Trophy. The Masterton is annually awarded to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
The winner will be selected at the end of the 2025-26 by all 32 chapters of the PHWA.
“It’s a couple of injuries a couple of years ago, and it took me a while to feel good and feel confident in net again,” Husso said on his journey to this nomination. “Ever since I came here, in Anaheim and San Diego, it’s been good stuff, and just trying to enjoy it.
“The hockey goes fast. Seasons go fast. So, just try to enjoy every day, every moment, and just have fun.”
Husso (31) was acquired from the Detroit Red Wings ahead of the 2024-25 NHL trade deadline, on Feb. 25, in exchange for future considerations. He had the remainder of the season on his contract and was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025.
He was brought in as a veteran third-string option for the Ducks who could receive NHL minutes, which was necessary down the stretch last season, given John Gibson’s nagging ailments at the time.
General manager Pat Verbeek and the Ducks’ front office were impressed enough with his performance that they signed Husso to a two-year contract extension with a $2.2 million cap hit.
“It’s very nice to be a part of the Ducks right now, and we’re in a good spot as a team too,” Husso said. “The team is going in the right direction and playing meaningful games this time of year. It’s what you want as a hockey player.”
Husso had a breakout season with the St. Louis Blues in 2021-22, ending the season with a 25-7-6 record, a .919 SV%, and three shutouts. That offseason, his signing rights were traded to the Detroit Red Wings for a third-round pick. He assumed the role as Detroit’s apparent starter of the future, and they signed him to a three-year contract with a $4.75 million AAV.
In his first season with Detroit, he started 56 games, notched a 26-22-7 record, an .896 SV%, and four shutouts. In his next two seasons in Detroit, he dealt with injuries, unfavorable results, and was eventually passed on the Red Wings depth chart by goaltenders like Alex Lyon, James Reimer, and Cam Talbot.
He started the 2024-25 season on waivers, went unclaimed, and was eventually traded to the Ducks’ organization. His Detroit tenure ended with 84 games played, a .892 SV%, and four shutouts.
Husso’s game was reinvigorated after his trade in late Feb. 2025, both with the San Diego Gulls in the AHL and Anaheim Ducks in the NHL. To finish his campaign, Husso played nine games with the Gulls, posting a 7-2-0 record, a .907 SV%, and two shutouts.
He was recalled to Anaheim on two occasions last season, and finished with a 1-1-1 record in four games and a stellar .925 SV%.
He began the 2025-26 season in the AHL, where he was excellent again and was recalled to Anaheim for good when it was announced that then-backup Petr Mrazek would be unavailable for the remainder of the season with a lower-body injury.
This year, in one of the NHL’s worst on-ice environments for goaltenders, the Ducks’ tandem of Lukas Dostal and Husso backing him up has been a stabilizing presence and is one of the more significant factors to their rise to playoff contention in 2025-26.
“The guys have been very nice here, and it’s nice to be a part of this group,” Husso continued. “A guy like Dosty, following him every day, makes you even five percent better, too. Very nice to be part of this organization and team.”
With four games remaining on the Ducks’ schedule, Husso, thus far, has started 18 games, made 19 appearances, notched a 9-8-2 record, an .887 SV%, and has saved -.87 goals above expected.
Though the numbers are unspectacular, Husso grabbed hold of an opportunity in Dec, when Dostal was sidelined with an upper-body injury, offering a steadying performance at a time when the Ducks’ season could have been derailed.
When he’s in net, he does all one can ask of a backup goaltender: he makes the saves he has to and gives the team in front of him a chance to win. He’s not the most athletic goalie in the NHL, nor is he the best game manager. However, his knowledge of his angles, puck tracking, and decision-making on when to challenge or make an aggressive effort shines when he’s in net.
Husso has one more year on his contract with Anaheim that carries a $2.2 million cap hit, and will likely remain Dostal’s backup for the 2026-27 season.