The NHL announced the three finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, an award given annually to the player "who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey."
Carolina Hurricanes netminder Frederik Andersen was one of the three finalists along with Arizona Coyotes goalie Connor Ingram and Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington.
Andersen was diagnosed with a blood-clotting issue, later revealed as deep-vein thrombosis with subsequent pulmonary embolisms, in early November.
His career was immediately put on hold as he looked for answers.
However, after meeting with multiple doctors and medical professionals, Andersen found a path back to the NHL and after months of work, he finally made it back.
After returning, Andersen posted a 9-1-0 record, with a 1.30 goals against average, 0.951 save percentage and three shutouts in the regular season and has since followed that up with a first-round series win over the New York Islanders.
Here's the other finalist's stories provided by NHL PR:
Connor Ingram, G, Arizona Coyotes
Ingram nearly retired due to an undiagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and lingering depression before he sought help through the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance program in 2021, which he credits with turning his life and career around. Claimed off waivers by Arizona in October 2022, Ingram appeared in 27 games for the club in 2022-23 and established himself as the Coyotes top goaltender in 2023-24, posting a 23-21-3 record, 2.91 goals-against average, .907 save percentage and a League-best (tie) six shutouts in 50 appearances. Ingram has shared his story publicly since 2021 and has noted how it has inspired others. "It shows that while you have dark days in your life, there’s always a way out and there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel," Ingram told PHNX Sports. "But this is not for me. It’s so other people can say ‘Hey, man, look. Life sucks right now, but let’s figure it out.’ I think this is a great way to prove you can get through it and you can do it. So why not try?”
Oliver Kylington, D, Calgary Flames
Kylington returned to the Flames lineup in late January after more than a year and a half away from the team. While Kylington has preferred not to share all the details of his extended absence for mental-health reasons, the 2nd-round pick by Calgary in the 2015 NHL Draft revealed as he returned to action that he’d worried he may not be able to resume his promising career. Kylington, who continued to work with Flames’ support staff through his time away from the game, again became a fixture on Calgary’s blueline, skating an average of 17:15 in 33 games. His comeback has inspired and provided hope for many facing their own mental-health challenges. "Everyone’s journey is very individual. It’s very personal. You can take bits and bites of my story, and that can maybe help someone," Kylington told the Calgary Herald. "But at the end of the day, as an individual, you have to do the work yourself and face your problems, your individual problems, and do that journey yourself.”