Curtis Lazar was previously nominated for the Bill Masterton in 2020 when he was a member of the Buffalo Sabres.

NEWARK, N.J. -- Curtis Lazar is the New Jersey Devils nominee for the 2023-24 Bill Masterton Trophy.

The trophy is awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the game. It is voted on by members of each chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA). One player is appointed as a nominee for each of the 32 teams.

Below is the bio the New Jersey chapter submitted to the PWHA:

"It's difficult to count the number of trials and tribulations Curtis Lazar has faced this year. His wife went into labor hours after he was dealt from Vancouver to New Jersey at the 2023 deadline. Immigration issues delayed his Devils debut –– and barred his pregnant wife and two-year-old son Owen from joining him in the United States for months. Then, once he finally settled into a new locker room and lonely Jersey City apartment, he partially tore his MCL twice in a late-season game. Lazar never wavered. He quickly recovered from his injury, scored in the playoffs, and, one year later, is having a career-best season with the Devils."

Lazar appeared in 70 games this season, tied with Erik Haula for the second-most among forwards. He is wrapping up a career season with 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists). He is one goal shy of tying his career-high earned in the 2021-22 season when he was a member of the Boston Bruins.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdUkUgjRa60[/embed]

The 29-year-old has dealt with a couple of lower-body injuries this season. In early January, he returned from one of those injuries and explained what happened to NJ Advance Media.

"It was that shot block I took," Lazar said. "You're going to feel that. Lucky that everything, structurally, was in place, but I'm probably going to have this a majority of the season here." (from 'Devils forward returns to practice after lower-body injury,' NJ.com, 01/02/24).

This has not stopped him from sacrificing his body night after night, specifically on the penalty kill. His 63 blocked shots are the most among forwards and sixth-most on the team.

After a challenging 2022-23 season, Lazar bounced back. He became a fan favorite and a valuable piece of general manager Tom Fitzgerald's puzzle. He blocks shots, is not afraid to go into the dirty areas of the ice, and will stick up for his teammates when necessary. He is more than deserving of being named the Devils 2023-24 Bill Masterton Trophy nominee.

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.