On Friday afternoon, it was announced that Curtis Lazar was the New Jersey Devils nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy.

New Jersey Devils forward Curtis Lazar was the man of the hour.

On Friday afternoon, hours after being announced as the Devils nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy, Lazar was surrounded by a small media scrum in the Devils locker room.

The 29-year-old spoke about what it means to be once again nominated for the award given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the game.

"I take a lot of pride in it," Lazar said. "My career hasn't always been that straight-line trajectory but I think I credit myself for just sticking with the plan, fighting for every day in the NHL. It speaks a lot to the culture here, the guys, being surrounded with people helping you to succeed in that spot."

The Bill Masterton Trophy 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."

Interim head coach Travis Green was not with the organization last season when Lazar was acquired via trade on Mar. 3, 2023, but knew of the challenges the forward faced.

"What people sometimes don't understand is what players go through a lot on the ice, off the ice, within their family," Green said. "Lazar persevered through some tough things last year a little bit with his family and being away and his wife being pregnant, and that's not always easy. He's been a constant pro through it all. It's a good nomination."

Lazar is wrapping up a career season where he has 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) in 70 games. He is one goal shy of tying his career-high of eight that he earned during the 2021-22 season as a member of the Boston Bruins. 

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