Every season, each team's local branch of the Professional Hockey Writers Association nominates a candidate for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The award is given "to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey."
This season, the San Jose branch of the PHWA has nominated San Jose Sharks goaltender Laurent Brossoit for the Masterton Trophy. Although Brossoit has only been with the Sharks organization since January and has spent the majority of his time with the San Jose Barracuda in the American Hockey League, his single start with the Sharks showed his perseverance.
When Brossoit took the crease for the Sharks against the Ottawa Senators last month, he made his first start in the NHL in nearly two years. It's a very similar story to the Sharks' nominee in 2024, Justin Bailey.
Although that game didn't go as planned for Brossoit, his continued hard work at the AHL level certainly showed his dedication to the game.
The list will eventually be narrowed from 32 nominees to three finalists before the award is presented at the end of the season.