The PWHL does not have an award equivalent to the NHL's Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy recognizing sportsmanship, perseverance, and dedication to the game. If they did, these three PWHL players would be instant candidates.
Each season, the NHL recognizes players who have overcome, and who have demonstrated the best qualities of sportsmanship, perseverance, and dedication to hockey.
That award comes in the form of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is voted on and awarded by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.
The trophy itself is named for former NHL player Bill Masterton, who is the only player in NHL history to die from injuries suffered during a game. Masterton, an NHL rookie at the time, was hit during a game on January 13, 1968, at a time when players did not wear helmets. His death sparked debate over helmets in hockey, a debate which concluded 11 years later when mandatory helmet use was grandfathered in.
Today, the award is often given to players who endure injury, illness, or other difficulties, and persevere to return to the game. In 2024-25, the award was given to Sean Monahan. Monahan who fought through injuries for several seasons, signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets to re-unite with his longtime Calgary teammate and best friend Johnny Gaudreau, who was tragically killed in the offseason. Monahan dedicated his season to Gaudreau, and had his best statistical season since playing with Gaudreau in Calgary. The year prior, Connor Ingram was the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy winner after nearly retiring in 2021 due to severe depression and obsession compulsive disorder took over his life. After entering the NHL Player Assistance Program, he returned and led the NHL in shutouts in 2023-24. Past winners like Kris Letang, who overcame a stroke and other injuries, and Oskar Lindblom and Brian Boyle who returned to the NHL after beating cancer, are other examples of Masterton winners.
The PWHL does not currently have a similar award, but if they did the league would have no shortage of candidates. Players across the PWHL have unique stories of working side jobs while playing, enduring injury, and overcoming illness.
If the PWHL had an equivalent for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, here three PWHL players who would be at the top of the discussion for the trophy this season due to their perseverance and dedication to the game.
Madison Bizal, Minnesota Frost
While a sophomore at Ohio State, Madison Bizal was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer known as nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma. She didn't miss a game at Ohio State during treatment, and won an NCAA national title in 2022 with the Buckeyes. Selected by the Montreal Victoire in the inaugural PWHL Draft, Bizal played 21 games with the Victoire that season. After not receiving a contract in year two, and looking for more ice time, Bizal went to Europe where she played big minutes for SDE HF. This offseason, Bizal took a free agent invite to training camp with the Minnesota Frost where she earned a roster spot and became a regular with one of the top teams in the league.
Rory Guilday, Ottawa Charge
When Rory Guilday was in grade seven, she was diagnosed with optic nerve glioma. It was a benign tumor, but one that continued to grow, and was impacting vision in her right eye. Guilday underwent nine months of chemotheraphy, and still lost most of her vision in her right eye. She missed roughly a year of hockey, but when she returned, she found her way to becoming a star who this season became a first round pick of the PWHL's Ottawa Charge, and won Olympic gold as a member of Team USA. Guilday averaged more than 20 minutes per game with the Charge as a rookie.
Natalie Spooner, Toronto Sceptres
When Natalie Spooner entered the PWHL, she'd already missed most of the previous season having given birth to her son Rory, who was born in December of 2022. She worked her way back to be a key contributor for Canada at the 2023 World Championships, and when the PWHL launched in 2024, she was the league's leading scorer, Best Forward, and MVP in the inaugural. Granted compassionate circumstances, Spooner was able to stay with PWHL Toronto. That season however, during the third game of Toronto's opening round of playoffs, Spooner was hit by a Minnesota Frost player tearing her ACL. She underwent surgery, and missed more than half the following season before returning to the Toronto Sceptres' lineup. Spooner remains a vital part of Toronto's roster, and again represented Canada this year at her fourth career Olympic Games.