For the fourth time in his career, Kris Letang is a finalist for the Masterton Trophy, the NHL announced on Tuesday.
The Masterton Trophy is awarded annually “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey."
Letang has never won the Masterton Trophy before in his career, but was a nominee in 2014, 2015 and 2018. He finished as runner-up to Devan Dubnyk in 2014-15. The members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association in each local chapter vote for a nominee from the team they cover, and then members of the PHWA league-wide vote among the 32 nominees for the winner and finalists.
There is no player in the league who best exemplifies the qualities of the Masterton Trophy award after the adversity Letang dealt with this year.
In a span of four weeks, Letang suffered the second stroke of his career, suffered an injury that ultimately sidelined him for nearly a full month, and lost his father, Claude Fouquet. He still recorded the 10th-highest ice time in the league this season at 35 (now 36) years old, the 17th season of his career.
Danny Shirey had the story last month on Letang's reaction to being voted the Penguins' nominee.
"It's something to take pride in, being able to bring it every day," Letang said of the nomination. "That's how I was raised, also, to never back down from a challenge or to never quit when you’re down. My parents, my family, they're the big supporters."
The other nominees for the award are Arizona forward Clayton Keller and Chicago goaltender Alex Stalock. Keller suffered a fractured femur in March 2022 and went on to play all 82 games in the 2022-23 season, setting career highs in goals (37), assists (49) and points (86). Stalock played in just two NHL games between the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons as a result of the myocarditis he developed after COVID-19 in the 2019-20 season. Stalock returned to the NHL in a full capacity this season and recorded a .908 save percentage and a 3.01 goals-against average in 27 games.
