Steven Stamkos nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by the PHWA

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
March 27, 2017

TAMPA, Fla. – Lightning captain Steven Stamkos has been selected by the Tampa Bay chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association as the Lightning selection for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. One nominee from each team is selected by local chapters of the PHWA before the winner is selected in a poll of all chapters of the PHWA at the end of the regular season.

Stamkos has missed most of the 2016-17 season after undergoing surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus in his right knee, suffered on Nov. 15 during a game at Detroit. He underwent surgery on Nov. 17 and has yet to return to the lineup.

But it took a lot of dedication, hard work and perseverance for Stamkos to get back in position to rejoin the team for practice in an attempt to rejoin the team for the final two weeks of the regular season.

It is those qualities that stood out and among voters to select Stamkos as the team’s nominee this season.

”It’s an honor,” Stamkos said. “Obviously, I would like to have done all those things while being healthy this year. I’d probably trade that in. I take pride in the way I go about it and being a professional, how you prepare to go out and ultimately help your team anyway you can, both on and off the ice. The group we have here, there are plenty of guys who could have been nominated, it’s definitely an honor.”

Recovering from the knee injury is the third traumatic type of injury Stamkos has had to recover from in four years.

In 2013-14 Stamkos suffered a fractured tibia during a game in Boston on Nov. 11, 2013, that kept him out of the lineup until March, 2014, while also robbing him the chance to represent Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

At the end of last season he was diagnosed with a blood clot near his right collarbone that forced him to miss two months, which included all but one of the team’s playoff games, returning to appear in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Stamkos said the recovery from the knee proved to be the most difficult to recover from both mentally and physically.

”I can’t sit here and say I was extremely motivated and got up every morning looking to do some of the stuff, because it’s a grind, not only physically but mentally,’’ Stamkos said. “Some days it’s, ‘What’s the point of even doing this today. It doesn’t feel like it’s getting any better.’ You have those moments. You’re human. It’s about trusting the process and trusting the expertise of the people that I’ve been lucky enough to surround myself here. … You’re not going to take that step whether it’s the next day or two weeks later without getting up that day and working on something.

“This one is probably the toughest one just from a physical standpoint of not a lot of improvement quick. You had to grind it out, but it’s so worth it in the end when you can get out there on the ice and start practicing with your guys and gradually feel better to where are today. That was definitely the best with all that work. It’s tough when you’re in the mix to think about that, but there’s a sense of pride when you can get there knowing the work you put in.’’

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said watching Stamkos recover from another long-term injury is an inspiration to those who watch him on a daily basis.

”You sit there and think if this is the first time and you’re looking at him saying wow, he’s worked really hard to get back,’’ Cooper said. “But I’ve watched him go through this with his leg, his blood clots and now this, he continues each time to impress with the way he’s trying to get back, especially knowing how frustrating it’s probably been for him the last three-and-a-half four years, to go through some of the major injuries he’s had. I think that’s what’s impressive about him is he’s been through this and some guys would say enough’s enough and he’s gone the other way, and that’s a tribute to him.”

Each of the 30 teams has a nominee while the three finalists and winner will be determined through a vote by the PHWA. The winner will be announced as part of the NHL Awards show in June.