The Masterton Trophy nominations are out. This is a good award at its heart, but completely disjointed in its execution. Every team has a nominee voted on by the local chapter of the PHWA, but not every team has a deserving candidate. I also find it strange to rank people’s dedication to the sport. People who suffer strokes and come back are deemed to not be as dedicated as somebody who overcame playing for the Oilers? Again, good at heart, but really all over the map in its execution.

Forcing every team to put up somebody for this award leads to strange choices from local media. Remember when Matt Cooke was nominated because he… *checks notes* kept playing hockey after getting suspended a bunch of times? It’s just weird.

This year the Penguins have put up Evgeni Malkin. I love Evgeni Malkin.

The Professional Hockey Writers’ Association proudly announces chapters’ nominees for the 2020 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: pic.twitter.com/EpBQDoMhe5

— PHWA (@ThePHWA) June 9, 2020

Malkin’s dedication to the sport of hockey was to keep playing and have his coach change his linemates. This isn’t a dis at Malkin. It just shows how stupid this award’s nomination process can be. Malkin didn’t have a bounce back season and this nomination is another example of a false narrative being pushed. He got to play with Jake Guentzel and Kris Letang this year when Crosby was out injured. That’s it. For that Malkin has “dedication to the sport of hockey”.

There are probably some really deserving players of an award like this. Maybe not every team needs to have a nominee. Ultimately, who cares, but it’s a pandemic and there are not a ton of hockey topics.

Thanks for reading!

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