Pascal Dupuis' days of playing in the NHL are behind him. After 871 games, over which he scored 190 goals and 409 points, plus 97 playoff games that saw him win a Stanley Cup, the longtime Pittsburgh Penguins forward had to hang up the skates due to an ongoing blood clot condition.
There's no way it was an easy decision for Dupuis, who turned 37 years old just last month. He's been playing in the NHL since he was 21, a career that's spanned 15 seasons - and of course, he's been playing hockey for far longer than that.
But when it came to his playing career versus being there for his family, his family won out. And so, nine seasons and 452 games after being traded to the Penguins alongside Marian Hossa, Dupuis' career came to an end.
The Masterton Trophy is about perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. That's exactly what Dupuis has shown through his career, but especially in his final playing days.
Pascal Dupuis mentioned he needed to take an injection every 12 hours to deal with blood clots this season in order to stay on the ice.
— Seth Rorabaugh (@emptynetters) December 14, 2015
You can't get much more dedicated to hockey than that.
And it's hardly as though Dupuis has stepped away - he just can't be on the ice anymore.
.@Duper0009 remains with the @penguins on a daily basis, attending games and providing feedback to coaching staff and players. #NHLAwards
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) May 1, 2016
Dupuis' fellow finalists are Mats Zuccarello (came back from a severe brain injury) and Jaromir Jagr (he's very old but still playing). Considering everything Dupuis has been through, he probably has a fair shot at winning this one.