Kris Letang named finalist for Bill Masterton Trophy

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang has been named a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded each year to the player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey,” as per Professional Hockey Writers’ Association members.

Letang is no stranger to the award, having been nominated in 2014, 2015, and 2018, and was named one of the finalists in 2015, losing out to then-Minnesota Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk.

Letang suffered the second stroke of his professional career during the 2022-23 season and played on even after the death of his father in January. The Quebec native reached the impressive 1,000-game milestone on April 2, 2023, becoming the first defenseman and third player in franchise history to skate in 1,000 career games.

“Obviously, there are some tough times; there are some emotional times,” Letang said. “But at the end of the day, I always thought that I was going to push through it and be able to come on the other side and be the same or better.”

The 2023 NHL Awards are set for June 26, 2023, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, and will be televised on TNT, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports at 8:00 p.m. ET.