RALEIGH — Hurricanes co-captain Jordan Staal is the Carolina chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association’s nominee for the 2018 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The award is given annually to the “player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”
In late February, Staal and his wife, Heather, announced their daughter, Hannah, was delivered stillborn due to a terminal birth defect previously diagnosed by doctors. Staal played throughout the season under the cloud of his daughter’s condition and missed just three games following her birth.
Through 73 games this season, Staal has 17 goals, 26 assists and 43 points for the Hurricanes.
Each chapter of the PHWA nominates one player from the team they cover. Last season, Hurricanes center Derek Ryan was nominated from the Hurricanes and was one of three finalists for the award. Senators goaltender Craig Anderson, who played last season while his wife underwent cancer treatments, was the 2016-17 winner of the award.
Doug Jarvis is the only player in franchise history to win the award, being named its recipient following his 1986-87 season with the Hartford Whalers when he broke the NHL record for consecutive games played with his 915th straight game played.
