Vladimir Tarasenko is the Blues’ nominee for the Masterton Trophy

Today, the NHL announced every team’s nominee for the Masterton Trophy. Each team’s branch of the Professional Hockey Writers Association voted on who they felt their team’s best representative is. Each year, the award is given to a player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

The NHL released their entire list, and many of the nominees appear to be... of retirement age. There are several players, such as the Flyers’ Oskar Lindbolm, who overcame massive medical issues and personal challenges. Minnesota’s Matt Dumba was nominated for his work toward racial equality on and off of the ice.

The Blues’ nominee is for this year’s Masterton is Vladimir Tarasenko. Tarasenko missed most of last year’s playoffs after returning from a shoulder injury that caused him to miss a bulk of the 2019-2020 season. After recuperating from his third shoulder surgery, Tarasenko returned to the Blues’ lineup on March 6th against the Los Angeles Kings. He’s played in 24 games this season and is currently listed as day to day.

Last year, the Blues’ nominee was the very deserving Jay Bouwmeester. The recipient was Bobby Ryan, who entered substance abuse treatment and returned to score a hat trick in his first game back.