Canucks’ Noah Juulsen, Florida’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson among NHL’s Masterton nominees

The Professional Hockey Writers Association unveiled the full list of this year’s 32 nominees for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy on Friday afternoon.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded each year to the player “who best exemplifies qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.” It was dedicated in 1968 in honour of former Minnesota North Stars forward Bill Masterton, who died earlier that year as a result of a head injury sustained during a game.

Each individual chapter of the PHWA submits its own nominee for the Masterton Trophy each year. The Vancouver Canucks’ 2024 nominee is defenceman Noah Juulsen, who has finally blossomed into an NHL regular with the team this season after spending the better part of a decade trying to make a go of it in the minors.

Canucks PWHA chapter chair Patrick Johnston shared the news of Juulsen’s nomination on Friday morning as part of a story at The Province.

“He played with a hard edge in minor hockey in Abbotsford and in junior with the Everett Silvertips. That edge drew the attention of the Montreal Canadiens, who made him the 26th overall selection in 2015,” Johnston wrote. “But since then, Juulsen’s story has been one of perseverance. He played his first NHL games in the 2017-18 season, but it took six years for him to finally secure himself into a full-time NHL role — fittingly enough on his hometown team.

“It’s this perseverance, this dedication, that has made him the Vancouver chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association’s 2024 nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy,” Johnston continued.

The Canucks originally acquired Juulsen from the Florida Panthers alongside Juho Lammikko in exchange for Olli Juolevi back on the eve of the 2021-22 season. Since then, Juulsen has collected nine points in 73 games over parts of three seasons in Vancouver.

Juulsen isn’t the only Masterton nominee with ties to both the Panthers and Canucks. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who was bought out by the Canucks last summer, has rebounded nicely this season and was named Florida’s nominee on Friday.

With the 32 nominees now determined, the PHWA will vote again later this spring to pick a winner and two other finalists. Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Kris Letang is the most recent recipient of the award.

The full list of Masterton nominees can be found below.