Max Pacioretty is a candidate for the Bill Masterton Trophy
Tuesday, 13.03.2012 / 9:02 PM / News
canadiens.com
PRESS RELEASE
MONTREAL – The Montreal chapter of the Professionnal Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) announced Tuesday the selection of Montreal Canadiens’ forward Max Pacioretty as the team’s candidate for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for the 2011-12 season.
The 23-year old Pacioretty is completing his fourth season in the NHL. Throughout the season, he was a true example of perseverance and determination. He returned to action this season after missing the team’s last 15 regular season games and the playoffs in 2010-11, with a neck injury and a concussion suffered on March 8, 2011 against Boston. Pacioretty launched the Max Pacioretty Foundation, to help the Montreal General Hospital Foundation raise the funds needed towards acquiring a Functional MRI machine (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) for the Traumatic Brain Injury Centre at the MGH/MUHC.
Drafted in the first-round, 22nd overall by the Canadiens at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Pacioretty has recorded 57 points (30 goals, 27 assists) in 67 games thus far this season. He set new career personal-highs in regular season in goals, assists, points, winning goals (4) and shots on goal (242). On March 8 at Edmonton, the New Canaan, Connecticut native became the first American-born player in Canadiens’ history to reach the 30-goal plateau in one season.
The Canadiens’ forward will now be in contention along with the league’s 29 other nominees. The NHL will announce the Bill Masterton Trophy winner at the league’s annual award ceremony to be held in June, in Las Vegas.
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. The winner is selected by a poll among the 30 chapters of the PHWA at the end of the regular season. The trophy honors the memory of Bill Masterton, a former Minnesota North Stars player who lost his life following an NHL game on January 15, 1968.
Four Canadiens players have been awarded with the Masterton in league history; Saku Koivu (2001-02), Serge Savard (1978-79), Henri Richard (1973-74) and Claude Provost (1967-68), who was the very first recipient of the award.