With the season winding down, Masterton Trophy nominations will start pouring out from each NHL team.
Rangers forward Dominic Moore was nominated for the award by the PHWA members in New York City and he fits the qualifications well. The Masterton Trophy goes to “the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.”
Moore’s case is an emotional one.
He returned to the NHL this season with the Rangers after spending last season out of the game. Moore was away from hockey to be with his wife Katie who later succumbed to a rare form of liver cancer at the age of 32. He said taking time away from hockey was “the right thing to do.”
He’s done a lot of charity work starting the “SmashFest!” ping-pong tournament each summer in Toronto to raise money for various charities including the Katie Moore Foundation which helps fund research for rare forms of cancer.
Moore will be up against 29 other nominees from around the league and ultimately three finalists will be voted on. The Masterton isn’t so much a competition as it is a celebration of the spirit of the players and the great things they’re capable of doing.