Instead of revealing all the trophy winners in a single gala this season, the NHL has been doing surprise video reveals for specific trophies. On Monday, Aleksander Barkov was surprised with the Selke, and on Wednesday, it was Nikita Kucherov’s turn to be surprised with the Ted Lindsay Trophy. On Thursday, the league announced the winner of the Bill Masterton Trophy in a video that was both touching and memorable.
This year’s winner is Sean Monahan from the Columbus Blue Jackets, and it was Meredith Gaudreau, Johnny Gaudreau’s widow, who was tasked with delivering the trophy to him. One of Gaudreau’s best friends, Monahan, stood by his widow’s side through countless tributes during the season, adding that she brought him with her to cry on national TV.
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Presenting the trophy, she told him it was about recognizing his character and that he meant everything to John and that there was no doubt his friend was proud of him. Monahan is a very deserving winner of this award, not just for the way he helped his Blue Jackets navigate the tragedy that hit the team in August, but also because he has had to overcome numerous injury bouts over the years, and he persevered right through it all.
Traded away by the Calgary Flames to the Montreal Canadiens in August 2022 as a salary dump, Gaudreau performed admirably for the Habs in his first season in town, even though injuries once again plagued him. Still, he signed a one-year contract with the Canadiens, which paid him less than $2 million for the year, to prove to everyone that he could still play and earn himself a new contract at market value. That year, he skated in 83 games, proving his body could sustain the grind of an NHL season and putting up 59 points.
NHL (@NHL) on XJohnny Gaudreau’s wife, Meredith, surprised Sean Monahan with the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. 💙
Watch the #NHLAwards on June 12 at 6p ET on @NHL_On_TNT and @Sportsnet before Game 4 of the #StanleyCup Final.
After finishing his season with the Winnipeg Jets following a trade deadline deal, he signed a five-year pact with the Jackets, with a $5.5 million cap hit, happy to join his friend Gaudreau in Columbus.
Unfortunately, life has other plans, and Gaudreau tragically died, run over by an allegedly drunk driver with his brother in the off-season. When Monahan showed up for training camp, he didn’t get to play with his friend; instead, he had to sit by his empty stall, surrounded by memories, and deal with a lot of anger and emotions.
Monahan didn’t break through. Once more, he rolled up his sleeves and got to business, almost leading the Blue Jackets to a playoff berth in the toughest of circumstances. While he only played 54 games, he still managed to gather 57 points, the third most on the team, and played a pivotal role in the Ohio outfit’s pursuit of a playoff spot, a bid that fell just short, but was entertaining to watch nonetheless.
While it’s not always obvious who should win that trophy every year, this time around, there was very little doubt. Monahan has been the very picture of perseverance.
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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