MONTREAL – The National Hockey League announced on Friday that the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) selected Montreal Canadiens forward Joel Armia as the team candidate for the Bill Masterton Trophy for the 2023-24 season.
Armia has played 59 games with the Canadiens this season, recording 16 goals and six assists. The Pori, FIN native tied his single-season career high of 16 goals on April 4 (he first established that personal best in 2019-20). Armia is also set to play his 500th NHL career game on April 7 in New York against the Rangers.
The 6-foot-3, 216-pound forward showed perseverance and dedication this season after being loaned to the Laval Rocket at the start of the campaign. Armia, who played twice with the Rocket before he was recalled for good by the Canadiens on November 24, tallied nine points (6G, 3A) in eight AHL contests. The 30-year-old right winger has been an important part of the Canadiens’ special teams, ranking second among Montreal forwards in average ice time per game on the penalty kill.
Since 1968, the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy has been 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 32 chapters of the PHWA at the end of the regular season. The trophy commemorates the late Bill Masterton, a player with the Minnesota North Stars, who lost his life following an NHL game on January 15, 1968.
Six Canadiens players have been awarded with the Masterton Trophy since its inception; Carey Price (2021-22), Max Pacioretty (2011-12), Saku Koivu (2001-02), Serge Savard (1978-79), Henri Richard (1973-74), and Claude Provost (1967-68), who was the inaugural recipient of the award.
