The Philadelphia chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) announced today they have nominated Flyers forward Garrett Wilson for the 2025-26 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
The trophy is awarded annually under the trusteeship of the PHWA and is given to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
Wilson, 35 (3/16/91), has spent the past six seasons with the Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He signed a two-way NHL contract with Philadelphia on March 5, 2026, and was recalled on March 14. Since joining the club, the forward has appeared in two games.
Wilson made his NHL return on March 19 against the Los Angeles Kings, marking his first NHL appearance since the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“I am very proud to see Garrett recognized as a nominee for the NHL Masterton Trophy,” said General Manager Daniel Briere. “Garrett’s commitment to the Flyers organization and journey in hockey is a true testament to his dedication and pure love of the game. He helped establish a level of professionalism and has made a profound impact with the young players in our system for the last six years. His return to the NHL this season speaks volumes about his character and he has earned everything that’s come his way.”
“It’s a huge honor to be nominated for the Masterton Trophy,” said Wilson. “My journey in professional hockey isn’t necessarily a common one and looking back, I’m grateful for the time I spent in the minors. It wasn’t always easy, but it’s played a huge role in shaping who I am today as both a player and person. I’m especially thankful to the Flyers organization for giving me another opportunity to play in the NHL. To get that chance again after so many years means everything to me, and it’s something I’ll never take for granted.”
The 6-foot-3, 218-pound forward was originally selected by the Florida Panthers in the fourth round (107th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft. Over a 15-year professional career spanning the NHL, AHL, and ECHL, Wilson has appeared in 86 NHL games with the Florida Panthers (2013–16), Pittsburgh Penguins (2018–19), and Flyers (2026), recording eight points (2g-6a). He has also contributed two points (1g-1a) in 10 career Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Wilson has spent the bulk of his career in the American Hockey League, playing for the San Antonio Rampage (2011–15), Portland Pirates (2015–16), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (2016–19), Toronto Marlies (2019–20), and Lehigh Valley Phantoms (2020–26). Across 754 AHL games, he has totaled 353 points (156g-197a) and 1,375 penalty minutes. He has also added nine points (2g-7a) in 27 Calder Cup Playoff games.
A respected leader, Wilson has served as captain of the Phantoms for the past three seasons (2023-26) after previously serving as an alternate captain from 2020-23. He is the longest-tenured player in Lehigh Valley Phantoms franchise history, appearing in 341 games with the club.
The PHWA chapter in each market of the 32 NHL clubs nominates one player from that team to be considered for the Masterton. The three finalists, and ultimately the winner, are selected by a poll among the 32 chapters of the PHWA at the end of the regular season.
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was presented by the NHL Writers' Association in 1968 to commemorate the late Bill Masterton, a player with the Minnesota North Stars, who exhibited to a high degree the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, and who died January 15, 1968.
The Philadelphia Flyers have had four winners of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: Bobby Clarke (1971-72), Tim Kerr (1988-89), Ian Laperriere (2010-11) and Oskar Lindblom (2020-21).
Below are the last 10 Flyers Masterton nominees, as voted on by PHWA members:
2024-25: Ivan Fedotov
2023-24: Sean Couturier
2022-23: Nick Seeler
2021-22: Kevin Hayes (finalist)
2020-21: Oskar Lindblom (winner)
2019-20: Oskar Lindblom (finalist)
2018-19: Brian Elliott
2017-18: Claude Giroux
2016-17: Pierre-Edouard Bellemare
2015-16: Shayne Gostisbehere
