Lindblom joins defenseman Matt Dumba of the Minnesota Wild and center Patrick Marleau of the San Jose Sharks as finalists.
On May 10, the Philadelphia Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) chose Lindblom as the Flyers nominee to the NHL. This is the second consecutive year he has been named a finalist, having also been nominated by the PHWA Philadelphia chapter last season.
Lindblom returned for a full season with the Flyers this year, appearing in 50 of the team's 56 games and recorded 14 points (8g-6a) and averaged 13:11 of ice time, after being diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma by leading specialists at the University of Pennsylvania in December of 2019.
Prior to the diagnosis in 2019-20, Lindblom was in the midst of a breakout season. He was tied for the team lead in goals (11) and recorded 18 points (11g-7a) in 30 games. He returned to the team in the NHL bubble for the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and appeared in Games 6 and 7 of the Second Round vs. NY Islanders.
The winner of the Masterton is selected by a poll among the 31 chapters of the PHWA at the end of the regular season and is revealed during the NHL Awards Show. Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Ryan, who entered the NHL/NHL Players' Association player assistance program for issues with alcohol abuse and returned to finish the season with the Senators, won the award in 2019-20.
Only three Flyers have taken home the award in franchise history. Most recently Ian Laperriere won the award in 2010. Bob Clarke (1972) and Tim Kerr (1989) were also previous winners.
The 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.
