"It's a special organization to be part of. Anyone that has ever played here feels the same way I do," said Comrie. "It has a lot to do with the people in the organization. It starts with our owner in Mark Chipman, and it goes down from there - (Kevin Cheveldayoff), (Craig Heisinger), Paul (Maurice), even (Pascal Vincent) down with the Moose - everyone has the same philosophy here that we're a family. We respect each other and we go to bat for each other. I think that's a really big thing."
As important as that is to Comrie, the goaltender's attitude toward life, the game, and the people around him have been just as critical to the organization.
"With everything that he's been through this year. It's not just that he had to go through those things that he was nominated, it's the way that he handled his every day here," said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. "He's just an incredibly positive person. In a most difficult situation he would have handled it and been a leader in that with our extra players. Because that's a tough job those guys have this year. He's out there every day going so hard that those guys are certainly drawn to him. He's just a marvelous young man."
Comrie is very thankful to the support he has around him for developing that perspective.
Hockey runs in his family. His oldest brother Mike Comrie played 589 NHL games in his 10-year career. Another brother, Paul, was a captain for the University of Denver hockey team in 1998-99 before playing one year of professional hockey in 1999-2000.
In addition to those two, Comrie's younger brother, Ty's career took him as far as the Western Hockey League.
But the support doesn't stop there.
"My sister Cathy is a psychologist, so she knows a lot about the mental stuff as well," said Comrie. "My dad did a really good job when we were young, really instilling that hard work and respecting the game aspect of our lives."
Then, there is his mom.
"My mom is probably the best person ever. She's the nicest human being," said Comrie. "I probably get my niceness from my mom and my work ethic from my dad."
He considers himself fortunate to not only have that network, but also to have the opportunity to play the game he loves during a global pandemic.
Even in 2019-20, before the NHL season came to a halt in March, Comrie was claimed off waivers for the first time by the Arizona Coyotes in October. He was then traded from the Coyotes to the Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 30, before ending up back in Winnipeg when the Jets claimed him on Dec. 19.
It was a lot for Comrie and his girlfriend, Haley, to handle. However, Comrie said she handled it incredibly well. She handles as much as she can behind the scenes, including their dog, Jango - named after Star Wars character Jango Fett.
"As soon as we get claimed, she knows before I do," Comrie laughed. "She finds out on Twitter - I don't really have Twitter or social media - so she finds out really fast. All of a sudden, there we go. She's all packing up the house. She's got it down pat. I think she got it down to 20 minutes, she can have me ready and out the door."
Last season, she could meet people in Comrie's new city. That wasn't the case this season, though, as the pandemic (and the protocol that came with it) meant that she couldn't meet many people in New Jersey.
"She was very alone, almost to say. She couldn't see anybody. So that was very hard for her. It's definitely a lot harder for her than it is for me," said Comrie. "I'm very fortunate. You get into a hockey locker room and we're fortunate - you guys know - the guys in hockey are truly remarkable human beings. They just love being around, they're very inclusive - it doesn't matter where I've been - everyone right away is just inviting me in the room and inviting me in. For her, it's been a little tougher not being able to meet the girlfriends and the wives."
The two have been back in Winnipeg since Comrie was claimed by the Jets from the Devils on Feb. 18.
Since then, Comrie has played five games with the Manitoba Moose posting a 0.947 save percentage and - with his most recent victory on April 24 - became the team's all-time leader in wins with 85, passing Corey Schneider.
Add that accomplishment to this Masterton nomination, his 2013 Hlinka Memorial gold medal, his 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal, and his 2017 IIHF World Hockey Championship silver medal, and Comrie seems to have accomplished a lot on the ice.
But the incredible person he is off the ice is just as important to him.
So much so, it's near impossible for him to separate the two.
"Both are very special to me. I take great pride in being a really good human being. I love the game so much. I put a lot of work ethic into the game. I want to be the best I can possibly be in both aspects," said Comrie. "They go hand in hand. Another good example for me to look to every single day is Mark Scheifele. He's an excellent human being and he's an unbelievable hockey player. He respects the game a ton and I think I try to emulate him a little bit as a I go through my day."
The Professional Hockey Writers' Association will determine a winner from the 31 candidates from around the NHL, with the winner revealed when the league holds its annual awards.
