Defenseman Zach Werenski nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

COLUMBUS, OHIO -The Columbus chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association has nominated Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, the club announced today. The award is given annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
Werenski, 20, has registered 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points with 16 penalty minutes and a +7 plus/minus rating in 72 games this season. He is tied for seventh in the National Hockey League in goals by a defenseman and joins teammate Seth Jones as the only blueliners in club history to post back-to-back seasons of 10 or more goals. He also made his All-Star Game debut in Tampa in January.

The club's top pick, eighth overall, in the 2015 NHL Draft, Werenski was selected to the NHL All-Rookie Team and a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's top first-year player in 2016-17 after collecting 11-36-47, 14 penalty minutes and a +17 plus/minus rating in 78 games. He added one goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs before suffering a season-ending facial fracture when he was struck by the puck in Game Three of the club's Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series vs. Pittsburgh.
The winner of the Masterton Trophy is selected by a poll of the 30 chapters of the PHWA at the conclusion of the regular season. The trophy was first presented by the NHL writers in 1968 in honor of the late Bill Masterton, a player for the Minnesota North Stars who exhibited the qualities for which the trophy embodies, and who died on Jan. 15, 1968. Last year's winner was Dominic Moore of the New York Rangers. Previous Blue Jackets nominees for the award include: Kevin Dineen (2000-01 and 2001-02, finalist both years), Luke Richardson (2002-03), Manny Malhotra (2003-04), Duvie Westcott (2005-06), Fredrik Norrena (2006-07), Pascal Leclaire (2007-08), Raffi Torres (2008-09), Jared Boll (2009-10), Derek MacKenzie (2010-11), Curtis Sanford (2011-12), Vinny Prospal (2012-13) Nick Foligno (2013-14 and 2014-15). Fedor Tyutin (2015-16) and Sergei Bobrovsky (2016-17).