Patrick Eaves Nominated For Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

There are not many NHL players who have been through what Patrick Eaves has experienced. Multiple injuries sustained through a rollercoaster career have strove to pin him down, but he has only risen from the ashes a stronger and wiser player of the game.

And now he might be awarded for it.

Each year, 30 NHL players are nominated from each team by the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA), with one player coming from each team. Last season, the Stars nominated C Rich Peverley after his cardiac event on the bench in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 10, 2014. The award was given to New York Rangers forward Dominic Moore last year, who returned to the NHL for the 2013-2014 season after taking an 18-month leave to care for his wife, Katie, who eventually died of a rare form of cancer. Moore ended up scoring the game winning goal in the Eastern Conference Finals for the Rangers.

The Bill Masterton Trophy is awarded to an NHL player who overcomes a massive obstacle and continues to persevere, along with demonstrating excellence dedication to hockey. Patrick Eaves could not fit the category much better at this point.

After being signed as a free agent by the Dallas Stars on July 1st, 2014, his signing was largely overshadowed by the blockbuster trade the Stars completed earlier that day for Jason Spezza.

As the regular season neared, many Stars fans were speculative towards Patrick Eaves and whether or not he was going to make the roster. This was mainly due to the fact that the majority of the fan base had never heard of him. But Jim Nill knew what he was doing.

Eaves started on opening night and rotated back and forth from the scratch list and start list. In his fourth game of the year, Eaves record his first point as an assist, and one game later he tallied his first goal of the season.

Eaves continued to prove his worthiness on the ice, which eventually molded into a regular spot on the starting roster. His chemistry with others was second to none, and his overall joyfulness spread through the locker room like an infection.

But where are his trials and tribulations? On December 2nd, 2014, the Stars were facing off against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Patrick Eaves was in the middle of a shift, doing what he did best by providing a screen presence in front of the opposition’s net. Stars defenseman Jason Demers sent a hefty slap shot from the point that clipped Eaves in the lower ankle. Eaves left the ice and soon found out that he had broken a bone in his ankle, causing him to miss 4-6 weeks.

But Patrick Eaves did not let this tear him down. He powered through the recovery process and was back on the ice immediately following the All-Star Break after missing 21 games.

Eaves came back with a hot hand. He tallied three goals and two assists in the first two weeks of his return, before his next setback came into play. On February 13th, 2015, just moments after Tyler Seguin went down with a knee injury, Eaves took a tumble. A John Klingberg slap shot caught him up high in the face, causing Eaves to immediately fold. He sustained a concussion and missed seven games. Since his return, Eaves has participated in 14 games, scoring five goals and grabbing four assists.

He continues to be a massive help to the Dallas Stars offense, and is highly considered to be the Dallas Stars best offseason signing. This is Eaves fifth NHL team. He played for the Detroit Red Wings before the Stars, and was their nominee for the award when a puck broke his jaw and gave him a concussion. This time, his resume has doubled.

Patrick Eaves continues to aid the Stars in their slim hope playoff hunt, even with his setbacks. He also pumps positivity into the locker room. In my first encounter with him, it was easy to see why many consider him one of the nicest guys in the game. The NHL Awards are in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 24, 2015.

Next: One Simple Loss Has Dallas Stars Pinned Behind The 8-Ball

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