On Tuesday the nominees for the Bill Masterton Memorial trophy were announced for each team. The award is given annually to the player that “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey”. The 31 nominees will be voted down to three finalists ahead of the NHL awards in June. The Toronto Maple Leafs nominated Roman Polak.
Roman Polak a Deserving Nominee
When Roman Polak suffered an ugly leg injury after a collision with Brooks Orpik in game 2 of the first round last spring many thought that would be it. Being an below average skater to begin with, then suffering a serious leg injury didn’t bode well in a game that keeps getting faster.