Each year, one player from each of the NHL’s 32 teams earns a nomination for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. This year, Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler is getting the nomination for the honor.
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is given annually “to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey,” though many often simply consider it hockey’s version of the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award.
During a season in which the Flyers’ blue line was one of the worst in the NHL, Seeler has turned out to be a legitimate bright spot. The 29-year-old has logged four goals, 10 assists, and 14 total points – all career highs – in 76 games this season while establishing himself as a useful piece on the Flyers’ third pair.
He also scored the goal of the Flyers’ season when he danced around Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore for a beautiful highlight-reel tally in March.
Nick Seeler (!) may have just scored the goal of the year for the Flyers. Can't believe what I just saw. pic.twitter.com/OkpQIY0upx
— Ryan Quigley (@ryanquigz) March 15, 2023
Seeler signed a two-year, $1.55 million contract extension with the Flyers last summer, keeping him in Philadelphia through the end of next season.
It’s been a tough year for the Flyers both on and off the ice, but Seeler certainly deserves some recognition for the respectable campaign he’s put together in spite of the turbulence.
