The Columbus Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association has nominated Blue Jackets’ forward Sean Monahan as their nominee for the 2025 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The award is given annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.
The Masterton Trophy is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game.
All 32 chapters of the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association select a nominee for their team. Then two rounds of voting will take place.
The initial list of 32 nominees will be voted on by the writers and three finalists will be announced. A second round of voting will take place then from those three finalists to determine the winner of the award.
The winner of the Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2023-24 was Arizona Coyotes’ goaltender Connor Ingram. He led the NHL in shutouts last season after nearing almost retiring in 2021 due to clinical depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Monahan’s season with the Blue Jackets is the very embodiment of what the Masterton Memorial Trophy is all about: Dedication, sportsmanship and perseverance.
Monahan’s 2024-25 Season
Under the leadership of new Team President and General Manager Don Waddell, the Blue Jackets immediately went to work improving their roster in the offseason. On the opening day of free agency, they signed Monahan to a five-year, $27.5 million contract.
With the signing, the Blue Jackets addressed an immediate need that they’ve been longing for over several seasons. They added a top-end center who was over his injuries and in the best shape of his life.
The signing of Monahan was to be a reunion as well. He was going to reunite with his best friend Johnny Gaudreau from their days with the Calgary Flames. Both players were under contract with the Blue Jackets for the next five seasons.
Then the absolutely unthinkable happened. On Aug 29, just a couple of weeks before NHL Training Camps were to open, Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were killed by a suspected drunk driver while riding their bikes in New Jersey. The brothers were there to celebrate their sister’s wedding scheduled for the following day.
Suddenly, hockey didn’t matter anymore. The downstream effects of such a horrible tragedy would be far-reaching throughout the world. Husbands were lost. Sons were lost. Brothers were lost, gone in a flash. Somehow, without a playbook, the families as well as the Blue Jackets had to try to find a way to move forward.
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For Monahan, he lost his best friend. It was going to be extremely difficult for the players to try to move forward. It would be that much harder for him to do so.
Yet, Monahan has not only found a way to move forward, he’s been everything and then some inside the Blue Jackets’ locker room and on the ice.
Going into Tuesday night’s game against the Ottawa Senators, Monahan had 49 points in 48 games. He did have to miss time due to a wrist injury suffered in Pittsburgh. He had finished a season at a point per game just once, 2018-19 with the Flames. He had 82 points in 78 games.
At the time of Monahan’s injury, he was on pace for a career high in points. His line with Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko was one of the best lines in the NHL. They were a big reason the Blue Jackets stayed in the playoff race most of the season.
Monahan has also been a leader to many. He’s credited for elevating the games of Marchenko and Adam Fantilli among others. But then he’s been a source of strength to the Gaudreau family. Uncle Sean has been actively involved with being around the Gaudreau children among the many things he’s done behind the scenes.
The Masterton Trophy nomination is something Monahan doesn’t take lightly.
“The recognition for something like that, it feels special,” Monahan said of the nomination. “I’ve never been nominated for that so it’s something that you don’t take lightly.”
In the midst of a lot of dark days and sadness in the situation, Monahan has been able to find fun in the season. That has spread to his Blue Jackets’ teammates.
“Emotionally, it wears on you daily,” Monahan said. “But I think still being able to just step aside (next to) John’s stall, there’s a lot of different things. The kids are around. I get to see them quite a bit. I feel like this is a place where I was supposed to be. I’ve really enjoyed my time and it’s a special group to be a part of.”
For Monahan, he’s always been considered one of the most sportsmanlike players in the NHL. That comes from one simple concept from his perspective.
“Honestly, my biggest thing is I think be a good teammate first,” Monahan said. “I’ve always tried to do that, tried to keep the room light, have fun everyday at the rink. And then build those relationships where you become a team. Everyone enjoys being around each other.”
Evason & Players Share Thoughts
When discussing Monahan in the Blue Jackets’ room, one common word comes up. It’s class. In everything he does, he does it all with dignity and class. It rubs off on everyone.
“With class and dignity and professionalism,” Evason said. “He’s just been not only an incredible hockey player, but an incredible presence within our dressing room all year and continues to do that. Leads by ultimate example, just to watch him everyday. Our guys, everybody can get better.”
“He comes to the rink, enjoys his time,” Zach Werenski said. “Mony works hard. He’s been a great leader in our room. Obviously he’s come into a tough situation. I think he’s just all about the team, all about winning. I think a lot of guys have learned a lot from him this year and it’s a very well-deserved nomination.”
“He plays the game the right way,” Werenski continued. “Plays an honest game. I’ve learned a lot from him this year. Just the way he conducts himself, the way he goes about his business, the way he approaches the game, probably leads in the room. Just kind of everything. He’s just an awesome teammate, an awesome leader, obviously hell of a player. Coming into the situation he came into this year has to be tough on him, I’m sure. And he’s handled it tremendously. He’s played at a point per game. He’s missed time and comes right back and picks up right where he left off. I just think the way he approaches the game, the perseverance. There’s so many words to describe him.”
Monahan has also taken on a role helping teach and mentor the younger players on the team. Fantilli in particular is someone who has been positively affected by Monahan’s approach to everything.
“When I first met him, I didn’t know what to expect,” Fantilli said. “I didn’t know what kind of guy he was. I didn’t know how he was going to handle what had just happened to him because I knew how close he and Johnny were. I can’t believe the way he handled (things.) It’s been crazy how awesome he’s been as a teammate, as a leader, as our number-one center. Just speaking from personal experience, I’ve had so much fun playing with him and being on the road with him and grabbing dinner with him.
“He is one of the best guys I’ve ever met in hockey. The tragedy would happen to him and to all of us but I know he is probably feeling it the most. He lost his best friend and to be able to still be the type of guy that he is, is pretty, pretty inspiring.”
Final Thoughts
As we stated before, Monahan embodies each of the elements of what the Masterton Trophy is about. He has persevered through the most unimaginable situation. But through it all, his dedication to the sport of hockey and the sportsmanship he displays while playing the game make this a most deserving nomination.
Whether it’s been on the ice, in the locker room or off the ice, Monahan has been a beacon of light that shines everywhere he goes. He is doing everything exactly the way Johnny would have wanted.
