A very sad and brutal news: Dallas star key player may not play due to brutal.....

Dallas Stars’ Matt Duchene has been nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy.

Dallas Stars veteran forward Matt Duchene was announced as the nominee for the Bill Masterson Trophy on Friday. Duchene, hailing from Haliburton, Ontario, Canada, is a 33-year-old left-handed center and right-wing player. His nomination came as a surprise to many in the hockey community, who were uncertain about his potential to bolster the Stars’ scoring depth in the 2023-24 NHL season.

While Duchene’s tenure in Nashville, Tennessee, was marred by controversy, his transition to Dallas, Texas, marked a positive change. Since the beginning of the 2023-24 NHL season, Duchene, along with linemates Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment, has been a standout performer for the Stars. His partnership with Seguin has notably boosted the team’s offensive output, with Duchene tallying 62 points (24 goals and 38 assists) in 74 regular-season games as of April 5, alongside a plus-15 rating and 16 penalty minutes. Additionally, Duchene celebrated his 1,000th NHL game on December 7, 2023, contributing an assist in the Stars’ 5-4 shootout victory over the Washington Capitals.

The Nashville Predators opted to buy out Duchene during the 2023 NHL season, ending his four-year stint with the team. Despite having three years remaining on his seven-year, $56 million contract, Duchene swiftly found a new home with the Stars, signing a one-year, $3 million contract on July 1, 2023.

The Bill Masterson Trophy, awarded annually by the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA), recognizes the NHL player who best embodies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.

Other nominees for the Bill Masterson Trophy include players from various NHL teams, such as the Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Vegas Golden Knights, Washington Capitals, and Winnipeg Jets.