Ottawa Senators defenceman Andre Benoit will be named the team’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy.
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is an annual award voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association and given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. Each team nominates one player to be considered for the award.
In a season where the team suffered serious injuries to two young, cornerstone defenceman, AHL journeyman Andre Benoit stepped in and admirably helped to fill the void on the Ottawa blue line. At the age of 28, the St. Albert native got his first real shot in the NHL, appearing in 33 games this season and picking up 10 points along the way.
Benoit played two years with the Hamilton Bulldogs, a year in Finland, a year in Sweden, another year in Hamilton, eight games with the Senators, back to the AHL in Binghamton for a year and a one year stint in the KHL before finally landing in Ottawa has a regular.
It has been a long road for Benoit but this year he was finally able to prove himself as an NHL caliber defenceman.
Congratulations to Andre on his nomination for the Masterton Trophy.
