Overview
- PHWA chapters released the full slate Wednesday, naming one player per NHL team for the award honoring perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
- Winnipeg’s Jonathan Toews earned a nod after returning from long COVID and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, logging 77 games in a bottom-six role.
- Washington’s Alex Ovechkin received a second straight nomination at age 40, leading the Capitals in goals while reaching multiple career milestones.
- Resilience stories across the list include New Jersey’s Brenden Dillon coming back from 2025 neck surgery, Carolina’s Taylor Hall reviving his form, and Utah’s Clayton Keller leading after his father’s death.
- PHWA members will vote in two rounds to narrow the field to three finalists, with the winner set to be revealed at the NHL Awards in June.