Laperriere wins Masterton Trophy

by Bob Herpen
Phanatic Hockey Editor

In a precedent-breaking instance, the National Hockey League presented an award to a man who didn't play one minute this past season.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Ian Laperriere was honored with the 2011 Bill Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, at the NHL's annual awards ceremony in Las Vegas. 

Even in circumstances of extreme duress, such as when Gord Kluzak exhausted all of his knee-operation options in 1990, or when John Cullen suffered through a bout with non-Hodgkins lymphoma and staged a brief 1998 comeback, the Masterton winner had returned to the ice in the year which he was honored.

It has been the case in every season since the Masterton was created back in 1968 for its namesake, who died shortly after falling and hitting his bare head on the ice while playing for the Minnesota North Stars. Not so for Laperriere, who was handed the trophy by former long-time Los Angeles Kings teammate and fellow native of La Belle Province, Luc Robitaille.

The 37-year-old native of Quebec sustained a concussion and fractured orbital bone during the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs when he blocked a shot with his face. He was expected to miss the remainder of the postseason, but returned and helped the Flyers to the Stanley Cup Finals.

However, concussion-related symptoms returned and he remained on the club's long-term injury list this season, but he's continued to serve the Flyers in several capacities, particularly as a mentor for young players in the organization.

He joins Bobby Clarke (1972) and Tim Kerr (1989) as members of the Philadelphia organization to be recognized.

“First off, congratulations to all the nominees and winners tonight. They all have done a great job. It’s been a tough year, I won’t lie to you,” Laperriere stated. “Playing hockey is my life…if it wasn’t for the Flyers, Mr. Snider and Paul Holmgren…Chris Pronger, Zack Hill, Jim McCrossin it would have been an even tougher year. But they helped keep me in the game throughout the year and to help the younger kids…so, thank you very much.”

Anaheim goaltender Ray Emery and Calgary forward Daymond Langkow -- both former Flyers -- were the other finalists.

Emery returned to the NHL late this season and helped the Ducks in their push for a playoff spot after a career-threatening injury. He underwent bone-graft surgery last April to repair a deteriorated ball joint in his right hip, the result of a disease called avascular necrosis, which interrupts blood flow to the area and causes cells to die. After months of rehabilitation he signed with Anaheim as a free agent on February 7 and had a record of 7-2-0 with a 2.28 goals-against average and .926 save percentage in 10 games.

Langkow suffered a fractured vertebra on March 21, 2010 when he was struck in the neck with the full force of a hard shot by teammate Ian White. After a lengthy rehab process that was twice stopped because of recurring problems, Langkow was cleared to play and took the ice on April 1, recording an assist with a plus-two rating in Calgary's 3-2 win at St. Louis.

Jose Theodore of the Washington Capitals took home the award last season.

Laperriere the Flyers' media choice for Masterton Trophy

Courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers

Anthony SanFilippo Opening Statement:

Ian, as you know about this award a little bit, we got together with the Chapter this year and decided that although you haven’t actually been on the ice this season, you still embody the three characteristics that the league is looking for when determining a Masterton candidate.  We felt, pretty unanimously, that you still maintain those characteristics off the ice in what you do and how you conduct yourself.  We wanted to nominate you this year as our candidate for the Masterton Award.

“Thank you very much.  I got caught by surprise a little bit, and like you said, I didn’t play in one game, but it’s life. I know what it means.  It means that I tried to be a good human being on and off the ice, and when you guys are voting for me, it’s telling me that I’m doing a pretty good job off the ice.”

Q: How has it been for you to kind of continue to stay involved with the sport of hockey while this is going on for you? Obviously, as someone who has played as long as you have, you know you want to keep being out there, keep being out there.  The fact that you haven’t been able to be out there, but at the same time being able to do things around the team…  I know earlier you [took a] trip up to Glens Falls to go see some of the young players that you befriended in the summer. How has that been for you to kind of keep being around the sport even though you’re not able to play?

“Well, it’s been the hardest point of my career. I said that before and I still feel the same today.  To tell you the truth, everything happens for a reason and I am a big believer that for me to be a Flyer while it happened to me is kind of there is something behind it. They are taking care of me and I can’t imagine any other team, or maybe a couple teams, but not that many teams that would take care of their players like they are doing with me.  They have been giving me all the tools to keep me busy and they know how much I love the game. 

I just can’t play right now and they just give me all the tools to stay in the game and stay close to the game.  I can’t thank the Flyers enough, and Zack Hill is one of those guys too, he has been helping me a lot. It’s great, but it’s been hard, It’s been hard watching, it’s been hard not to be a part of something like I’ve been used to since I’m five years old, but that’s something I have to deal with. It’s pretty much all I can say about that, it’s been a hard year but there is nothing I can do about it.”

Q: Would you like to get involved in coaching down the road? It seems as though you enjoyed the time with some of the younger players.

“Yeah, that is one of the things that I’m touching.  Right now, with all the free time I have, I try to get involved with hockey as much as I can.  I get to help out with the junior leagues and American Hockey League and I try to see as much hockey as I can.  If down the road I get to coach those guys I could work with them in some kind of way. I do not know yet.  It is one thing to play and I’m still going to try to come back and play, but I have to be honest with myself and my age.  

I am 37 years old, and I haven’t played for a year, and if I have something wrong with my eye then I am going to have to look at the other options to do something with my life.  To be honest, I just can’t see myself going in another direction than hockey.  Hockey has been my life and is going to always be my first love.  I am going to try to do something in the game.  I do not know if it is going to be coaching, but it is going to be around the game for sure.  I really enjoy working with the young guys.  I have been able to work with them last summer and in previous summers.  I have always been an approachable guy and it is one of my qualities.  I think that the younger guys appreciate that.  I’m not saying I am a young guy, but I think I am really young at heart.  I can relate to those young guys.  

We will see where life is going to take me, but right now I try to touch everything.  I try to touch the media types, radio, and TV and stuff like that.  I’ll try to touch everything before I have to make a decision.”

The Bill Masterton Trophy is awarded yearly to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association after each team nominates one player in competition. It is often awarded to a player who has come back from career- or even life-threatening illness or injury.