Blue Jackets' Sean Monahan Wins 2024-25 NHL Masterton Trophy

Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan has been awarded the 2024-25 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

The award honors Monahan as the "player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey,” as voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Meredith Gaudreau, the wife of Monahan's late friend and teammate Johnny Gaudreau, presented him with the award.

Monahan signed a five-year deal with the Blue Jackets on July 1, 2024, in the hopes of reuniting with Gaudreau, his former Calgary Flames teammate.

Gaudreau, 31, and his 29-year-old brother Matthew Gaudreau, were killed in August after they were struck by a vehicle while bicycling.

Monahan wasn't sure if he would be able to play in Columbus while grieving the loss of his friend, he later told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen. I was in Columbus for a while and I couldn’t bring myself to the rink. It was hard," Monahan told Portzline. “I was pushed to come to the rink by a few of the people around me, and once I got here, it really helped me out to be there."

One of those people was Meredith Gaudreau. With her support and that of his teammates, Monahan skated in 54 games for the Blue Jackets as the anchor of the team's top line.

Monahan finished the season with 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points while helping the Blue Jackets make a late push for a playoff spot.

He was awarded the Masterton Trophy over the Minnesota Wild's Marc-Andre Fleury and Colorado Avalanche's Gabriel Landeskog.