Mats Zuccarello Among Finalists for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

Mats Zuccarello (Getty Images)

The National Hockey League announced the nominees for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy on Sunday.

The nominees are the top three voter getters for the award which will be presented during the NHL Awards at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 22. The Masterton Trophy goes to the player that best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

The three players that will be up for the award are Jaromir Jagr of the Florida Panthers, Mats Zuccarello of the New York Rangers and Pascal Dupuis of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Jagr, the ageless wonder, at 44 years old, had 27 goals and 39 assists in 79 games for the Panthers during the 2015-2016 season, while helping guide them to their first ever Atlantic Division title and just their second division championship in history. He led the Cats in points and was second on the team in goals, as well as having the second best plus/minus on the team with a plus-23.

Jagr became the oldest player in the history of the NHL, to pass the 60-point mark in one season. He has been lauded for helping mentor some of the younger players on the Panthers, particularly his linemates, Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau.

Zuccarello last season suffered a skull fracture and brain contusion, during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He lost the ability to speak for four days and went through rehabilitation during the offseason to get back on the ice.

In the 2015-2016 season, Zuccarello was able to return and played a career high 81 games, while leading the Rangers in points with 61 and second on the team in goals with 26. Both stats were career highs for the Norwegian forward.

Dupuis, was diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung in November 2014, and was unable to play the remainder of the 2014-2015 season. This past season, he returned for the start, scoring two goals and two assists in 18 games, before being forced to retire due to health concerns.

The decision to retire came two days after falling ill again due to the blood clot. Dupuis remains with the Penguins, on a daily basis, attending the games and helping to provide some feedback to the coaching staff as well as the players.