Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson is the team's nomination for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy this season. The Swedish defenceman was nominated by the Toronto chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Does Ekman-Larsson have a shot at winning the Masterton?
The Bill Masterton Trophy is awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Ekman-Larsson has had a major bounce back during the 2025-26 season, producing 38 points, including eight goals in 73 games played.
Ekman-Larsson has dealt with injuries throughout the season; however, he has only missed one game due to an injury, while also missing time for the birth of his child and being held out of the lineup for trade purposes. Ekman-Larsson, in his resurgence season, represented Team Sweden at the Olympic Games in February.
Ekman-Larsson is one of the few bright spots for the Maple Leafs
This season has been a disaster for the Maple Leafs as a whole; however, Ekman-Larsson has been one of the very few bright spots in the Maple Leafs lineup. The Maple Leafs are set to miss the postseason for the first time since 2015-16, but he has consistently been the best player on the blueline, stepping up in many different roles when asked upon.
Throughout the season, he has been applauded for his toughness, work ethic, veteran leadership, and reliability. Ekman-Larsson has also taken a massive step forward offensively, filling in for Morgan Rielly as he continues to struggle. He often replaced Rielly on the first unit, acting as the quarterback when he was struggling. Despite the Maple Leafs struggles throughout the season, Ekman-Larsson has made it clear that he wants to remain a Maple Leaf and be a part of the solution rather than the problem.
John Tavares was nominated by the Maple Leafs just one campaign ago. All 32 teams around the NHL will announce their nominee on Wednesday, while the Professional Hockey Writers Association will select the winner of the Bill Masterton.