Jason Blake ‘07/’08 Masterton Trophy Winner?

Friday the Toronto Maples Leafs announced Jason Blake as the club’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

The award is given annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Blake should most definitely be seriously considered for this award. It would be a crime if he wasn’t. The 34 year old was diagnosed with leukemia last October.

That was at the beginning of the season. Now, Blake is one of only four Maples Leafs players to play in all 70 games this season. The only Leafs to keep up with him are Sundin, Kaberle and Stajan.
Already this season Blake has tied his career high in assists with 30. Although he has come up short on reaching his 40 goal season of last year or possibly even a 20 goal season, he has currently contributed 13 goals.

Phil Kessel of the Bruins was the winner last year after fighting testicular cancer.
“My attitude toward hockey has not changed a bit,” said the native of Moorhead, Minn. “I don’t think the outlook has changed much. You still do your everyday activities and as long as you know that every thing is going to be okay, you are reassured.”

It’s amazing how Blake handled the situation in stride, while still being able to contribute for his team. Blake is the 4th highest point getter for the Leafs this season despite his illness.

This my friends is a true competitor, and the Masterton Trophy winner for this season. It would be a dirty shame if he was to be overlooked.

The Lesser of Two Evils?

The Fit Palace continues to support sports fanatics from around the world. TFP is selecting and publishing a series of articles from sports fanatics who want to share their passion for sports with others -and a “different” point of view. If you are interested and consider yourself a sports fanatic, go to the sports fanatics only page.

Nicholas Hall is a lifelong sports enthusiast, who finds himself almost every night of the week watching and analyzing the biggest games. As a student and fan he is actively pursuing a writing career.

For hockey fans across Southern Ontario a terrible truth is slowly becoming reality; the Toronto Maple Leafs will almost certainly fall short of playoff contention for the third straight season. Including the lockout, Leafs fans haven’t seen playoff hockey since the spring of 2004. On May 4, Jeremy Roenick’s rocket shot knocked the Leafs out of the playoffs with an OT win in game six of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. 1,398 days later the Leafs have not played a minute of playoff hockey since and now appear to be further from competing for the Stanley Cup than they have been at any point in the last two decades.

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