[News] Bobby Ryan wins 2020 Bill Masterton Trophy

[agulati]

Bobby Ryan has won the 2020 Bill Masterton Trophy.



https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...morial-trophy/

The three finalists had been Bobby Ryan, Oscar Lindblom and Stephen Johns.

[Blaster86]

I... don't know how it doesn't go to the guy who is literally beating cancer?

Bobby Ryan's story is a good one, and it is huge that he is back and sober but... man

[TheScorpion]

This was voted on well before Lindblom returned, fwiw.

I fully expect him to win it next year. Still pretty silly that this award is a competition at all.

[Strange Brew]

What was it Brian Burke said about Ryan? He didn’t know how to spell heart or something like that?

Congratulations to him.

[getbak]

I was surprised that Lindblom was a finalist this year because he hadn't returned to play yet when the votes were cast. Unless someone else beats super-cancer next season, I expect he'll get it next year.


I was also surprised that Gio was the Flames' nominee this year and not Brodie.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

What was it Brian Burke said about Ryan? He didn’t know how to spell heart or something like that?

Congratulations to him.

The word was "intense."

Believe it was used to justify him not being included on the 2014 Olympic team over guys like Justin Abdelkader. Looking back.... he probably should've been there.

I'm a huge fan of Bobby. Hoping he helps lead a big resurgence in Ottawa next year.

[Eric Vail]

Wasn't McDavid a shoe in for this award? Isn't that what all the Edmonton writers have been saying since last summer? He wasn't even a finalist?! I guess they will get to write about the anti-Oiler bias the rest of the world has for the next week or so.

[Crown Royal]

I really disagree with Bobby Ryan winning this. Should have been Johns or Lindbolm who recovered from actual serious health problems.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Crown Royal

I really disagree with Bobby Ryan winning this. Should have been Johns or Lindbolm who recovered from actual serious health problems.

See this is why I hate how this award is given. It causes people to minimize certain people's struggles in favour of people who they think had it worse.

Substance abuse issues have killed countless people. It absolutely is a health problem.

[AC]

This is definitely an award that should have co-winners.

[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

See this is why I hate how this award is given. It causes people to minimize certain people's struggles in favour of people who they think had it worse.

Substance abuse issues have killed countless people. It absolutely is a health problem.

I'm not minimizing anything, it's fantastic that he has turned his life around. But substance abuse still comes down to making choices; the choice to start and making the choice the get help. Neither Johns nor Lindbolm had any choice in what happened to them or their recovery.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Crown Royal

I'm not minimizing anything, it's fantastic that he has turned his life around. But substance abuse still comes down to making choices; the choice to start and making the choice the get help. Neither Johns nor Lindbolm had any choice in what happened to them or their recovery.

You know what - I agree in part. But the crassness of the statement of "actual health problems" is so condescending and borderline #######ish, that it detracts from your message. That said for someone to be able to actual admit that they have a problem and take the steps to address that problem, is a huge accomplishment and takes a lot of perseverance and is very worthy of respect.

[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

You know what - I agree in part. But the crassness of the statement of "actual health problems" is so condescending and borderline #######ish, that it detracts from your message. That said for someone to be able to actual admit that they have a problem and take the steps to address that problem, is a huge accomplishment and takes a lot of perseverance and is very worthy of respect.

Yeah, I worded my initial post poorly and I do respect what Bobby Ryan has done, but I don't think he deserves an award for it.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Crown Royal

Yeah, I worded my initial post poorly and I do respect what Bobby Ryan has done, but I don't think he deserves an award for it.

I think otherwise. Substance abuse is a disease. And alcohol withdrawal is straight up deadly. Moreso than dope sickness. I didnt think that was true either, but it is. Doesnt matter how you got there. Most times there isn't a way out. Someone absolutely deserves an award for crawling out of a bottle.

[Scroopy Noopers]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...or-bobby-ryan/

Bob Stevenson was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and criminal restraint. Melody told the prosecutors that she wouldn’t co-operate, but they thought they had an airtight case just based on her injuries and neighbours’ eyewitness testimony. Today, she says she still loved Bob, still thought Bobby needed his father. Bob says he still loved Melody, still felt that his son needed him. The idea of public shame, of a trial, of going to jail, of being separated from his wife and, most of all, he’ll say, not being there for his son, was too much for Bob. He was released on $75,000 bail and skipped it a few weeks later, landing in El Segundo, Calif.

Bob Stevenson took on an alias, Shane Ryan. Ryan was his wife’s maiden name, so it was no stretch for Melody to use it again when she drove across the country with Bobby to rejoin her husband and try to stitch the family back together. The newly minted Mr. and Mrs. Ryan told Bobby that going forward his last name was Ryan too, that the other name was never to be mentioned. “They were serious, so I only had to be told once,” Bobby says.

[TheScorpion]

Something else about substance abuse is it's so heavily stigmatized that it's often a fight one undertakes alone... and often, it combines with things like depression to the point where you're not even sure if you're on your own side. It can be hell.

I'm not aware if Bobby suffered any additional mental health struggles during his recovery but I would not be surprised at all. Either way, he's very brave and strong for making it this far and going public.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I honestly kind of wish they didn't announce the winner. Here are the nominees, three great accomplishments, no need to try to compare one person's struggles to another.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Crown Royal

Yeah, I worded my initial post poorly and I do respect what Bobby Ryan has done, but I don't think he deserves an award for it.

You just implied that he brought it on himself. And there may be elements of truth to that. However even if someone smoked and got cancer as a result, it doesn't make the struggle to get healthy any less significant. I will tell you something, the number of people who I have seen die from drugs, alcohol and the related illnesses is incredibly high. I think that you sound judgmental towards him for having a substance abuse issue and differentiate that from a physical illness (cancer) for which you have more empathy. The struggle for people to get clean and stay clean is real and that is why so many people have setbacks and failures. Hopefully this award will serve as a small reminder of the support he has and can serve as inspiration for others in the NHL and in the public at large.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

Wasn't McDavid a shoe in for this award? Isn't that what all the Edmonton writers have been saying since last summer? He wasn't even a finalist?! I guess they will get to write about the anti-Oiler bias the rest of the world has for the next week or so.

The courage he exhibited overcoming acne, in addition to the enduring trauma of the Town of The No Good.

[topfiverecords]

Is the Masterton silver?

Amazing McDavid didn’t win it. He literally defied science by rejoining an amputation and then tapped on the knee and said Let’s Go.